SonnetFest 2012

Notre Dame is holding its third annual SonnetFest on Valentine's Day. Stop by to listen or volunteer to read a sonnet or two.

Tuesday, Feb. 14
11:00 - 3:00 p.m.

The Great Hall of O'Shag

Email scottjackson@nd.edu to sign up for a sonnet reading. Extra credit to those who do :).

John Shinners, Bruno P. Schlesinger Chair

On Wednesday, September 14, 2011, Professor John Shinners was installed as the Bruno P. Schlesinger Chair in Humanistic Studies. The installation was happily attended by faculty in Humanistic Studies, English, Religious Studies, Philosophy, and Modern Languages as well as Humanistic Studies students and staff. Professor Shinners offered a characteristically witty and enlightening acceptance speech following thoughtful remarks by Professor Gail Mandell, the former Schlesinger Chair.

Graduate School in the Humanities

Graduate School Night
Monday, October 24th
5:00-6:00 p.m.
140 Spes Unica

Please join us for an informal presentation and discussion on applying to and attending graduate school, led by Humanistic Studies professors John Shinners and Laura Williamson Ambrose. Topics will include the application process, an overview of traditional graduate programs in the humanities (M.A., Ph.D., and professional programs), information about funding options, general advice from faculty, strategies for writing the personal statement, and a "how to" session on describing your major and your liberal arts experience. For more information, contact Laura Williamson Ambrose at lambrose@saintmarys.edu.

Spotlight on HUST majors and alumnae

Check out profiles of current majors: 

• Jean Osberger '13
• Tara Doyle '13
• Kimberly Roland '12
• Hilary Ropp '12

HUST Hooding

This year, hooding took place campus-wide on the Sunday before finals week. HUST hooding tradition begins with a food spread, including the much-talked-about mini-quiches, continues with a presentation by Professor Shinners on the history of university apparel that dates back to the Middle Ages. What better way to commence the ceremony than to make connections from history to our own lives, in true HUST fashion! Each of the eight seniors, in turn, was hooded by the department staff--Professor Hicks, Professor Shinners, and Professor Ambrose. During the toast portion of the ceremony, students gave sentimental toasts focusing on the bonds formed between each other and between the students and professors. The moment was bittersweet, but the now graduated seniors are all on their ways to do great things--Teach for America, Law School, Graduate School, and the workforce.

Department Field Trip

During the Spring 2011 term, the Humanistic Studies majors and faculty took a trip into Chicago to see the Art Institute's exhibit "Kings, Queens, and Courtiers: Art in Early Renaissance France." The exhibit highlighted painting, sculpture, tapestries, and, of course, manuscripts from around the turn of the sixteenth century in France. The junior class was especially primed for the visit as they had been studying this period in their Renaissance Cultural History and Colloquium courses with Professor John Shinners and Professor Gail Mandell.

The value of a humanities degree

This excellent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education offers a much-needed student's perspective on the importance of the humanities and, specifically, humanities majors. Often the justification for such programs and areas of study comes as a kind of top-down approach (profs to students). This is a nice change and offers points many of our own majors/alums have made time and time again.