First-Year Seminars

Please note, this UNIV Seminar is only offered in conjunction with a Learning Community. Visit Learning Community to learn more.

The world of education has been forever changed by COVID and it takes a special set of skills to adapt to this new reality. We’ll explore shifts in teaching strategy, communication techniques, and effective technology by learning the role that our personal habits play in our success. Students will think deeply about who they are as individuals, how they learn, and how to keep their lives in balance to thrive in a field that has seen unprecedented challenges.

Dr. Amy Peach has taught in public, private, and online environments from early childhood through the doctoral level for twenty years. Her work in educational technology has led to more recent research interests in habit formation and the role it plays in successful use of our technology. She enjoys a variety of exercise, reading, and has just finished writing her first novel. She lives in Maplewood with her husband and daughters.

Time Offered: Wednesday at 9 a.m.

Please note, this UNIV Seminar is only offered in conjunction with a Learning Community. Visit Learning Community to learn more.

Have you ever heard the quotes a picture is worth a thousand words and without music life would be a mistake? What do the pictures of us and our music preferences (as individuals and as a society) tell us about who we are and where we come from? This seminar will dive into the world of personal and public pictures and music, and will dissect what we can learn about ourselves and the world around us by what pictures we chose to take and display and what music we choose to represent us. We will spend time looking at personal photographs and music of students in the seminar, as well as other popular photographs and music in the media and contemporary art. We will also explore and determine what kind of story pictures and music tell about ourselves to future generations.

Sarah Leassner serves as Director, of First-Year Programs (FYP) at Lindenwood University. Her responsibilities include New Student Orientation, UNIV Seminar support, mentoring, meeting with first-year students, and helping students during the freshman journey to their sophomore year. Her educational background includes, a Bachelors in Communications from Missouri State University (2001), a Masters in Higher Education Administration from Saint Louis University, and is finishing her Doctorate in Management and Leadership from Webster University. She is also fond of her other job, which is raising four amazing kids. In her free time, you can find her on the softball field keeping score, at Scottrade Center watching the Blues praying for ANOTHER Stanley Cup, or spending time with her family and friends.

Time Offered: Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.

Please note, this UNIV Seminar is only offered in conjunction with a Learning Community. Visit Learning Community to learn more.

If you have ever watched an entire season of Making of a Murderer, Orange is the New Black, or any Crime Time TV shows, you likely have an appreciation for the misunderstood world of criminal behavior and are intrigued in the ways in which our system responds to those behaviors. This seminar will explore the American criminal justice system, separating fact from fiction, and what it looks like from the perspective of the police, courts, corrections, victim, and offender. We will spend time discussing key issues within the criminal justice system, the current efforts at criminal justice reform, and the impact on professionals within the field.

Darren Marhanka is a former police officer with nearly 18 years of experience. He served in a variety of roles throughout his police career, but he is most proud of his work with the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. Marhanka started as a patrol officer and eventually found himself working in the detective unit. He investigated almost any type of crime out there. Marhanka interacted with thousands of people throughout his time on the police department as well, finding it to be a very fulfilling career.

Marhanka loves doing things on the water: jet skiing, boating, scuba diving, fishing, you name it. He loves spending time with his wife, parents, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, cousins, the "whole gang." He loves Jimmy Buffett music and goes to his concerts. Marhanka is a self-described "Parrothead Pirate." Life is about living, so go out and live it!

Time Offered: Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Please note, this UNIV Seminar is only offered in conjunction with a Learning Community. Visit Learning Community to learn more.

Transitioning to college can be a big step and figuring out how to be an adult can be overwhelming. As part of the Public Health and the Social World Learning Community, this UNIV course will focus on two main concepts: 1) adulting and 2) critical thinking about current events and hot topics in health. Students will engage in small and large group discussions with their peers who want to be doctors, nurses, PAs, and public health practitioners. We will focus on adulting basics, such as budgeting, writing appropriate emails, and navigating new and changing relationships. We will also discuss harder concepts related to the world around them, such as absorbing current events related to health and medicine, understanding bigger influences of behaviors, and lifestyles, and learning to formulate and understand your own values around health and healthcare.

Amy Estlund earned a BS in Biomedical Sciences from Marquette University and an MPH in Behavioral Science and Health Education from Emory University. She worked in health education and sexual health education, youth development, and program management in the non-profit sector for eight years in Atlanta and rural Georgia. She then transitioned to academic research at Saint Louis University and Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine. She completed her PhD in Public Health from Saint Louis University. Fun facts: Amy has been skydiving twice. The first time she traveled outside of the country was when she participated in an International Partnership for Service Learning trip to the Philippines the summer before her senior year in college.

Time Offered: Monday at 10 a.m.

Please note, this UNIV Seminar is only offered in conjunction with a Learning Community. Visit Learning Community to learn more.

The Student Protagonist - Sec FLCH06

A story is only as strong as its protagonist is. This course is designed as an in-depth character study of the self, or the student protagonist. Using storytelling methods, students will explore their defining characteristics and motivations to be better prepared for their hero’s journey. In a world saturated with outside influences, not knowing yourself will allow others to write your character for you. Learn how fiction can be used in your favor or against you, and the power that comes with understanding your own story. This class is offered for the Honors Learning Community to help students to realize their potential and imagine how to apply their talents to unique circumstances that will affect their future.

Zachary Alley is the Honors Academy Coordinator. He has earned both his B.A. in English and M.F.A. in Creative Writing at Lindenwood University and is currently pursuing his EdD in Educational Administration. Fascinated by storytelling in all its forms, he hopes to help students realize its ability to entertain and enlighten. In his free time, he sometimes enjoys writing and always enjoys winning board games.

Time Offered: Thursday at 2:30 p.m.

Life is all about balance in what we enjoy, what challenges us, and how to live a truly happy, healthy, and fulfilled life! This seminar will focus on six areas of wellness throughout the semester to help you develop and implement a personal wellness plan. We will explore physical, mental, social, and spiritual wellness by engaging in hands-on activities and group discussions, for example, learning the principles of fitness, knowing the habits for healthy eating on a college campus, and managing stress-specific events during the academic semester. After completing this course, you will have the tools necessary to help you overcome the many obstacles faced during the transition to college.

Dr. Alameda earned a Doctor of Education from Lindenwood University, an M.S. in nutrition from Saint Louis University, and a B.S. in exercise science from Illinois State University. She currently teaches in the School of Health Sciences as an associate professor in the areas of health, nutrition, and wellness. In her free time, Alameda enjoys beach vacations with her husband and two young girls, Cardinal baseball games, and being part of the sport of gymnastics.

Time Offered: Thursday at 1 p.m.

As a first-year college student, you have arrived at a new crossroads with more freedom and independence! With this increased freedom comes the need to make important decisions about your path in life. As you experience these new levels of autonomy, you might feel both excited and a little bit terrified. This course will help you step forward confidently as you decide not just about what you want to do in life but who you want to be. We will examine your character strengths and discover your greatest qualities to begin building your best life. We will explore how you can bring these strengths to a rewarding career in teaching where you can help your students discover their unique character.

Character strengths are different than your other personal strengths, such as your unique skills, talents, interests, and abilities, because they reflect the “real” you-who you are at your core. When you know your best character traits, you can improve your life and thrive.

Research shows that using your character strengths can help you:

• Enhance your health and overall wellbeing
• Improve your relationships
• Buffer against, manage and overcome problems (we all have them!)

Using a strengths-based model, together, we will discover not what’s wrong, but what’s strong!!

We will also explore the many opportunities teachers and coaches have to instill character in their students and athletes. We will talk about the importance of providing students with positive character role models, opportunities to discuss moral dilemmas, and skills that help them cooperate and collaborate!

Dr. Emilie Johnson is a Professor of Education here at Lindenwood and has been a full-time faculty member since 1999 and teaches in the Graduate School of Education. She earned a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from St. Louis University in 1997 and brings to Lindenwood 13 years of experience in public school teaching, administration, and teacher training. In addition to teaching, Dr. Johnson is the author of a lot of materials that you might find boring but many professors use to teach Educational Psychology here on our campus and in universities across the US.

In the Fall of 2017, Dr. Johnson became a School Consultant and Coach for CharacterPlus of St. Louis which is the longest-running community-wide character education initiative in the country. CharacterPlus empowers the next generation of leaders, inspiring them to be compassionate people of integrity.

Dr. Johnson is most proud of her title of “mom” to two incredible young women ages 22 and 19. Emilie is also a dog mom to Piper (Doberman), Prada (Yorkie), and Murphy (Golden Doodle) who keep her on her toes when they are not warming her feet.

Time Offered: Thursday at 11 a.m.

Do you like playing board games and learning about science? If your answer is yes, then this is the course for you! We will play board games such as Pandemic, Cytosis: The Cell Biology Board Game, and Periodic: A Game of the Elements. We will also explore the science behind the board games and compare it with the scientific accuracy and logic of the game’s design.

Alison Albee is an Associate Professor in Biological Sciences who teaches Cell Biology and Genetics. Her favorite parts of biology are the things we can’t see with the naked eye, like cells and cellular processes. If you need a microscope to see it, then she likes it! Dr. Albee received her bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology from Purdue University and her PhD from University of Wisconsin-Madison. She came to St. Louis to pursue her post-doctoral studies at Washington University in St. Louis before joining the faculty at Lindenwood University in 2013. In her free time, Dr. Albee enjoys challenging herself in wide variety of ways, whether it be physically through keeping up with her 4- and 7-year old, mentally through board games and crossword puzzles, or creatively through designing and sewing projects.

Time Offered: Monday at 11 a.m.

This class is for anyone who's ever been tempted to feel made-up worlds are more real than our "real" world. In this class you will learn techniques for keeping your readers or viewers in your creations. Everyone will practice writing imaginative work and sharing it with the rest of the class, and we will learn how to benefit from hearing about how others experience our stories.

In this course you will do three things. You will study methods for making your imaginative work as real as possible. You will practice these methods by creating short creative projects of your own. And you will give feedback to other students on how you experience their projects. We will use a workshop model for most of our class meetings, which means your own imaginations will be our primary focus of study.

Creative writing will take center-stage, but visual artists, game programmers, musicians, web-based artists, and any creatively inclined students are welcome.

Dr. Daniel Plate has degrees in literature (Ph.D. Washington University), creative writing (M.F.A. University of Arkansas) and philosophy/English (B.A. Taylor University). He currently focuses his research on the relationship between games, creative writing, computer coding, amateur mathematics, and philosophy. He teaches literature and writing classes, and he is the faculty advisor for the Creative Writing Club. For fun, he plays games with family and friends, writes, experiments with computer programming, learns tricks with math, and reads philosophy. Each year he tries to write a professional bio that reads like a list of hobbies. He's getting closer.

Time Offered: Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.

Dungeons &Dragons has surged in popularity in the last decade. From Stranger Things to Critical Roll, the once fringe tabletop game has become a cultural juggernaut. Yet D&D is more than dice and spells; the game can transcend fiction and offer insight into the world around us. Our course will begin like every D&D campaign—with the creation of our personal character sheets. From there, we will use the fantastical world of Dungeons & Dragons as a frame to discuss personal and social issues and attempt to understand perspectives outside of our own. By our journey’s end, we will have learned how to slay our dragons. Welcome to Lindenwood—roll initiative.

Kevin Manley is an Assistant Registrar in the Academic Services office. He earned a BFA in Creative Writing and an MA in English from Truman State University, and he is a doctoral candidate at Lindenwood University. In his free time, Kevin walks dogs for the Humane Society of Missouri, cooks overly ambitious meals, and hosts virtual game nights for friends and family. Kevin and his wife will be publishing their first board game, “Make It Happen” in October in tandem with Indie Boards & Cards.

Time Offered: Monday at 9 a.m.

I wonder, wonder, wonder…Is that explosion in a movie legit. Why is there only one lab tech in a forensics lab on a television/streaming crime show. How are hundreds of pieces of evidenced analyzed in 20 seconds, my computer takes longer to start than that? Does Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper) really know Physics? How does bread rise? Why did the mayo separate? What preservatives am I eating? I would love to ride on the Zamboni. How does it get the ice so shiny? Man the last few seasons of baseball have seen a larger number of homeruns, is the ball “juiced”? How does a water spider walk on water? Why is my water for my pasta taking so long to come up to a boil? How does snow form?  Do snowflakes have different shapes? Does the weather really affect animals?…and a whole lot more. Experience the Freshman seminar of: Entertainment, Food, Sports, Chemistry…OH MY!!!!

As a graduate of Saint Louis University with BA and MS(R) in Chemistry my area of specialty is Surface and Colloidal Chemistry. I am an avid Cardinals and Blues fan. I hold blue ribbons (first place) from the Missouri State Fair for Canning. I enjoy cooking, learning about cooking, brewing, and other beverage making. As a trained volunteer weather spotter, you will find me outside when a thunderstorm approaches. However, I am not crazy to go storm chasing. I enjoy spending time with family and friends. Day trips and the outdoors in the summer are some of my favorite activities.

Time Offered:

Sec 12: Tuesday at 8 a.m.

Sec 13: Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.

When we sit down to a meal, we typically fail to recognize the complex cultural, social, economic, political, and geographic processes that support the meal’s composition.  Further, we don’t always recognize the importance of the ritual!  For many of us, our fondest memories and strongest traditions involve sharing a meal with family, with friends, or with both.  In this class, through readings, discussions (and, of course, some eating), we will foster a greater appreciation for the entirety of the meal experience.  We will investigate the origin of meal ingredients, the process of transforming those ingredients into our favorite dishes, and how and why the sharing of a meal is one of the most fundamental of human activities.

I am Professor Meri Marsh and I might be the first and only geographer you ever meet! have 3 degrees in Geography: my BA is from Calvin College, and my MA and PhD are from the University of California Santa Barbara (go Gauchos!).  I have been teaching geography at Lindenwood for 10 years. In my free time, I love to read, I love to run, I love to garden and I love to cook!  Which leads me to this course: food is so much more complex and important than we realize.  Our meals represent a complex and global geography while also signifying some of the most foundational experiences in our lives (e.g. family dinner).

Time Offered: Monday at 9 a.m.

Do you even lift Bro? If it fits your Macros. My followers will love this. If it’s not posted, did it really happen? Today social media plays an incredible role in allowing people to share information and even foster communities of people with similar interests. Unfortunately, within the field of Exercise Science and Health Sciences in general, it is often difficult for most people to recognize the good from the bad. The so called FitFluencers, InstaFit models and BroScientist make it challenging to distinguish between genuine, scientifically based information and basic propaganda. Countless individuals use social media and their followers to promote specific products and personal opinions, many of these are not based on true science. As a result, some social media personalities are able to prey on people not actually knowing the science behind the products or claims. So how can people figure out the truth or know which sources to trust? The purpose of this course is to begin to understand the actual scientific principles in the sports & fitness world. We will also learn about myths and truths in the fitness or nutrition world and ways to identify who to trust and who to question.

Scott Richmond earned a bachelor’s degree from Truman State University, then earned a PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Kansas and worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Scholar at Washington University-School of Medicine. He has taught Introductory and general education courses up to upper level major and graduate courses. He has always been interested in learning how different technologies or substances can improve performance and has supervised numerous student research projects. He enjoys being in the classroom, lab, or gym and loves spending time with his family.

Time Offered: Monday at 2 p.m.

Have you ever wondered how your identity and social groups affects your perceptions and social interactions? What groups do you identify with and how important are they to you? Does your identity lead to possible blindspots (or biases)? This class will examine the psychological background of social categorization and identity development. We will ask questions such as: who are you? Why does that matter? And how do we retrain those persistent blindspots? These topics are critical to first-year students as they transition into a diverse college culture as well as understand the way in which we make decisions and inferences about the social world.

Welcome first-year students! Dr. Stephanie Afful is an associate professor of psychology at Lindenwood. She has a Ph.D. in social psychology from Saint Louis University, as well as bachelor degrees in psychology and sociology from Drury University. Her research focuses on modern measurement of racism, racial identity, and interracial relationships. Dr. Afful loves teaching psychology. She believes students will find there is much more to psychology, as well as our understanding of prejudice and privilege, than first meets the eye. In her free time, Dr. Afful enjoys reading, traveling, and hanging out with family.

Time Offered: Monday at 10 a.m.

Aspire for greatness! Join us in this fun and interactive course to examine yourself as a leader. Through a little bit of discussion and a whole lot of group activities, we will explore topics including communication skills, conflict resolution, finding your voice in the face of injustice, followership, time management, motivating others, and more. Students will leave this class knowing themselves a little better and confident in their ability to lead their peers, teams, organizations, and communities with integrity. So come join us for a fun and exciting journey into leadership development.

I'm Angie Royal, and I've had the pleasure of serving as Director of Student Involvement at Lindenwood since 2012. I'm a proud two-degree alum of SIU Carbondale (go Salukis) and am currently pursuing my doctorate at Lindenwood in higher education. Leadership development is a passion of mine and in addition to having served as a staff fellow for Leadership & Supervision, I have been blessed to work with student leaders for over 18 years. When I'm not working hard at getting students involved at Lindenwood, I enjoy cooking and traveling with my daughter. I'm extremely excited about helping the Class of 2025 enhance their leadership skills, and cannot wait for us to take this journey together!

Time Offered: Wednesday at 1 p.m.

Ever feel like you are barely making ends meet, stressed about college debt, clueless about managing your money, or worried about how to make your dreams come true? You’re not alone. Most college students feel unprepared to handle their finances and plan for their futures. Now that you are on your own for the first time, this is the perfect opportunity to learn how to take control of your finances and be a responsible decision-maker. In this interactive course, discover common-sense principles, attitudes, and practices from economics and finance that will empower you with practical life skills that will last long after your college career. Through hands-on experiences, you will learn how to solve financial problems faced by college students just like you. Explore topics like choosing a career, paying for college, budgeting, saving, and managing credit. You will also get to create unique ways to share what you have learned with others, such as collaborating with your old high school, helping organize the annual Get Money Smart @ Lindenwood series, designing social media content, connecting with student organizations, or writing an op-ed.

Grant Black, PhD, is an associate professor of economics and associate director of the Economic Education Center at Lindenwood. He is part of Lindenwood’s Hammond Institute for Free Enterprise, the Education Advisory Board at the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, and the St. Louis Regional Financial Empowerment Coalition. He loves helping people discover how to use economics to understand the world and make their lives even better. He is devoted to his wife and two kids. He plays guitar, gets absorbed reading historical fiction and mysteries, and loves being outdoors, especially fishing. A favorite memory is his quest to hook the elusive fish in Milton Friedman’s pond in Vermont.

Tawni Ferrarini, PhD, is the Plaster Professor of Economic Education, director of the Economic Education Center, and associate director of the Hammond Institute for Free Enterprise. She is the coauthor of several recent books: Teachers Can be Financially Fit, Economic Episodes in American History, and Common Sense Economics: What Everyone Should Know about Wealth and Prosperity. Her teaching, research, and service focus on regional growth and development and the role of the private sector. She is passionate about online learning and the use of educational technology. She has received numerous awards recognizing her contributions to economic education throughout the world, including the 2020 Patricia Elder International Award. She earned her doctorate from Washington University, where she studied under the 1993 Nobel laureate Douglass C. North.

Time Offered: Tuesday at 1 p.m.

The Hunger Games, Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars...besides being blockbuster movies these works bring to mind very distinct places and create in our minds Fictional Worlds. This class will transport students to these worlds via Map using the latest Geographic Information Systems technologies. Students will spend the semester digitally mapping these fictional places. Create your own map of the Hunger Games districts, use Lord of the Rings cartographic styling to create your own path to Mordor, build Oz out of digital Lego and study the Star Wars galaxy in 3D!

Tara Vansell has been teaching Geographic Information Systems classes at Lindenwood since 2011. She holds a B.A. in Geography with a GIS emphasis from the University of Missouri - Columbia and an M.A. in Urban Planning and Real Estate Development from Saint Louis University. Before teaching at Lindenwood she spent several years working for various GIS companies in the St. Louis region. Off campus, she enjoys traveling with her family. Favorite vacations have included hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, biking the Katy Trail, sailing in Maine, driving the Blue Ridge Parkway, soaking up the sun along the California coast, getting in touch with her Viking roots in Scandinavia, and Disney World!

Time Offered: Thursday at 11 a.m.

Currently the fashion industry is the world second most piloting industry, next after the oil industry. So what can we do to both love fashion and care for our environment? In Project Runway - Lindenwood Edition we will explore environment friendly and sustainable ways to produce fashion, and learn about what the industry is currently doing to change course. You will evaluate your own consumer habits, learn about innovative designers and watch a fashion show or two. Maybe ten… Together we will develop a Spring 2022 collection and work hands on in the universities fashion studios to give old garments a new life.

Ameli Skoglund received a Bachelor of Fine Art degree in fashion design in 2011 and a Master of Fine Art degree in fashion design in 2014, both from Lindenwood University. Skoglund has several years of industry experience, working as a freelance product developer and technical designer. Her area of expertise is sweaters, and she is researching new software and technology for apparel production and sustainability. In addition to designing for her own brand, Ideas from the North, www.ideasfromthenorth.com, Skoglund teaches the technology focused courses and upper-level design classes in the Fashion Design and Technology Program. Ameli is originally from Sweden, and in her free time she loves to bake, hike and spend time with her family.

Time Offered: Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Have you ever heard of goalball or sit volleyball or played wheelchair basketball? What are those sports? Who plays them? This is a course open to all students who want to embrace the "can" in people, not the "can't." This class will challenge you to think differently and expect more out of people that might have a different ability (disability). We will engage in all kinds of activities and sports that you may have never tried before! This class is exposure to diversity in our culture. This course will also introduce you to exciting and fulfilling career paths and hopefully encourage new thought about people with disabilities. We will look at what they CAN accomplish! We will challenge the stigma that society tends to put on people with disabilities as we learn about the Paralympics, adapted sport, and therapeutic recreation. Students will gain experience in a major course of study (therapeutic recreation) as well as a minor in adapted sports and recreation that is appropriate for many different majors across campus. Students will learn about careers in the School of Health Services as well as other majors who are involved in human service. We are going to play and experience sports such as wheelchair basketball and sit volleyball, as well as many more! More than anything, the hope is that upon leaving this class, students will think about people with different abilities and believe in the "I CAN."

Heather Pennington has worked for 20 years in the field of adapted sports and recreation. She worked at an Olympic and Paralympic training site, where she wore many hats and loved it! Hats included fitness coordinator, strength conditioning coach, wheelchair basketball coach, adapted ski instructor, and more. She was blessed to serve with the U.S. Paralympic Military program and help wounded warriors find their strength! Pennington is also passionate about serving families that live with disability everyday through many organizations in our community like DASA, Community Living, St. Louis ARC, etc. She has a master's degree in exercise physiology and certifications related to the field. She loves teaching and showing students their career potential!

Time Offered: Tuesday at 1 p.m.

“The idea of me life-coaching another human being should scare you. A lot.” – David Rose

This course respectfully disagrees. We’re going to take a look at some of the important life lessons and takeaways from the award-winning show “Schitt’s Creek”. Using the Rose family and other residents of Schitt’s Creek as guides and examples, we’ll cover topics like identity/sexuality, navigating relationships, knowing when to ask for/accept help, self-perception and self-confidence, pursuing goals, dealing with consequences, and most importantly, being resilient.

The Schitt’s Creek town motto is “where everyone fits in” and that’s true for this class, too. We’ll have open-minded discussions, share some laughs, and leave class with more joy and perspective on ourselves and the world.

Dr. Thompson is an assistant professor in the College of Education and Human services at Lindenwood and teaches courses in media, technology, and innovation. She has earned a BS from Missouri State University, master’s degrees from Missouri Baptist University and Southwest Baptist University, and a doctorate from Maryville University. She enjoys exploring tech tools and researching the usage of social media for education/instruction. She is also a very enthusiastic Schitt’s Creek fan.

Time Offered: Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Do you ever wish you could experience the bustling streets of London, see the bright colors of the markets in India or feel the sun in Sydney? Movies allow us to see the world from the comfort of our own chair. In this course, you'll have the chance to watch movies from around globe, recreate a scene from a movie and pick out future trips you would like to go on. We will get a taste of places near and far without having to pay for a single flight.

Elizabeth Snell oversees the study abroad program at Lindenwood. She has a master's degree in feature film screenwriting from Royal Holloway, University of London and had the opportunity to live and work in London for 5 years. She also just completed a master's degree in Professional Counseling from Lindenwood University. She loves writing, traveling, movies and watching sports.

Time Offered: Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Do you enjoy volunteering? Do you care about your local community? Do you have a cause that you are deeply passionate about? In this course, we will examine social issues affecting our campus, local, and global communities, stay up-to-date on world news, and learn how to do good better. You will use your individual academic interest areas and skills to work as a team with your peers to complete a service learning project while learning about sustainable service and social justice.

Erika Hatfield is an alum of Lindenwood University. In undergrad, she studied criminal justice, nonprofit administration, and gender studies. She also received her Master of Arts in Nonprofit Administration from Lindenwood. She is a Career Strategist in the Center for Experiential Learning on campus. Erika loves engaging in conversations about current events, politics, and social justice issues. In her free time, she enjoys being over-caffeinated, cooking yummy meals, reading, volunteering, and going to concerts and comedy shows. While she has lots of hobbies, her favorite is spending time with her dog, Franklin.

Time Offered: Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Understanding how to protect our planet is complicated as our dynamic world is constantly changing around us due to multiple factors like population growth, market dynamics, and environmental degradation. Although the scope of such problems can feel overwhelming, we can all be positive agents of change and drive our efforts towards a sustainable world in which humans protect the biodiversity and environments that support all life. This course will discuss environmental, social, and economic aspects of sustainability, and will focus on lifestyle choices that every individual can make to increase global sustainability. Students will come out of the course with a greater understanding of how their own everyday choices affect the environment, and a list of easy actions they can take to protect planet Earth.

Dr Woltz has a PhD in Ecology, and also in Entomology, the study of insects. She has conducted ecological research on endangered butterflies in North Carolina wetlands, alpine lakes in the Colorado Rockies, invasive plants in Massachusetts forests, predatory insects in Michigan crop fields, and crop pests in Oregon orchards. She loves spending time out doors gardening, camping, hiking, and stopping to admire cool bugs. During the school year Dr Woltz spends most of her time improving her classes and meeting with students, but makes time to read on the couch with her Basset Hound Lucy. When she's not teaching she spends her time travelling, and has now explored ecosystems in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Canada.

Dr. Ana Londono, an Associate Professor in Earth Science with a Bachelors in Geological Engineering from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and a PhD in Geology from University of Cincinnati. She enjoys learning about all things environmental, and loves researching the interactions between geologic processes and humans, and how those affect our daily lives. She focuses her research on the modifications made by pre-Columbian cultures, Inca and Wari, to the steep hills in Peru for agriculture, how they maximize the scarce water resources, and how the changes people made on their surrounding landscapes influence soil erosion on desert lands. She enjoy nature, traveling, and learning about various cultures, their people and their ancient traditions.

Time Offered:

Sec 05: Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Sec 07: Monday at 11 a.m.

How do you define freedom? How do you define success? Is it accomplishing great things? Is it leadership and influence of others? Is it finding what makes you happy? Or the quality of your relationships? Using the latest psychological research, this seminar will uncover what has worked for you and what hasn't. Mastering the ABCs of self-management will allow you to get more of what you want from life, step with confidence through your college experience and into the future you choose. By investigating and experimenting with the ways we communicate with ourselves and others, you will implement a plan to succeed at college and start living now.

Kevin Herbert LPC is a Clinical Supervisor for professional counselors and an Adjunct Professor of psychology and counseling at Lindenwood University. He has a heart for helping individuals and families to break through anxiety and depression and reconcile grief and loss. He has experience educating and coaching students, athletes, and professionals in achieving mental clarity and reaching higher levels of performance and self-mastery. He is a Lindenwood Alumnus (BA in Marketing and Management 1998), with a master’s in psychology from Marist College, and intensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Grief and Trauma, Meditation and Hypnotherapy. He has four wonderful kids, and in his free time you'll find him reading, playing music, enjoying amazing meals, planning adventures, biking and skating.

Time Offered: Online

Kindness — the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate — is among humanity’s most powerful natural resources.  Kindness is also hard, and some qualities of the modern world particularly evident during these times, such as online anonymity and political polarization, make it even harder.

Borrowing from Jamil Zaki’s cutting-edge research and groundbreaking book, The War on Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World (2020), through this seminar, we will explore the nature of kindness, as well as empathy—a major psychological force that drives it.  We will also review scientifically-inspired efforts to encourage kindness amidst difficult circumstances.  And through reflections and exercises, we will explore kindness as a challenge and opportunity in our own lives.

Together, we’ll tackle four main learning goals: First, we will survey the science of kindness, empathy, and cooperation. Second, we will do a “close read” of articles in psychology, neuroscience, and related fields, helping to make sense of related scientific evidence. Third, we will explore class themes at a more personal level.  Through weekly “kindness challenges,” we will push ourselves to empathize with other people in new ways.  We will reflect together on these challenges, and towards the end of the semester, think about how you might use what you have learned in your remaining years at Lindenwood University and beyond. Fourth, you will work on a kindness-building proposal over the course of the semester, allowing you to develop a “big picture” idea over several steps.

Dr. Turner is a Professor of Nonprofit Administration at both the undergraduate and graduate levels within LU’s Plaster School of Business & Entrepreneurship. Additionally, she has over twenty years of experience in education and nonprofit leadership, primarily working for causes that benefit young people. Her favorite job in the world is being your professor. She was fortunate enough to be recognized as “Professor of the Year” by the Lindenwood Student Government Association; received the "Emerson Award for Teaching Excellence;” and the "Lindenwood Service Award.” She herself has three college-aged daughters and is very involved in the community, where she finds joy in in seeking and promoting kindness however she can.

Time Offered: Monday at 1 p.m.

Before Broadway, before Disney on Ice, even before Dancing with the Stars, one brave actor stepped out of the Greek chorus to speak lines on his own, in the voice of a new character. From that moment, through the theatrical renaissance of Shakespeare, the artistic awakening led by Strasberg and Stanislavsky, all the way to the modern rock musical, this course is a whirlwind tour of over 2,000 years of live theatre, with as many thrills and scandals behind the scenes as there were on stage. Course may also be referred to as The Invention of Professional Lying.

In addition to serving on the LU faculty, Donna Northcott is the founding Artistic Director of St. Louis Shakespeare and Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre. Through SLS, she produced all of Shakespeare's plays - becoming one of only 7 "completionist" theatres in the US. Prior to coming to Lindenwood, she was the Live Theatre Manager at the St. Louis Science Center, creating in-house and touring theatre programs. She directed the obscure independent film, "Hooch and Daddy-O" and works as a casting director and voiceover actor.

Time Offered: Monday at 11 a.m.

What exactly is the nature of truth and how important is it for a well-rounded education? This course is intended to help you, the first year Lindenwood student, discover your own answers to these questions by exploring the goals of the various Colleges and Departments at Lindenwood University alongside the current philosophical theories of truth and bullshit. Special emphasis will be placed on how to evaluate these goals and theories within the context of everyday life.

Dr. Joseph Steineger has been an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Lindenwood University since January 2014. He received his degrees from the University of Kansas and the University of Chicago, and works in the fields of Metaphysics, Philosophy of Mind, and Philosophy of Religion within the context of Medieval Philosophy. A first generation college graduate in his family, Dr. Steineger is an enthusiastic teacher of college undergraduates with a deep commitment to the view that the examined way of life is the best way of life in any walk of life.

Time Offered: Monday at 2 p.m.

Bitmoji, emoji, avatar, that perfect Instagram profile picture, that's you, right? It's a part of you for sure, but only a fragment, a mask. Behind the mask, who are you...really? Deep down, what do you believe? About yourself? About your place in the world? For the next few weeks, we'll be sharing our reactions to statements of belief from many people, some famous, some just like you and me. Along the way, each of you will be creating your own statement of belief...a clear, true message to the world that says "if you want to know who I really am, then let me tell you what I really believe." Don't worry, after all is said and done, you can keep your avatar, I've got mine too, but something will have changed by the end of the course: you may know yourself a bit better than you did before, and so will we.

Spencer E. Hurst has been a barker at Six Flags, interoffice mail delivery person for a defense contractor, janitor in a maternity undergarment factory, transportation manager, director of global logistics, truck loader at UPS, K-12 substitute teacher, university teaching assistant, and English professor, in that order. Along the way he has tried his best to be a good parent, husband, and grandfather. With a rap sheet like that, he can only hope for forgiveness. His poetry and stories have appeared in Untamed Ink, Natural Bridge, River King Poetry Supplement, Salamander Magazine, and others.

Time Offered: Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Do you worry about what employers are looking for when they ask you to submit a paragraph "describing yourself"? Or, do you know what goes into the marketing of you? How about what instructors want in writing? If so, you have come to the right class! This course will focus on developing your writing skills for success in the classroom and in the boardroom in a fun and fantastic environment. Come along for the ride!

Paula Nunning is an adjunct instructor of English who teaches at Lindenwood University. She has spent her career teaching composition, business writing, and journalism in the university arena and training, developing, interviewing, hiring, supervising, and writing in the corporate arena. She is passionate about developing people and helping them realize their potential.

Time Offered: Monday at 1 p.m.

Are you a dog-lover? Wags, Walks, and Wellness brings together animal lovers, healthy living, and the St. Charles community in this Freshman Seminar course. Students in this course will make strides towards a healthier lifestyle through walking adoptable dogs at a local animal shelter (Five Acres Animal Shelter). Through dog walking and giving back to the St. Charles community, students enrolled in this course will develop peer connections and a strong connection to their new home at Lindenwood. Throughout the semester, students will learn about the benefits of pet ownership on human health and well-being as they transition into the Lindenwood University community. Every student will receive training from the Five Acres staff and spend time weekly at the shelter with wonderful pups, helping prepare them to find a forever home. Through these experiences, students will learn about and improve their own lives as well as the lives of deserving shelter dogs. Students will explore the opportunities that dog ownership provides for health through self-reflection and relevant scientific research. If you’re an animal lover and if you’re ready to get involved in our local community, this is the course for you!

Dr. Kyle Sunderland is a proud dog owner and exercise physiologist whose passion for his dogs and his field permeates this course. As a former collegiate athlete, he understands the importance of an active lifestyle which has served as a foundation for his many teaching and research interests. These include a range of exercise physiology aspects from athletic performance to metabolic disease. When Dr. Sunderland joined the Lindenwood community, he quickly got involved with Five Acres Animal Shelter and their canine companion volunteer program. A dog owner himself, Dr. Sunderland understands the impact that dog ownership can have on health and well-being. When he’s not on campus, he can be found with his pups, Bailey & Penny, or cheering on his beloved Denver Broncos.

Time Offered: Wednesday at 9 a.m.