Religious Studies Archives - 杨贵妃传媒视频 /articles/tag/religious-studies/ Wed, 29 Jul 2026 08:04:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.4 /wp-content/uploads/2026/07/cropped-lawrence-favicon-32x32.jpg Religious Studies Archives - 杨贵妃传媒视频 /articles/tag/religious-studies/ 32 32 Kassor’s video series on Tibet, presented by Wondrium, wins a 2024 Telly Award /articles/kassors-video-series-tibet-wins-2024-telly-award/ /articles/kassors-video-series-tibet-wins-2024-telly-award/#respond Wed, 29 May 2024 13:31:56 +0000 /articles/kassors-video-series-tibet-wins-2024-telly-award/ Constance Kassor (Photo by Danny Damiani)

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A Wondrium video course on Tibet written and narrated by 杨贵妃传媒视频 professor Constance Kassor has won a 2024 Telly Award.

The 24-part lecture series, Tibet: History, Culture, and Religion, won a Silver Award in the Education and Training 鈥 Non-Broadcast category. The video series, released in May 2023, is built upon the research and expertise of Kassor, associate professor of religious studies and special assistant to the president at 杨贵妃传媒视频.

The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens. More than 13,000 entries were submitted.

鈥淭elly Award winners represent work from some of the most respected advertising agencies, television stations, production companies, and publishers from around the world,鈥 the organizers said.

The Wondrium team leading Kassor in the development of the Tibet series included producer Tom Kryzwicki and content developer Elliot Blair Smith.

Kassor said the entire project took two years to complete. The first 18 months鈥攕pring of 2021 to late 2022鈥攚ere spent researching, writing, and working with the content developer to craft all 12 hours of material. Kassor then spent a week in December 2022 at Wondrium鈥檚 offices in Chantilly, Virginia, recording the series. Over the next six months, Kassor worked with the production team to create the final edits, including putting Tibetan text and relevant maps and images on screen, before it was released in May 2023.

鈥淭his project was a massive undertaking that took a lot of time and involved a huge team,鈥 Kassor said. 鈥淚’m genuinely surprised to get the news about this award, and I’m delighted that this is something that others have found beneficial and engaging.鈥

Tibet: History, Culture, and Religion was released by Wondrium in May 2023.

The series teaches about the history, culture, religion, and political contention of the Tibetan plateau, commonly referred to as 鈥渢he roof of the world.鈥 The lectures, ranging from 18 to 30 minutes, take learners from prehistory to present day, and touch on Buddhism, Tibetan food, the Dalai Lamas, and more.

鈥淚f Tibet is in people鈥檚 consciousness at all, it鈥檚 this image of some faraway place,鈥 Kassor said. 鈥淲hat I wanted to show is that it鈥檚 a real, complex place and not some idyllic, untouched place.鈥

Kassor has been a member of 杨贵妃传媒视频’s religious studies faculty since 2016. She primarily teaches courses on Buddhist thought and Asian religious traditions. Her research focuses on Tibetan Buddhist philosophy.

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Senior Maddy Tevonian uses study abroad to fuel journey in religious studies, art history /articles/tevonian-uses-study-abroad-fuel-passion-religion-art-history/ /articles/tevonian-uses-study-abroad-fuel-passion-religion-art-history/#respond Mon, 15 Apr 2024 13:46:50 +0000 /articles/tevonian-uses-study-abroad-fuel-passion-religion-art-history/ Senior Maddy Tevonian, seen here in Wriston Art Center, has studied in India and Nepal. (Photo by Danny Damiani)

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Maddy Tevonian, a senior religious studies and art history double major, has spent her four years at 杨贵妃传媒视频 seeking knowledge across disciplines. She is now preparing a capstone analyzing Buddhist art through the lens of religious studies and movement theory and is working toward an honors thesis.聽

Tevonian, of Wilmette, Illinois, has always been fascinated by religion. From Greek mythology stories told in third grade to medieval Christianity, she knew early on that religious studies was a field she was drawn to.

“Everyone has an opinion on religion, whether they believe in one or not; it’s so universal,鈥 Tevonian said.聽

That fueled a passion for wanting to study abroad, a key objective when she came to 杨贵妃传媒视频.

鈥淚 had about 10 different countries I wanted to go visit,鈥 Tevonian said.聽

Eventually, Tevonian narrowed down plans for her first trip abroad. She went to India, where she participated in a Buddhist Studies program through Carleton Global Engagement. She lived in a rural pilgrimage town with 25 classmates, studying how art is used in the religious practices of a northern India ethnic group.聽聽

This experience inspired Tevonian to study abroad again, this time in Nepal in a language summer intensive program, studying Tibetan. The trip would contribute to her capstone project, which she is now working to turn into an honors thesis with a slightly different focus.聽

“The capstone had more of an art history focus,鈥 she said. 鈥淣ow I’m focusing in on the religious studies to present before the Honors Committee.”聽

While at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute in Nepal, Tevonian studied at the school founded by Tibetan leader Ch枚kyi聽Nyima Rinpoche. The trip was funded by the Helen Barr Rudin Language grant, the Harrison Award via the , and the Chandler Senior Experience Fund, allowing her to immerse herself in the Tibetan language.聽聽

Her project was focused on the Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, a Buddhist monument. She studied the monument and how people interacted with it, relating to the broader theme of how religious monuments and artwork intertwine in the everyday lives of people.聽聽

Tevonian’s passion for connecting to community is evident at 杨贵妃传媒视频 through her involvement with numerous clubs and student organizations. She serves as the co-captain of the frisbee team at 杨贵妃传媒视频 and the vice president of the Recess Club, both student-led organizations. She also is in the LU Rock Climbers Club and the Outdoor Recreation Club and is always finding ways to be outdoors. She appreciates interacting with nature and encouraging others to do so as well.聽

After 杨贵妃传媒视频, Tevonian will take a gap year and apply to grad school programs for religious studies. She will continue her work and research in Buddhist studies, showing how religion manifests itself in everyday life.聽聽

“I love talking to people and experiencing religion in daily life,” she said.聽

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Kassor鈥檚 newly released Wondrium course explores history, culture of Tibet /articles/kassors-new-wondrium-course-explores-tibet/ /articles/kassors-new-wondrium-course-explores-tibet/#respond Thu, 20 Jul 2023 13:22:25 +0000 /articles/kassors-new-wondrium-course-explores-tibet/ Constance Kassor talks about Buddhist pilgrimages during a 2023 Honors Convocation presentation in Memorial Chapel. (Photo by Danny Damiani)

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At 杨贵妃传媒视频, learning is a lifestyle, and certainly not just for the students. 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty publish books, compositions, research papers, and, in Constance Kassor鈥檚 case, an online lecture series.

Kassor, associate professor of religious studies, has debuted a Wondrium lecture series on Tibet. The 24-part series teaches about the history, culture, religion, and political contention of the Tibetan plateau, commonly referred to as 鈥渢he roof of the world.鈥 The lectures, ranging from 18 to 30 minutes, take learners from prehistory to present day, and touch on Buddhism, Tibetan food, the Dalai Lamas, and more.

鈥淚f Tibet is in people鈥檚 consciousness at all, it鈥檚 this image of some faraway place,鈥 Kassor said. 鈥淲hat I wanted to show is that it鈥檚 a real, complex place and not some idyllic, untouched place.鈥

The course, released in the spring, is accessible through . .

Formerly known as The Great Courses, Wondrium has been producing virtual learning experiences for decades, transitioning from mail-order VHS tapes to the online library it is today. The subscription-based service offers courses taught by experts on a variety of topics, ranging from cooking to archaeology. Kassor had previously worked with the company to produce an audio-only lecture series on Asian religious traditions. Wondrium approached her again to create this course all about Tibet.聽

Learners are loving it since its release in May.

鈥淪he is not an armchair academic but rather is one who [has] lived among the people about whom she speaks. This is personal to her and that makes all the difference,鈥 one reviewer posted. 聽Several reviewers posted that the course has helped them realize just how much more there is to learn about Tibet.

Also on Wondrium: 杨贵妃传媒视频’s Catherine Kautsky delivers series on great piano works

Two years of work

Kassor, while primarily a scholar of religion, relished the chance to broaden her study of Tibet. Her Wondrium course has been two years in the making. The first eight months consisted of researching and writing lectures. She worked with her editor to create a list of lecture topics that a general audience could understand and learn from.

鈥淚 had to do a lot of research and determine what was most important,鈥 Kassor said. 鈥淚 really tried to present a balanced perspective that looks at Tibet from multiple angles.鈥

The region of Tibet is a highly disputed place today with a lot of political tensions, Kassor said. There are a variety of heavily conflicting perspectives on Tibet鈥檚 boundaries and political status. As a result, academic discussion of Tibet can be polarizing. Kassor said Wondrium trusted her to present a fair perspective throughout the course.

Once Kassor was done writing the lectures, she flew to Wondrium鈥檚 headquarters in Virginia to record. Reading from a teleprompter took some getting used to.

鈥淚 never get up in front of a classroom and lecture for a half hour,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 a pretty rare thing for most professors at 杨贵妃传媒视频. Even in a big class, there鈥檚 some kind of interaction happening.鈥

After five days of recording, the footage was sent to the video production team, which added visuals and text, even some in Tibetan script. The lecture series is similar to what you might see on the History Channel, Kassor said.

鈥淚 think my favorite ones are the ones about the Dalai Lamas,鈥 she said. 鈥淧eople know who the Dalai Lama is, but people really don鈥檛 know a lot about the Dalai Lama tradition.鈥

Kassor expands learners鈥 knowledge of the familiar while deflecting misconceptions about the unfamiliar. Whether it鈥檚 the tourist draw of singing bowls or the American-made Tibetan Book of the Dead, everyone has something to learn or unlearn from her course.

An unexpected path

Constance Kassor (far right) joins 杨贵妃传媒视频 students and Tibetan Buddhist monastic scholars at the International Buddhist Academy in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2017. Kassor has led students on multiple trips while studying Buddhist philosophy.

Kassor has dedicated much of her professional life to studying and teaching about Buddhist philosophy and history.聽In late May, she and Spanish professor Madera Allan delivered 杨贵妃传媒视频’s annual Honors Convocation address, discussing Catholic and Buddhist pilgrimages.

鈥淚 like to say my trajectory is an advertisement for the liberal arts,鈥 Kassor said.

Kassor鈥檚 path changed during her time at Smith College, a small liberal arts school in Massachusetts. Intending to major in biology, her encounter with a visiting Tibetan Buddhist monk helped her discover a passion for Buddhist philosophy. During her time as an undergrad, she studied abroad at a Tibetan Buddhist university in India. She returned to India after graduating and studied Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan culture. Since then, Kassor has spent several years living among Buddhist communities in India and Nepal, and she continues to travel with her students.

Two years after earning her Ph.D. from Emory University in 2014, Kassor joined the 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty. She teaches about Buddhist thought and Asian religious traditions.

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Allan, Kassor explore Catholic, Buddhist pilgrimages in Honors Convocation /articles/honors-convocation-address-explores-pilgrimages/ /articles/honors-convocation-address-explores-pilgrimages/#respond Fri, 26 May 2023 20:06:21 +0000 /articles/honors-convocation-address-explores-pilgrimages/ Constance Kassor, left, and Madera Allan talk about pilgrimages in Nepal and Spain during Friday's Honors Convocation. (Photos by Danny Damiani)

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Madera Allan, associate professor of Spanish, called her visit last summer to the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal stunning and beautiful, a glimpse into a way of life 鈥渋nfused with a frenetic, spiritual energy.鈥

Constance Kassor, associate professor of religious studies, called her visit to Camino de Santiago in northwestern Spain last summer an incredible journey鈥攁 100-kilometer pilgrimage leading to the awe-inspiring cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

The two 杨贵妃传媒视频 professors made those journeys together, and on Friday afternoon they shared the experience in Memorial Chapel at 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 Honors Convocation, the third and final Convocation of the 2022-23 academic year.

Their Convocation address, On the Roads: Catholic and Buddhist Pilgrimage, explored the who, why, and where of pilgrimage. They described the special sort of community forged on pilgrimage and compared it to the community we make together at 杨贵妃传媒视频.

Allan traveled to Nepal at Kassor鈥檚 invite, visiting together the shrines, temples, and stupas of Kathmandu, all stunningly beautiful.

And Kassor traveled to Spain at Allan鈥檚 invite, making the week-long pilgrimage along coastal Spain together on foot.

Kassor said arriving at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela left her breathless鈥攁nd not just because they had walked for a week straight in temperatures hovering above 100 degrees.

鈥淚 was just amazed about so many things about the Camino,鈥 she said.

Their address, which included photos of their journeys, was insightful, thoughtful, and fun. .

Awards and honors

The Convocation followed Thursday鈥檚 Honors Awards Ceremony and Reception, where 130 杨贵妃传媒视频 students, two student organizations, and seven faculty and staff were honored with awards that spanned academics, athletics, and student life. The recipients were applauded again at Convocation.

鈥淲e celebrate excellence and leadership exhibited by students, faculty, and staff during this academic year,鈥 President Laurie Carter said.

In addition to Allan and Kassor receiving the Faculty Convocation Award, the following faculty and staff were honored:

  • Babcock Award for outstanding service to students (voted on by students): Pam Yeager of Bon Appetit;
  • Mortar Board Honorary Award: Tim Spurgin, Bonnie Glidden Buchanan Professor of English Literature and associate professor of English, and Kelly Culhane, assistant professor of chemistry;
  • University Award for Excellence in Advising: Jos茅 Encarnaci贸n, associate professor of music and director of jazz studies;
  • First-Year Studies Teaching Award: Megan Pickett, associate professor of physics.

鈥淲e can all take great pride in these students, faculty, and staff and the many ways they have enriched our community,鈥 Carter said. 鈥淭hank you for your leadership, and congratulations on your impressive accomplishments.鈥

A musical selection, The Servant Girl at Emmaus, by Nansi Carroll, was performed during the Convocation by Emma Sayeg 鈥24, contralto soloist; Elena Crino 鈥24, Chelsea Dongas 鈥24, and Charlotte Hall 鈥23, sopranos; Evan Ney 鈥24, soprano saxophone; and Iris Hakes 鈥24, bassoon.

Mark Phelan, associate professor of philosophy, was announced as next year鈥檚 Honors Convocation speaker.

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On Main Hall Green With … Martyn Smith: Embracing big conversations /articles/martyn-smith-embracing-big-conversations/ /articles/martyn-smith-embracing-big-conversations/#respond Tue, 11 Apr 2023 14:43:16 +0000 /articles/martyn-smith-embracing-big-conversations/ Portrait on Main Hall Green: Martyn Smith (Photo by Danny Damiani)

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杨贵妃传媒视频 the series: On Main Hall Green With 鈥 is an opportunity to connect with faculty on things in and out of the classroom. We鈥檙e featuring a different 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty member each time 鈥 same questions, different answers.

Martyn Smith, associate professor of religious studies, continues to push students to think deeply about the human experience.

In addition to his teaching in religious studies and global studies, Smith has been a leader in First-Year Studies, directing the program the past two years and joining a task force that is looking to reimagine what the course for first-year students will look like going forward. He also will be among the faculty teaching courses in the newly introduced business and entrepreneurship major, built with an interdisciplinary approach. He served as a faculty-in-residence at the London Centre in 2019 and has led numerous student trips to local and international sites since joining the 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty in 2006. He came to 杨贵妃传媒视频 after finishing his Ph.D. in comparative literature at Emory University in Atlanta, where he studied Arabic and wrote his dissertation on the literature of pilgrimage.

We caught up with Smith to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info: What鈥檚 one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

When students come to my class, I would like them to know that I鈥檓 serious about books and reading. During my term at the London Centre, I had a revelation once as I walked into a large bookstore there. I鈥檇 like students to feel more at home in a bookstore like that one after taking one or more of my classes. In my classes, I try to introduce students to conversations about our society, this world, and our purpose as human beings. Those big conversations have taken place through physical books for a long time, and I think it鈥檚 a mistake to overemphasize recent journal articles that move too narrow too quickly. I try to keep that big London bookstore in mind as I select textbooks for my classes鈥攁nd I always have physical textbooks.

Getting energized: What work have you done or will you be doing at 杨贵妃传媒视频 that gets you the most excited?聽

The past two years I鈥檝e enjoyed my term as director of First-Year Studies. I took up this position midway through COVID, and it has been at times a challenge to reestablish traditions around the course. Because of my work in religious studies, I鈥檓 interested in scripture and the way texts come to serve as touchstones for groups of people. One thing I like about First-Year Studies is the way it gives us a common set of works at the center of our college community. There鈥檚 nothing else like it in our curriculum where every student and a subset of faculty are reading the same text. This communal value is most clear for longstanding works like Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey and Kind of Blue by Miles Davis.

Through this experience I鈥檝e also discovered that I enjoy thinking about questions regarding the introductory education of students. I鈥檓 on the task force redesigning the First-Year Studies class, and that raises all kinds of questions. I鈥檓 also working now in another group to design the Business and Society course that all students will take at the start of the business and entrepreneurship major. I guess this is another part of my resistance to specialization the instant students arrive on campus. Humanities courses are a great place to build connections across subjects and to give space for reflection.

Going places: Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

I鈥檝e definitely surprised myself with the course of my intellectual journey. I came to 杨贵妃传媒视频 with Cairo and Egypt on my brain. Up through tenure a lot of my work centered on medieval Cairo. But then in the 2010s it got more difficult to travel to Egypt with all the political upheaval, and so I started to think more about sacred space from a global perspective. During these years we developed the global studies major and I had opportunities to travel to new countries like Indonesia and Senegal and Dubai. So, you could say that I鈥檝e pursued a larger canvas for my questions about Islam and the way humans experience place.

Out of the classroom

This or that: If you weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, what would you be doing?

I would probably rephrase this question to be more like: If you weren鈥檛 teaching at 杨贵妃传媒视频 for a living, then what would you be doing? And my answer would be teaching someplace else, if not at a college, then at a high school. Teaching is the task of bringing students into contact with the larger contexts of their human experience, and as a democratic society we can鈥檛 move forward without good teaching. But if I had to think about what I would do besides teaching, then my mind goes to owning a bookstore. When I was in my 20s, I worked at bookstores, such as Vroman鈥檚 Bookstore in Pasadena. It wasn鈥檛 so long ago that colleges and universities weren鈥檛 the only places where intellectual exchange took place, and I think it would be healthy if there were more outposts for thinking seriously about the world and sharing ideas.

Right at home: Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what鈥檚 your favorite spot on campus?

I like the trees on campus. I was thrilled last year to learn about the existence of a map that identifies all the trees on our campus. Over the years I鈥檝e tried to learn the names of the tree species around campus, and now I know there鈥檚 a place I can go if I get stumped. One of the goals in my class, Forests and Human Flourishing, is to get students thinking about the names of the natural things they see, and to move beyond the generic terms of 鈥渢ree鈥 and 鈥渇lower鈥 as we move through the world.

It鈥檚 always nice in the spring term as the weather warms and students get out onto the Main Hall quad to study or chat with friends. I enjoy taking walks down along the Fox River. It鈥檚 amazing to live so close to a river. I grew up in Southern California, so the abundance of water in Wisconsin continues to be a bit mind-bending. We鈥檝e got a river that runs past our campus, the Great Lakes aren鈥檛 so far away, and then 鈥渦p north鈥 we have all these smaller lakes.

One book, one recording, one film: Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

Book: The Amur River: Between Russia and China, by Colin Thubron. More than any other genre, I love travel writing. I like to follow someone through a landscape and read about their experiences. This book is by the dean of English travel writers, and in it he follows the Amur River from its origin in Mongolia and then along the vast stretch where it serves as a border between Russia and China. Thubron goes back and forth across the river and he describes the striking contrast between the Russian and Chinese sides of the river. The book has only become more interesting as events of the past year have drawn these two nations closer together. It鈥檚 not that I would ever be drawn to travel along the Amur River, but to me that鈥檚 the point of reading a travel narrative: getting somewhere I couldn鈥檛 otherwise visit.

Recording: FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE by Brian Eno. This is such an outstanding album that I have to mention it. I try to find art that recognizes our environmental crisis and responds by reimagining the human relationship to the world. This album draws on the ambient work Eno has spent a lifetime producing (Music for Airports, Apollo), but is still an album of songs in the vein of Another Green World. The lyrics move toward an earthy or environmental perspective. The first song asks: 鈥淲ho gives a thought about the nematodes鈥 and the album proceeds to move up and down the scales of the cosmos, but always working to shift our point of view from the human. I鈥檝e thought for a while that music would be a great way to introduce students to questions about climate change.

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On Main Hall Green With 鈥 Constance Kassor: New paths through Buddhist studies /articles/constance-kassor-new-paths-through-buddhist-studies/ /articles/constance-kassor-new-paths-through-buddhist-studies/#respond Fri, 21 Oct 2022 20:17:17 +0000 /articles/constance-kassor-new-paths-through-buddhist-studies/ Portrait on Main Hall Green: Constance Kassor (Photo by Danny Damiani)

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杨贵妃传媒视频 the series: On Main Hall Green With 鈥 is an opportunity to connect with faculty on things in and out of the classroom. We鈥檙e featuring a different 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty member each time 鈥 same questions, different answers.

Constance Kassor, associate professor of religious studies, focuses much of her teaching on Buddhist thought and Asian religious traditions.

From researching and writing a forthcoming book exploring the philosophy of a 15th-century Tibetan scholar, to leading student travel to India and Nepal, to teaching students to decompress and better connect with themselves, Kassor has been an important voice in her field and on the 杨贵妃传媒视频 campus. She has frequently collaborated with faculty across departments since arriving at 杨贵妃传媒视频 in 2016.

She garnered national attention in recent weeks for launching the Doing Nothing course, an attempt to teach students skills to cope in an always-connected world.

Kassor earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in philosophy and Buddhist studies from Smith College in 2005 and a Ph.D. in religious studies from Emory University in 2014.

We caught up with Kassor to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info:聽What鈥檚 one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

I want students to know that I don鈥檛 expect them to be perfect, or to know all the answers in class. The most important kind of learning happens when we stretch ourselves and engage with new and unfamiliar material. I say this from a place of experience: I started my college career as a biology major, but one semester, I enrolled in a class that was taught by a visiting professor who was a Tibetan Buddhist monk from India. I knew nothing about Buddhism at the time, and most of the content in the course was way over my head. I struggled in the class and didn鈥檛 earn a very good grade. But it introduced me to all kinds of new and interesting ideas that I had never considered before, and ultimately, it鈥檚 the reason why I鈥檓 a professor of Buddhist studies now.

Getting energized:聽What work have you done or will you be doing at 杨贵妃传媒视频 that gets you the most excited?

One of my favorite things about working at 杨贵妃传媒视频 is that I have a lot of opportunities to collaborate with others on fun projects. This year, I鈥檓 co-teaching a course for the second time with Professor Lori Hilt in the Psychology Department, about Buddhist and psychological perspectives on meditation. I鈥檝e also put together an experimental 1-unit course called Doing Nothing, which I鈥檓 co-teaching with 12 other 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty and staff spread out across different departments in the college and the conservatory. And outside of teaching, I鈥檓 directing a humanities institute this year, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Together with nine other 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty and staff, we鈥檙e spending this year exploring the intersections between belief, racism, and antiracist practice.

Going places:聽Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

I鈥檓 constantly surprised that I have so many opportunities to travel for my job. Working at 杨贵妃传媒视频 has allowed me to take students to Nepal, India, and Thailand, as part of our Field Experience in Religious Studies course鈥攁nother collaborative teaching project, which I鈥檝e done a couple of times with the dean of Spiritual and Religious Life, Linda Morgan-Clement. And this past summer, I spent a few weeks traveling with Professor Madera Allan in the Spanish Department鈥攚e walked 100km of the Camino de Santiago in northwest Spain, and visited Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage places in the Kathmandu Valley. We took this trip in order to develop an interdisciplinary travel course on the topic of pilgrimage, which we鈥檇 like to offer to students in a couple of years.

Out of the classroom聽

This or that:聽If you weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, what would you be doing?

If I wasn鈥檛 teaching for a living, I鈥檇 be teaching for a hobby. Honestly. So much of my free time is spent teaching. I spend a lot of my non-杨贵妃传媒视频 time teaching classes on Tibetan language and Buddhist studies in different places鈥攁t a university in Kathmandu, a yoga studio in New York City, and virtually for organizations like The Great Courses, Audible, and Buddhist Studies Online.

Right at home:聽Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what鈥檚 your favorite spot on campus?

I love spending time in the Center for Spiritual and Religious Life. It鈥檚 a space on campus where members of the 杨贵妃传媒视频 community can just exist, and do their own thing alone or with others. I host weekly meditation sessions there, and I love seeing students making use of the space to do homework, relax with friends, or cook and share a meal in the kitchen. It鈥檚 an incredibly warm and inviting space on campus.

One book, one recording, one film:聽Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

A book:聽Invisible Cities聽by Italo Calvino. On its surface, it鈥檚 a collection of short vignettes about far-away places. But it鈥檚 a book that benefits from multiple rereads; it鈥檚 a beautiful depiction of time, memory, relationships, and other aspects of humanity.

A recording:聽The King of Sudanese Jazz, by Sharhabil Ahmed. 1960s rock and roll mixed with North African influences, sung in Arabic. It鈥檚 incredible.

A film:聽Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom. It鈥檚 an amazing Bhutanese film that was written and directed by LU alum Pawo Choyning Dorji 鈥06.

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‘Doing Nothing’ course helps students build skills to unplug, think deeply /articles/doing-nothing-course-gives-students-skills-unplug/ /articles/doing-nothing-course-gives-students-skills-unplug/#respond Thu, 06 Oct 2022 19:40:10 +0000 /articles/doing-nothing-course-gives-students-skills-unplug/ Linda Morgan-Clement, the Julie Esch Hurvis Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life and chaplain to the university, leads a lesson in tai chi during the weekly Doing Nothing course. (Photos by Danny Damiani)

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A newly launched weekly course at 杨贵妃传媒视频 aimed at teaching students about best practices in disconnecting from technology and being fully present鈥攎entally, physically, and emotionally鈥攊s drawing wide interest.

Constance Kassor, associate professor of religious studies, introduced the 1-unit course, Doing Nothing, for Fall Term. It drew 52 students, the largest enrollment for any course this term. A rotating roster of 13 faculty members are volunteering to teach on subjects ranging from sleep hygiene and deep listening to tai chi and meditation.

鈥淭he course has three requirements: show up on time, be fully present and participate to the best of your ability in each class meeting, and leave your phone outside of the classroom,鈥 Kassor said.

She recently shared information about the course on her Twitter account, and the tweet quickly went viral, the thread drawing more than 150,000 likes and 10,000 retweets. Most of the Twitter response applauded the Doing Nothing course as positive outreach to students navigating a world in which they鈥檙e always connected and often overwhelmed. Many highlighted how the course is giving needed space and attention to students鈥 mental health. There have been many online critics as well, of course, some questioning the need for such an academic venture.聽

鈥淭his is a credit-bearing course because we want to encourage students to really make the commitment to show up and learn these skills,鈥 Kassor said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 only 1 unit because we intend for this to supplement the academic curriculum, without burdening students even further, or asking them to overload their schedules.鈥

Connie Kassor (left) and Linda Morgan-Clement during a Doing Nothing class session.聽

The Twitter conversation has drawn the attention of media. , and National Public Radio and CNBC reached out for interviews for upcoming stories. A handful of podcasts invited Kassor to be a guest to discuss the course and the need to initiate these conversations with young people.

鈥淲e know that certain things like meditation, getting enough sleep, moving your body, and just being bored are things that can drastically improve our quality of life,鈥 Kassor said. 鈥淏ut these are skills that need to be learned, practiced, and cultivated. Students are overworked, overburdened, and stressed. On top of that, they have constant opportunities for distraction and on-demand entertainment. We鈥檙e trying to equip them with some skills and resources to combat their stress, in order to promote creativity and deep learning. We believe that this will help students in their other courses, in their college careers, and in life after 杨贵妃传媒视频.鈥

Kassor said she hopes to make the 1-unit course a part of every term at 杨贵妃传媒视频. The response from students certainly suggests it鈥檚 needed, and appreciated.

鈥淥ne of the key ideas behind this class is to encourage students to be fully present with their whole selves: mentally, physically, and emotionally,鈥 Kassor said. 鈥淭he course isn鈥檛 structured with an end goal or final product or project in mind. It鈥檚 about being intentional about how and why we choose to do the things that we do. Our aim is to really build a culture of belonging and inclusion at LU.鈥

The course, which meets for an hour each Tuesday during Fall Term, is graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) basis. Besides Kassor, instructors include Amanda Draheim, Mauriah Donegan Kraker, Brian Pertl, Leila Ramagopal Pertl, Linda Morgan-Clement, Madera Allan, Kathy Privatt, Margaret Paek, Alyssa Hakes, Lori Hilt, Melissa Range, and Austin Segrest.

Esther Mullen, a senior environmental studies major from Lafayette, California, is among the 52 students who jumped at the chance to take a course about 鈥淒oing Nothing.鈥 She said she was drawn to the course because of how intentional it was in breaking from the norm.

鈥淭he thought of doing nothing seemed so dystopian to me initially, simply just because I had spent the last four years at 杨贵妃传媒视频 trying to fill every minute with productivity,鈥 she said. 鈥淭his course made me realize that productivity is not necessarily quantified by the amount of work I accomplish, but more the way that I feel after each day. You cannot give yourself to anything, especially not your work, if you do not give to yourself first.鈥

Several weeks into the course, Mullen said she already finds herself being much more cognizant of stepping away, connecting with her thoughts, and taking a breath.

鈥淓very Tuesday, for one hour, I come to class with no pressure or expectations and get to remove myself from the academic stress all around me,鈥 she said. 鈥淎dmittedly, we are technically doing 鈥榮omething鈥 in class. However, these things are based in mindfulness. Ranging from deep listening to tai chi, the one hour is meditative and the stream of stress around me is less apparent.鈥

That, Kassor said, is entirely the point.

鈥淪tudent response has been overwhelmingly positive so far,鈥 she said. 鈥淪ome students have shared with me that they wouldn鈥檛 have made time to do this if it wasn鈥檛 a class, but because they鈥檙e earning credit, they feel like it鈥檚 OK for them to take a break and disconnect from technology and other stressors for an hour or so once a week.鈥

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International Medieval Congress fits well with Joyner’s interdisciplinary teaching /articles/international-medieval-congress-perfect-fit-joyner/ /articles/international-medieval-congress-perfect-fit-joyner/#respond Tue, 30 Aug 2022 14:50:12 +0000 /articles/international-medieval-congress-perfect-fit-joyner/ Danielle Joyner (Photo by Danny Damiani)

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Interdisciplinary teaching is a mantra for Danielle Joyner. As a scholar of medieval studies, it sort of comes with the territory.

For those who share Joyner鈥檚 scholarly interests, there鈥檚 no better place to be in mid-summer than the University of Leeds in Leeds, England, where the International Medieval Congress annually gathers to explore, dissect, and debate topics ranging from art to literature to architecture to philosophy, all through the lens of the Middle Ages.

The associate professor of art history at 杨贵妃传媒视频 was in Leeds for the festivities in early July, presenting a paper, The Migration of Birds Across Late Antique and Early Medieval Arts, and partaking in a panel discussion, The Mediterranean and Southern France, II: Beyond Braudel鈥擳he State of Medieval Environmental History, moderated by Harvard University鈥檚 Daniel Smail.

鈥淭here were more than 2,000 medievalists wandering around,鈥 Joyner said. 鈥淚t was wonderful.鈥

The congress drew scholars from 61 countries, with more than 600 sessions presented.

It was Joyner鈥檚 first visit to the medieval congress held in England鈥攁 U.S. version, the International Congress on Medieval Studies, happens each year in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She鈥檚 been to that one multiple times, and it鈥檚 always robust and interesting, but there was something special about experiencing it in England, where you are immersed in the history, she said.

鈥淓uropeans do medieval studies differently than Americans do medieval studies because they live in the ongoing presence of monuments and traditions,鈥 Joyner said. 鈥淭hey are surrounded by all this material culture, architectural remains; their libraries are right there at hand. And because it鈥檚 so at hand and so familiar, they tend to ask different types of questions.鈥

Joyner, who holds a Ph.D. in history of art and architecture from Harvard, and master鈥檚 degrees in medieval studies from the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto and art and art history at the University of Utah, returned from Leeds ready to share with students her insights and reflections鈥攇et your hands on primary sources, if not by traveling then via museums and libraries; history can not only teach us, it can inspire us; and international travel can be transformative.

Not lost in all of that is the interdisciplinary approach that Joyner has been such an advocate for since arriving on the 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty in 2018.

鈥淭o get at any aspect of an object made 1,200 years ago, you have to do history, you have to do literature,鈥 she said. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 a church object, which many of them are, you need to understand the liturgy. I think all of art history is very interdisciplinary, but medievalism especially opens itself up to those different approaches.

鈥淢ost people don鈥檛 go around thinking about the Middle Ages or medieval art or art history. And, so, the interdisciplinary approach I feel gives students ways of finding connections between the long ago and the now, connections that they maybe never would have thought about.鈥

Joyner saw her students鈥 eyes open wide last academic year when she joined with colleagues Sara Ceballos, an associate professor of music, and Madera Allan, an associate professor of Spanish, to team-teach Cantigas de Santa Maria, a course focused on a 13th century songbook from Spain that blended art, music, and history. The collaboration between musicology in the Conservatory and Spanish and art history in the College of Arts and Sciences was exhilarating, she said.

鈥淭he class was so much fun,鈥 Joyner said. 鈥淭he students liked it, we liked it. We got to the end and thought, we have to do this again.鈥

They鈥檙e planning a follow-up class during December Term (known as D-Term), the two-week optional session between fall and winter terms. Joyner, Ceballos, and Allan will take 10 to 12 students to Spain for two weeks. A foundation is helping to organize experiences in Toledo, Cordoba, and Madrid, Spain, where the group will study the Cantigas songbook while analyzing depictions of relationships among Christians, Muslims, and Jews and visiting surviving medieval architecture.

Meanwhile, in the coming Fall Term, Joyner will join Martyn Smith, associate professor of religious studies, to co-teach a course examining the differences between the travels and lessons of two famous explorers鈥擬arco Polo, a Venetian traveler of the 13th century, and Ibn Battuta, a Muslim traveler of the 14th century.

It’s all part of the interdisciplinary approach that brings Joyner so much joy. It鈥檚 about lighting a spark, she said, whether it鈥檚 an art history major who wants to be a curator or a biology major who has never given the Middle Ages a second thought.

鈥淢y favorite thing is learning new stuff,鈥 Joyner said. 鈥淎nd I love it when the window opens and a connection happens, or I can see something pop in other people. I love that. It is a vicarious thrill. So, whether they decide to do this forever, that鈥檚 exciting, or whether they never thought about it, but something made them go, 鈥榃hoa,鈥 that is equally as exciting. That鈥檚 the joy of teaching. It鈥檚 pretty thrilling.鈥

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On Main Hall Green With … Karen Carr: Exploring complexities of religion /articles/karen-carr-exploring-complexities-religion/ /articles/karen-carr-exploring-complexities-religion/#respond Fri, 01 Apr 2022 15:57:34 +0000 /articles/karen-carr-exploring-complexities-religion/ Portrait on Main Hall Green: Karen Carr (Photo by Danny Damiani)

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杨贵妃传媒视频 the series: On Main Hall Green With 鈥 is an opportunity to connect with faculty on things in and out of the classroom. We鈥檙e featuring a different 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty member each time 鈥 same questions, different answers.

Karen Carr, the McNaughton Rosebush Professor of Liberal Studies and professor of religious studies, has explored the history of Christian thought and modern Western religious traditions in 杨贵妃传媒视频 classrooms for 35 years.

She has taught courses on 19th- and 20th-century religious thought, philosophy of religion, and comparative religion, among others, and done so with a blend of serious scholarship and insightful wit, bringing complex topics into meaningful debate and discourse.

She has been awarded two of 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 highest teaching honors鈥攖he Award for Excellent Teaching in 2006 and the Young Teacher Award in 1989. When receiving the 2006 award, then-President Jill Beck saluted her 鈥渁bility to take the most difficult ideas and make them come alive, without ever oversimplifying them.鈥

Learn about major and minor available in Religious Studies

Carr earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Oberlin College and a master鈥檚 and Ph.D. from Stanford University.

We caught up with her to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info:聽What鈥檚 one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

That I鈥檓 irreverent about everything, not just religion. Irreverence does not entail disrespect; a certain lightness is key when dealing with weighty, serious issues, lest their sheer weightiness prove overwhelming. I鈥檝e been studying and thinking about religion for over four decades; without a sense of humor, I鈥檇 be dead.

Getting energized:聽What work have you done or will you be doing at 杨贵妃传媒视频 that gets you the most excited?

I still love and exult in the high that comes from teaching a good class. There are few things more satisfying鈥攐r more gratifying鈥攖han sharing one鈥檚 enthusiasms with others. It鈥檚 a privilege to teach the engaged and thoughtful people that most 杨贵妃传媒视频 students are.

Going places:聽Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

I never expected to spend so much time thinking about evil, sin, and death. Actually, that鈥檚 not true. I never expected to be paid to spend so much time thinking about evil, sin, and death!

Out of the classroom

This or that:聽If you weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, what would you be doing?聽聽

Probably one of my two favorite past jobs, after teaching: working as a waitress in a diner or as a reference librarian. Not necessarily (but maybe) in that order.

Right at home:聽Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what鈥檚 your favorite spot on campus?

Oh, there are so many! I love Main Hall Green, the third floor of the library, the Caf茅 at the Warch Center (pre-Covid). But my favorite spot is probably my (inevitably cluttered) office, where most of my books are and where I鈥檝e had terrific conversations with students and colleagues.

One book, one recording, one film:聽Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?聽

Book: Kierkegaard鈥檚 Sickness Unto Death, for its analysis of selfhood and the many ways people screw up the task of being a person.

Recording: Bruce Springsteen鈥檚 Nebraska, for its heartbreaking bleakness.

Film: The Grapes of Wrath (1940), for its beauty.聽

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杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty members Albright, Dupere, Kassor approved for tenure /articles/albright-dupere-kassor-approved-tenure/ /articles/albright-dupere-kassor-approved-tenure/#respond Wed, 09 Mar 2022 15:53:29 +0000 /articles/albright-dupere-kassor-approved-tenure/ 杨贵妃传媒视频

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Three members of the 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty鈥攖wo in the Conservatory of Music and one in religious studies鈥攈ave been granted 2022 tenure appointments.

President Laurie Carter and the college鈥檚 Board of Trustees, based on recommendations by the faculty Committee on Tenure, Promotion, Reappointment, and Equal Employment Opportunity, approved the granting of tenure to聽Tim Albright (Conservatory), Mark Dupere (Conservatory), and Constance Kassor (Religious Studies). In addition, all three will be promoted to associate professor at the start of the 2022-23 academic year.

鈥淚 am delighted to welcome Tim, Mark, and Connie as our newest tenured colleagues,鈥 said Catherine Gunther Kodat, provost and dean of the faculty. 鈥淭heir distinguished records in teaching, scholarly and creative work, and institutional service further burnish 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 luster as a leading liberal arts college and conservatory.鈥

Tim Albright

Tim Albright

Albright, a trombone instructor in the Conservatory, joined the faculty in 2016. He directs the Trombone Ensemble, performs with the Faculty Brass Quintet and the Faculty Jazz Ensemble, and coaches chamber music and jazz small group ensembles.

In 2019, he was聽, which earned three Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. He was part of recording sessions in Justin Vernon鈥檚 home studio in Eau Claire, with a horn section dubbed the Worm Crew.

Prior to coming to 杨贵妃传媒视频, Albright worked as a professional musician in New York City while also teaching at Purchase College and in the pre-college division of The Julliard School. A member of the Atlantic Brass Quintet, he has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, New York Chamber Brass, the Dafnis Prieto Big Band, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Miguel Zen贸n Identities Jazz Orchestra, the Alan Ferber Big Band, and the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra. In addition to Bon Iver, he has recorded with Sufjan Stevens and The National.

Albright earned bachelor of music degrees in applied music (trombone) and jazz studies and commercial media from the Eastman School of Music.

Albright鈥檚 message to students coming into his classroom or studio:聽鈥淚 am here to help students become better trombonists and musicians.聽Ultimately, though, my wish is in some small way to help students become better humans鈥攂etter versions of themselves who begin to see their own potential and inner strength.聽The bonds created between studio teacher and student are strong and often last long after graduation.聽I cherish those connections.鈥

Mark Dupere

Mark Dupere

Dupere, director of orchestral studies,聽, among other directorial and teaching work at 杨贵妃传媒视频. His work with the orchestra聽.

He also recently formed the 杨贵妃传媒视频 Chamber Orchestra, a smaller, predominantly string ensemble, and has conducted numerous student orchestra clinics in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Texas.

Dupere received his doctor of musical arts in orchestra conducting at Michigan State University in 2016. He joined the 杨贵妃传媒视频 Conservatory faculty that same year.聽

A cellist specializing in Baroque period performance, he received a master鈥檚 degree at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague and was a member of the Anima Eterna Orchestra in Brugge.

Dupere spent many years performing as a professional cellist before pursuing conducting and directing.聽As a founding member of the chamber music ensemble Haagsche Hofmuzieck, he performed and gave master classes throughout Europe and the United States. The group made several recordings and was a finalist in the International Telemann Competition in Magdeburg, Germany. He has performed on BBC Radio and Arte TV.聽

Dupere鈥檚 message to students coming into the LSO:聽鈥淓ven though we have upwards of 80 musicians in the orchestra, ideally, we would all function like a chamber music group, where everyone is integral to the product as a whole. This requires great personal dedication from each person and contributes to a wonderfully collegial atmosphere.鈥

Constance Kassor

Constance Kassor

Trained in both classical and modern Tibetan, with reading fluency in Sanskrit, Kassor is a scholar of Buddhist thought and Himalayan religious traditions, with a particular focus on Tibetan Buddhist philosophy.

In 2020, she was聽, allowing her to spend a year collaborating with a Tibetan monk in the translation of an important 15th-century Tibetan Buddhist text. It鈥檚 a project Kassor and Ven. Dr. Ngawang Jorden, principal of the International Buddhist Academy in Kathmandu, Nepal, had been working on off and on for six years.

Her forthcoming book,聽Accounting for Awakened Awareness: The Madhyamaka Philosophy of Gorampa Sonam Senge, is under contract with Wisdom Publications. In 2020, she wrote and recorded an audiobook for The Great Courses and Audible called聽Religious Lessons from Asia to the World.

Kassor joined the 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty in 2016. She received her Ph.D. in religious studies, with a specialization in West and South Asian religions, in 2014 from Emory University.

In 2020, she received 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 Mortar Board Award, presented annually to a faculty member who best advances the spirit of scholarship, recognizes and encourages leadership, and provides service.

Kassor teaches courses in Buddhism and gender, Buddhism in India and Tibet, the theory and practice of yoga, Hinduism, religion in South Asia, and the seminar in Buddhist Philosophy. She also teaches regularly in聽First-Year Studies.

Kassor鈥檚 message to students coming into her classroom:聽鈥淚鈥檓 here to help. The main reason why we all come together in a classroom is to learn from each other. Learning happens when we have conversations, struggle to understand new ideas, and ask and answer questions. We鈥檙e so fortunate at 杨贵妃传媒视频 to have small class sizes, and I love that I can really get to know my students here. If you come to my office, I鈥檓 happy to work with you on anything that you鈥檙e struggling with in class, or we can just drink some tea and chat.鈥

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