1st Year Living & Learning Cohorts Program Themes:
The following themes are for the 2006/07 academic year:
- Media and Public Affairs House
- Science Village
- Politics and Public Policy House
- Education and Public Service House
- Humanities and Sports Studies House
- Culture and Arts House
- Global Perspectives and Diplomacy House
Media and Public Affairs House:
Book Club: The purpose of the Book Club LLC is to provide each participant with a forum of open discussion on Media and Public Affairs, provide each participant with challenging works on our given subject, and allow each participant to hone their public speaking skills through open discussion.
Psychology/Mental Illness: The Psychology/Mental Illness LLC focuses on the topic of psychology and its scientific aspects, as it is labeled as a social science. We will also be focusing on mental illnesses and disorders such as schizophrenia, depression and eating disorders. The goals is to bring awareness of psychological disorders and issues to the campus, and educate the student population about these topics.
Cooking & Chemistry: The main objective of our Living and Learning Cohort is for our members to learn a life skill (the art of basic cooking) while working to understand the underlying principles of cooking through a lens of science. We focus on topics such as threats to our health when meat is not cooked correctly (E. Coli), the processes that allow yeast to cause bread to rise, and why it is that Salt adds that little something to flavor. Our goal and purpose is for everyone to learn a necessary life skill while learning and having a good time.
The Role of Science as it Relates to Politics, With a Focus on Religion: Are you interested in science? Are you interested in politics? Have you ever thought of the role about the role of religion in science and politics? In this LLC, we discuss major advancements in science and link these events to political views. We examine how politicians feel about these issues, and how these issues affected previous elections. While examining these views, we will also examine how religion played a role in shaping these views. It is important to realize that religion plays a role in science and politics in today's world. This LLC is introduces and educates its members on the role religion plays in science and politics.
Politics and Public Policy House
Potter for President: The purpose of the Potter for President LLC is to critically analyze J.K. Rowling’s series Harry Potter and relate the themes to current events, compare the government of England, the United States and the government found in the books, look at the role of the government found in the books and analyze how it affects the characters’ everyday lives, and ultimately reach a better understanding of how our government affects our lives through comparison, and to have a better appreciation for political commentary found in fiction novels and how it affects our ideas.
Economics, Politics, and Policy: The goal of the Economic Politics and Policy LLC is to encourage learning about economic policy and issues outside of the classroom.
GWU is convenient to the World Bank, IMF, Federal Reserve Bank and many other institutions which are vital components in the global marketplace. The LLC has plans to undertake a variety of projects, including organizing trips, engaging guest speakers and arranging other activities to further the economic knowledge of event participants.
Politics and Media: The purpose of Politics and Media will be to explore the connections between what happens on the news and in TV and movies and compare it to what we perceive to actually be happening in the political world around us. We will then act on projects set out to confirm or deny the validity of the connections or even special projects taking an issue we feel strongly about and doing something proactive in that field.
DIG: DIG, also known as Do It Green, is an environmental group aimed at increasing awareness of green policy, as well as how individuals and students at GW can do their part in protecting the environment. As co-presidents, we hope to inform people of green policy as it stands in the United States today, as well as pending projects/initiatives across the country. In addition, we want to encourage students to uphold environmentally sound practices here at GW (even including small actions, like shutting off lights in the dorm, and utilizing the laundry room recycling centers and bins around campus). Green-themed community service projects are an objective of the LLC, and also group activities that will bring students outside (fresh air! No electricity! Environmental bonding!) for sports games, picnics, etc.
Cookies & Colbert: The Cookies and Colbert LLC seeks to engage participants in political dialogue through viewership of The Colbert Report. Over cookies, we will explore the often fuzzy boundaries that separate news and politics, and the increasing role of comedic satire.
Education and Public Service House:
DC Kids: The goal of DC Kids is to help further enable economically disadvantaged students and their educators by providing resources that will enhance their educational experience and by raising community awareness. Many urban elementary schools are overcrowded and unable to provide enough supplies for all of their students. By providing them with additional school supplies, students will be able to take further advantage of their educational opportunity.
We also want to interact with the students on a social level. It is psychologically beneficial for children to experience social contact on every level of the community- when exposed to varying degrees of social and cultural difference, the result is a more well rounded individual with a greater self-esteem and a higher efficacy. Hopefully, this will make the children more confident in themselves to know that someone else has faith in them to succeed.
Education: Our overall goal is to enrich the lives of underprivileged children not only through tutoring but also experiences beyond the classroom. Through doing this we hope to form solid personal relationships with these kids. Also through this project we will be able to strengthen our bond and the bond of the students to the city in which we both live. We will be working with Christine Hong, Program Coordinator for Linking Communities for Educational Success with the Office of the Advocates for Justice and Education.
Through this organization we will most likely be working at Chad Elementary or a similar school in Southeast DC which the above organization has a relationship with. Beyond tutoring we hope to coordinate presentations of interest to the students. These presentations may help us present the city itself and lay the path for our events beyond the classroom.
Extreme Sports Education: By participating in extreme sports, we are facilitating learning through experience of what demands are placed on athletes who actively participate in such sports. Also, being outdoors we will promote greater appreciation and stewardship for the environment. The broader goal of our Extreme Sports Education LLC at Lafayette is to promote general knowledge of extreme sporting activities and what they entail. Therefore during our outdoor excursions we will be taking pictures to be incorporated in our “Extreme Sports Guide” which will highlight our experience and include information on our projects that we can publish for the community at Lafayette and for others who are interested learning more about our experiences.
The Student Experience: The Student Experience would be a group designed to make sure that GW students get the most out of their time in Washington DC. Washington DC is such a culturally diverse place, and there are so many activities and events that students can take advantage of. The Student Experience would research these events and set times that, as a group, the members could explore the resources in this city.
Our LLC would like to take advantage of events at the Kennedy Center. We are aware that the Kennedy Center has many free concerts and activities, like the swing dancing lessons that recently took place. We would like to research events and attend them when possible. We would also like to make trips to the local museums, such as the Smithsonian. We would even consider making a trip to the National Zoo, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution. Of course, we would like to explore the great landmarks in this city. Going on an informal walking tour of the monuments would probably be one of our events. Paddle boating in the tidal basin would be a fun way to finish off our walking tour. By the end of the year, we would like to have explored different aspects of DC culture, including the arts, history, local attractions, and famous landmarks. We will research more DC events as time goes on and we become more familiar with and knowledgeable about our new environment in order to educate fellow students about these locations.
Humanities and Sports Studies House:
Cultural and Political Fusion: If the idea that we are the future of America is true, then we, as students of George Washington University, have an obligation to understand the political faults of the past in order to foster a better tomorrow. We would like to broaden the perspectives of George Washington University students in order to bring awareness to political issues of the past and the present while also examining their culture. In order to accomplish this, we would like to set up Fusion Night: a weekly event where a culturally and politically significant movie can be viewed by students. This movie would have important messages regarding the history of noteworthy nations to bring enlightenment to current conflicts. As students of Fulbright Hall, the only freshman dorms with kitchens, we would add a hint of culture to Fusion Night, intertwining the food of the highlighted nation with the importance of the movie. In addition to the film and dinner from the chosen culture we would examine the past political conflicts the country has undergone. This would give insight into their culture and knowledge for the future.
In addition, we would like to use the resources that the city has to offer in order to expand our cultural fusion. We will do this by exploring events set up by departments and places such as the Department of State and the Library of Congress. Using these supplies will open doors to new ideas and possibilities that would have never been possible. Throughout our project, we hope to reach out to new corners of the world, while supporting already known causes that are so important in the world.
Fulbright Fuzzy Herron Awareness Team (FFHAT) The Fulbright Fuzzy Herron Awareness Team strives to design and bring to life a mascot, known as the “Fuzzy Herron.” This legacy will not only create a community within Fulbright Hall but it will help to create a sense community within GW. From their spirited dances to their interaction with children, everyone loves a mascot. Mascots bring a community closer together; the Fulbright Fuzzy Herron will help to increase school spirit within the GW community due to its zany nature and antics in competition with the other mascots. Plus, because the Fuzzy Heron specifically supports certain sports due to its love of the water, support from those sports’ participants will be solidified within a few seasons. The LLC will also create a costume for said mascot, and to create “Fuzzy Heron” awareness accessories such as stickers and t-shirts, the creation of a fuzzy heron fight song and theme song (to sing at sporting events that the Heron is at), and to pass out literature regarding the fuzzy heron’s last stand and telling the story of our beloved mascot (to build rapport within the community). The mascot will support various GW sporting teams.
Hope for Hunger: Our Hope for Hunger LLC's goal for the year is to make students in Fulbright more aware of the community in which they live. We will also give them the simple opportunity to help others. We aim to produce what we're calling "resource cards" to give to students when they leave the building to walk around campus or off-campus. When they see panhandlers on the street, instead of ignoring them or giving them money (which some people are not comfortable with), they can simply hand the homeless person a card. This card will have different resources that the homeless people can utilize, like food kitchens and shelters. Also, our LLC will facilitate participating in community service by providing opportunities to do so with other members of Fulbright. Finally, we plan to host a panel discussion and dinner for our members at the end of the year to educate our members about the problem of homelessness in the District.
The Crazy Colonials: The Crazy Colonials will partner residents in Fulbright with students from the local School Without Walls, to serve as mentors in educating students about sports, sportsmanship, and to build pride in a community sports program. LLC members will invite their mentees to organized GW sporting events and develop opportunities to educate their mentees about lesser known sports such as squash or racquetball for example, as well as the more popular sports such as basketball and baseball.
Tour East Asia: The Tour East Asia LLC seeks to expand participants' knowledge of East Asia through various culturally enlightening activities. At the end, we hope to spread our knowledge to the public through a display of various activities conducted through our exploration.
"Food Fight" LLC: To connect diverse members of the GW community through communal dining experiences. To integrate different aspects of the culinary experience and knowledge of Food Fight members. To use the resources available around the D.C. area to further an interest
the culinary arts. Weekly or bi-weekly trips to Eastern Market and other independent fresh
foods markets around DC, to be followed by meals preparations in a group setting. Planning different ethnic meals. Learning culinary techniques from local chefs. Non-traditional holiday specific meals throughout the year
"Keep New Orleans Alive" LLC: In order to enhance awareness about the need for help still existing in the Greater New Orleans Area, this LLC will raise funds through events put on for the members and the residents of Potomac House. Through several events, including a mini Mardi Gras and trips to U street for some jazz music, this LLC aims to save the music of New Orleans. The funds made will go to Music Maker Relief Foundation, and then a specific subdivision of the foundation called "New Orleans Musician Fund", in order to save the musicians of New Orleans and preserve the historically musical culture.
"English Culture Appreciation" LLC: To understand and appreciate how English culture appears today in American culture. To see and experience how certain traditions have evolved and changed in our own culture
"Dance in DC" LLC: The goals of our living and learning cohort are to explore multiple facets of dance in the city of Washington DC, to broaden our horizons of dance and performing arts culture, and to venture behind the scenes of the dancing world. We seek to accomplish these through the attendance of local performances of different genres of dance throughout the year.
As projects for the Dance in DC living and learning cohort, we plan to write and share with the community a guide book of different dance venues in DC, explaining what they showcase and where they are. We also plan to form a compilation of reviews and interviews based upon the performances that we attended throughout the year; this we will also share with our local community in order that they can also gain a better understanding and appreciation for the world of dance that is available right here in the city.
"Potomac on the Town" LLC: Build fraternal bonds between the students of the Honors Program and the other residents of the Potomac House. Engage in active exploration of Washington, DC and its culture. Explore the various neighborhoods of DC and its surroundings (Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Alexandria); incite a passion for exploration beyond Foggy Bottom.
Global Perspectives and Diplomacy House:
Wear the Cause, Stop the Genocide: The goal of this LLC is to raise awareness and funds for refugee camps in Darfur and Chad for victims of genocide by selling at least 1,000 shirts and raising at least $2,000.
We will have a semester long campaign to teach others about the conditions in Darfur and the seriousness of genocide which will include a letter campaign to congress and political institutions urging our leaders to take action, declare a day for all of GW to wear the shirts to show support for the victims and advocate change in the region.
Culture: Cooperation and Conflict: There are so many different localized cultures around the world that we will be in contact with in the business and political realms of society. Each of these cultures has their own set of practices and beliefs that differ, whether dramatically or minimally, from our societal practices. This LLC plans to explore these different localized cultures, their beliefs, values, religions, rules, norms and customs, to better understand the skills necessary for cooperation in our global world.
Performance DC: Performance DC aims to engage First Year students at GW in the performing arts culture that DC has to offer. Our goal is to take interested freshman out into the city each month to see different types of performances. From ballets to musicals to symphonies, on the grand scale of Broadway tours, to right here at the George Washington University, we plan to discover a whole world of culture through the wonders of the stage.
Global Cuisine: Pivotal to our awareness of other cultures is to be sensitive to their daily experience, and what element is more assuredly consistent throughout cultures than the presence of food. Our goal is to expose the internationally oriented students of the Global Perspectives and Diplomacy House at Thurston to the culturally rich customs and practices that accompany preparation, presentation, and consumption of amazing and delicious foods of cultures from around the world.
The International Soccer LLC: Soccer is truly the world sport. If you go to a soccer game in any other country, you become awed by the electricity in the atmosphere as the fans passionately cheer their teams on for 90 minutes. Yet, for some reason, the USA has never achieved the same level of passion when it comes to soccer. Perhaps it is because Major League Soccer (The US Soccer League) is less than 2 decades old. Our LLC hopes to enhance the spirit of international soccer in the Global Perspectives and Diplomacy House in Thurston. America is one of the few countries in the world that does not give soccer the appreciation that it deserves, so our goal is to bring excitement of the world sport into our house in order to further experience the international culture behind soccer.
We plan on doing this through watching international soccer matches, organizing house events (FIFA – an international soccer video game), organizing trips to DC United matches and organizing pick-up soccer games to be played on the National Mall.
International Dancing LLC: We want to expand our knowledge about other cultures by learning and participating in various forms of dance from around the world. We plan to participate in the Global Perspectives and Diplomacy LLC Bash in conjunction with other LLCs and teach the dances of salsa, African dance and belly dancing.
Diplomacy in Action: The purpose of the Diplomacy in Action LLC is to raise awareness about global issues (such as child labor, hunger, poverty, etc.) and then take a stand to aid those issues. We are planning on raising at least $500 for the Give a Girl a Change organization and invite David Radcliff to speak in Thurston in the Fall semester.
Thurston Music LLC: We hope to develop the musical interests of students in this house by sharing our experiences with music of all genres and cultures. It is our goal to offer fellow members and members of the larger community the opportunity to learn a new instrument through the knowledge and instruction that peers can provide. In addition, we would like the funding to attend a wide variety of performances in the DC area over the next year. Later in the year, we hope to organize a not-for-profit show featuring campus bands, which proceeds to benefit a local charity, the arts or the expansion of GW’s music program.
Volunteer DC: Our goal is to promote volunteerism and service to the DC community within and outside of our membership as an LLC. We want to ‘think globally and act locally’ in our development of this LLC. While learning about different cultures, communities, and progress, we would like to take a look at the new community we have adopted as our home. As a group of insightful young people, our mission is to learn about the Washington DC community and give back to it. As long time volunteers, we would like to continue this passion here at GW. Our LLC will give us the opportunity to discover fresh volunteer opportunities in DC, such as working at a food bank and tutoring children. Our LLC would function as its own community in which its members will encourage others to join them every two weeks to volunteer in DC.
We could partner with the Office of Community Service and SAC to find out about community service opportunities in the DC area as well as try to discover some on our own. We also plan to have meetings where members can discuss their experiences during our time spent volunteering in the community.
Las Gambas Grandes (Spanish Living and Learning Cohort): Many of the students in Thurston tried to sign up for a Spanish class but were unsuccessful due to the high demand and interest in the class. Therefore, instead of limiting our development in Spanish just to the classroom, we decided to make a Living and Learning Cohort which brings the Spanish language culture to the residence halls. Our goal is primarily to learn more about the Spanish culture through conversing in Spanish and through cultural activities and outings.
We hope to watch Spanish films, visit the Mexican or Spanish embassies and learn more about how these countries function and what skills are required for embassy work. We would like to incorporate Spanish cuisine into our LLC as well. These eye opening experiences are entertaining and provide a wealth of information. We want to take advantage of the many opportunities DC has to offer!
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