Jeffrey W. McClurken

2012 UMW Convocation Keynote

Jeffrey McClurken — Mon, 14 May 2012 01:33:00 +0000

The following is a speech that I was invited to give to graduating seniors at the pre-graduation awards ceremony known as Convocation. If you're not at UMW, some of the inside jokes will not make as much sense so I've included some links or annotations).

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May 11, 2012

Thank you for that introduction, Austin, and thanks to the Senior Class Officers for this opportunity to talk to the graduating class of 2012, and our honored guests, family and friends.

As Austin mentioned, four years ago I was the first faculty member to talk to all you graduating seniors as a class of UMW students [as part of the opening Honor Code ceremony]; I’m honored to be the last faculty member to do so before you walk tomorrow.

Four years ago I told you all about my own Honor Convocation. Four years ago we were preparing for a presidential election, much as we are today. Four years ago I talked about having iPhone envy; now it’s iPad envy.

In the last four years, Facebook gained hundreds of millions of users, tens of billions of dollars, its own tell-all movie, and, very recently, a few questionable UMW Grad Ball pictures. In the last four years, Twitter became so mainstream that President Hurley has an account (though I wish he’d stop competing with Lady Gaga for followers—it’s getting embarrassing). In the last four years, we saw the beginning and the end of Kim Kardashian’s marriage, but sadly not the end of her 15 minutes of fame.

On a more serious note, as a class you’ve witnessed a nation involved in multiple wars/conflicts; you’ve seen a world coping with man-made disasters of massive oil spills and natural disasters of earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic ash; you’ve seen the rise of the Tea Party and of the Occupy Movement; and the so-called Great Recession has, more or less, spanned your time here.

Of course, you all have been busy these four years as well. A few weeks ago, I asked you for your favorite UMW memories. Hundreds of you responded and for that I thank you. I was moved by your passion for this school and for your time here.

When I asked what three things you would most remember about your time at UMW, several items stood out. Your professors, your campus, your friends, your community, your Honor.

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5251798/2012-Convo--Honor

Several of you asked me to convey to your families “the essence of UMW and why [you] love it here: the honor code, the beauty of campus, the [caring] professors, the engaged classmates, knowing so many people as [you] walk down campus walk.”

Whether it was playing on Ball Circle, lounging in the big white chairs, fountain swimming, eating at Seaco or McDonalds or Hyperion, watching or joining UMW sports, or studying in the library, you told me of “Good friends, good times, and good memories.”

A number of you remarked on the visit by then-presidential candidate Barack Obama to campus in the fall of 2008.

Anand Rao -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/panandrao/

Others remembered how distraught you were to have classes cancelled during Snowpocalypse 2010’s 50+ inches of ice and snow.

[The student in the laundry basket seems particularly distraught, no?]

Several of you commented on the constant state of campus construction; others talked about the change in University presidents. One of you combined the two, remembering that some presidents came, started construction (including some really nice book cases) and then went. [Actually quite a few of you remarked on how wonderful and approachable President and Mrs. Hurley are.]

Over and over, you told me about the power of the time spent in your department, your academic community, of your close relationships with faculty and fellow majors, of the process of “Mentors…becoming friends”. Many of you wrote of being challenged by rigorous professors, about the discomfort and benefits of trying out new things, about how much you learned when operating out of your comfort zone, even if you weren’t able to do it easily.

Now, students who have taken my classes know that I have a phrase to describe that sweet spot in which real learning occurs: uncomfortable, but not paralyzed. The comments you all made reflect that your UMW experiences were full of these moments of uncomfortable learning, real learning. Scary at times, yes, but if you were ever paralyzed you knew you could turn to faculty and friends and family to help you through it.

Even more importantly, you’ve learned to handle that discomfort of new things on your own. As one of you noted: “I think part of becoming sure of yourself is not always being given advice but finding your own way.” So, like your fellow student who began four years ago as a pre-dental, bio major who became an art major and will soon be an art teacher, you all have found your own way, tried new things, and learned about yourself and the world around you.

Tomorrow you will walk in front of your families, your friends, and your faculty. I, as many people have done and will do over the next few weeks, asked about your plans after college.

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5251832/2012Convo--Post-grad

You told me of plans for graduate schools or jobs or internships or taking time off.

But one of you challenged the simplicity of the question itself, saying, “instead try and imagine a life that will forever change, evolve, adapt, revolt and challenge the complex conventions of life that are so commonly reduced to a series of words.” I like that reminder that graduation is just the beginning, not the end, of figuring out who you are, what you believe in, what you do.

Now, when I asked what else you wanted to hear about in this speech, many of you asked me to inspire you, to tell you it was going to be okay, to tell you that life after college would be good.

So...in order to do all of those things, I’m going to tell you about moving back in with my parents.

Four years ago I told you about how amazing it was to walk across the stage in Ball Circle in 1994.

UMW Graduation -- http://archive.umw.edu:8080/vital/access/HandleResolver/10154/1459

I didn’t mention, that after walking across the stage and shaking the president’s hand, as you’ll do tomorrow, I walked back to Alvey Hall, packed up my things and moved back home. I had been conflicted my senior year about what I was going to do after college. For a while I was sure that I would become a minister. That didn’t work out, though it was not because, as one student recently suggested, of any youthful indiscretions on my part. [Honestly the student in question seemed disappointed that I wasn’t that cool.]

Instead I applied to graduate school in history. Now, in retrospect, I realize that I didn’t know how to present myself or my time at Mary Washington; I didn’t tap into the resources on campus. I didn’t make the case, as I should have, as you should, that the liberal arts & sciences at Mary Washington had helped to create me as an adaptable, engaged, well-rounded citizen, a critical thinker eager and able to continue learning throughout my life. Perhaps not surprisingly, I was only accepted at one of the six schools to which I applied. Without any funding, it wasn’t something that I could make work.

So, moving back in with my parents (who are wonderful, wonderful people, as your parents undoubtedly are), I went back to working at a movie theatre making minimum wage, a movie theatre I had worked at in high school. I had some moments where I wondered what I had done with my four years of amazing time at MW.

I interviewed for a few jobs, though none of them worked out. I did turn down a chance to manage a movie theatre for the princely sum of ~$300/week and all the popcorn I could eat. Instead, I offered to volunteer on one of the first digital history projects and ultimately was hired as a paid employee.

With this experience under my belt, and with the help of my professors here I applied again to graduate school, this time to 11 schools, getting into six, including a fully funded scholarship to Johns Hopkins University’s History PhD program. Within four years I was back teaching here at this place we all love.

[Oh, and though I didn’t know it when I graduated 18 years ago, I’d already met the fellow Mary Washington student who I would somehow figure out how to propose to while in graduate school, the woman I’ve now been married to for 15 years.]

I tell you all of this, not because I think you should follow my path (my wife is already married), but because I want you to know that it’s okay not to know yet what your path is. It’s okay to be uncomfortable, but don’t be paralyzed.

Some of you have jobs. Congratulations. Some of you are already set for graduate school in the fall. Congratulations. Some of you are planning to work, then go to graduate school later. Congratulations. But even if you don’t have a job yet, and you’re not alone if you don’t, congratulations. Why? Because historically, liberal arts and sciences graduates may take longer to get their first job, but are more likely to hang on to jobs and to adapt as fields change.

Know as well, that for some people, not going to graduate school, not getting a job immediately is the right choice. You have fellow graduates who are planning to backpack in Latin America, or to work for volunteer organizations, people who are excited by the chance to do something different. Try being uncomfortable, just don’t let yourself be paralyzed.

Four years ago, I told many of you that you were entering an academic community of scholars, engaging in a partnership in learning with me and with my colleagues. You have done so. You have thrived, you have grown, you have joined us in an academic enterprise of consequence.

Alan Levine--http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/7174181426/

As you walk across that stage in Ball Circle, know that we, your professors, are proud of you and all that you have achieved. Know that we are grateful for the time we have spent with you and hope that you have felt challenged, inspired, and ultimately rewarded by your time with us. Know that we look forward to hearing of your opportunities, successes, and accomplishments in the years to come. No matter where you go, or what you do, you will always be alums of Mary Washington. That community lasts a lifetime.

So, go, be uncomfortable in new jobs, new internships, new business ventures, new schools, traveling to new places, or even with just a new attitude in your old room at home. Be okay with being uncomfortable, because that’s where the real learning, the real change, the real fun is. And come back and tell me in 18 years how it all turns out.

Thank you.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to Tim O'Donnell and Carter Hudgins for their help/inspiration on earlier versions of this. Thanks as well to the hundreds of 2012 UMW graduates who responded to my request for feedback, information, and memories of their time at Mary Washington. I included as many of their words and ideas as possible here.

Image Credits

Word clouds from Wordle.net, based on response from hundreds of 2012 UMW Graduating Seniors.
Obama Visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/panandrao/
Snowpocalypse Collage: Heather Thompson, Jenn Arndt; http://umwbullet.com/files/2010/02/igloo-300x201.jpg; http://fourword.umwblogs.org/files/2011/01/DSC_1325.jpg
1993 graduation photo: http://archive.umw.edu:8080/vital/access/HandleResolver/10154/1459
2012 Ball Circle photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/7174181426/

The Digital Projects

jmcclurken — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:35:44 +0000

Our projects for this semester are now posted.

James Farmer Lectures Project – http://jamesfarmerlectures.umwblogs.org

UMW Buildings Project – http://buildings.umwblogs.org/

James Monroe Museum Political Cartoons – http://jmpolitoons.umwhistory.org/

Southeast Virginia Historical Markers – http://sevamarkers.umwblogs.org/

Let us know what you think!

Part of Our Classroom Re-creation

jmcclurken — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:31:39 +0000

After a semester of work, we recreated a typical class in the 1950s era including clothing and appropriate discussion of viewpoints for the time.

This clip is one excerpt of that class, a re-creation of what we imagine a debate over “A Woman’s Place Is in the Home” might have looked like in 1952 in a Current Events class in the History Department at Mary Washington College.

Class re-creation of 1952 views — Debate over Women’s Place in the Home from UMW History.

Please note that the material here is based on research the students did in MWC sources from the 1950s. They are an attempt to understand the issues and concerns facing college students at a mostly female teaching college in 1952.

They do not represent the actual viewpoints of the students or Dr. McClurken.

Last class editing

jmcclurken — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:25:34 +0000

Link to Google Doc Continue reading →

Criteria for Digital History Projects

jmcclurken — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:51:31 +0000

Group Contract criteria:

quality of original proposal, need to make changes

Group Grade criteria:

cohesion of different elements, ease of navigation (UX — information architecture), citations, appeal to target audience, accuracy, met the terms of the contract, creativity, proofreading

Individual Grade criteria:

contribution to project (perhaps in relation to other), enthusiasm/passion/engagement, quality of contributions, play well with others, growth, willingness to learn, timeliness

Images from the Re-Creation

jmcclurken — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:09:54 +0000

Pictures now, video may follow.

In our best approximation of 1950s clothes.

Women’s History Class Projects, continued

Jeffrey McClurken — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:26:00 +0000

So, a semester's work of work comes down to tomorrow. As I've discussed before, my Women's History since 1870 course has spent the semester researching and creating a classroom from the mid-20th Century.

The students in the class spent the first half of the semester working on research in the primary sources of the school, especially those resources in our Special Collections department. They created the following sites for each decade

Site: 1930s
Site: 1940s
Site: 1950s
Site: 1960s

We then voted on which decade would be the focus of our class re-creation and the 1950s was chosen. We split into new groups to plan the class session itself.

Student posts on outlines for the various parts of the recreation, including specific advice and instructions for students.

Academic Content -- Schedule and description of class activity for Tuesday, including debate and time for discussion of non-academic activities
Activities -- Outline for how we will work in discussion of non-academic activities on campus.
Clothing/materials -- Advice on dress code for 1950s students (General, Men, hair, makeup, accessories), and school supplies.
Photo group -- Re-creating various historical photographs. Pictures to be taken on Thursday, April 25.

Based on all that research and the work done by the students, we came up with the following schedule for tomorrow's class, re-creating a 1952 History class: April 17 schedule.

I'm looking forward to it. Wish us luck.

An Outline for Re-Creating a 1952 History Class

jmcclurken — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 19:32:51 +0000

Based on the work the groups have done, this is our schedule for the class.

Schedule/tasks for HIST 328 Re-creation class
Set in 1952
Professor Almont Darter-Quinzel
HIST 381 – Current Affairs

12:25 – Arrive early, if possible to get things set up for class

12:30—Have cameras ready, books, material items in place

12:30-12:35 – record students walking into the room, talking about social events

12:35 – Begin the “pre-class” announcements with material from the non-academic group.

Grace – May Day and nominee in the class for May Queen.
Other announcements? (non-academic group)

12:40 – Roll call (Using last names), with each student responding, “Present” and adding their Major and class (Devil or Goat).

During roll call, theatrical whisper in the back that Prof. D-Q will stare down

12:50 Announce the topic for today’s debate, “A Woman’s Place Is In the Home”
– Divide into halves of the room

12:50-12:55 Talk in small groups about plans for the debate

12:55-1:00 – small groups go back into the big groups on each side to coordinate their debate

During these group discussions, some students fall off into their own discussions of social matters (assigned/prepped by Non-academic group)

1:05-1:15 – Debate between the two sides, employing the arguments that we’ve been talking and reading about for the last few weeks. (Bonus points for mentioning specific authors/speakers/politicians.)

1:15-1:30 – Discussions –

Why is it important for mothers to raise sons and daughters who will support the ideals of a democratic nation?
What does the fight in Korea have to do with democracy and/or motherhood? [Background on the war]
Could you see a Third World War in your generation? What might it look like? Since the Soviets have the atom bomb, do you feel unsafe? What can you, as college students, do about it?

During this time, someone will clumsily pass a note, Dr. D-Q will get it and read it to the class, scolding them.

1:30-1:35 – end of class announcements from Dr. D-Q.

1:35-1:40 – Record student leaving the room talking about other non-academic items (or just complaining about classes)

For TH class –

Photo re-creation in normal clothes – 30-40 minutes
Discussion of the process of research and re-creation – 30-40 minutes

———————

The posts that each group did about our plans.

Academic Content – Schedule and description of class activity for Tuesday, including debate and time for discussion of non-academic activities
Activities – Outline for how we will work in discussion of non-academic activities on campus.
Clothing/materials — Advice on dress code for 1950s students (General, men, hair, makeup, accessories), and school supplies.
Photo group — Re-creating various historical photographs. Pictures to be taken on Thursday, April 25.
- Student Clubs and Activities; Classrooms and formal events; Dorm Life; Academics; Campus Photos

Class Re-creation Schedule going forward

jmcclurken — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 16:30:37 +0000

By end of class, Thursday, April 5: Have detailed work plan with clear assignments for each person in the group.

By class start on Tuesday, April 10: Have made progress on your group’s assignment*, and everyone post a brief bio about your character for the class on your blog.

*Minimum progress defined by group:

Class Content — clear explanation for plan for class activity
Photo group — choose 5 photos to recreate with list of supplies, locations needed for each, and plan for what to do with them.
Clothing/materials — Dress code for students/faculty; list of allowed supplies
Activities — flesh out specifics about what announcements will be made, which will be discussed casually, fliers made(?). Need details for these and how they will be worked in to class time.

UPDATE: Outlines for the various parts of the recreation are now up, including specific advice and instructions for students.

Academic Content — Schedule and description of class activity for Tuesday, including debate and time for discussion of non-academic activities
Activities — Outline for how we will work in discussion of non-academic activities on campus.
Clothing/materials — Advice on dress code for 1950s students (General, Men, hair, makeup, accessories), and school supplies.
Photo group — Re-creating various historical photographs. Pictures to be taken on Thursday, April 25.

By class start on Thursday April 12: Come prepared to discuss what still needs to be done.

Tuesday, April 17 and/or Thursday, April 19 — class re-creations

Initial ideas for class re-creation

jmcclurken — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:15:56 +0000

Class ideas

Recreate History class (4)
Recreate Education class
Recreate Home Economics
recreate photos from decade site — Sarah L.
Recreate Theater class (in the amphitheater) — Stephanie
Senior Day? — Brooke
One fun class and one serious class

Roles

Include veterans (a few) who were still around in early 1950s.
“Maybe each person could pick a major, not necessarily the same one they’re pursuing now, and look through courses and make a list of classes they’ve already taken, then think of a reason why they’re taking the particular class we reenact. If that works, maybe the same can be done for extracurricular activities (clubs, sports, etc.) so that we each have a small built-in scenario we can play with and use to interact with each other; this could bring in the non-academic resources as naturally as possible.” — Carrie
Students as students, McClurken as Professor

Working in non-academic items

– “There can be discussions in class about things that are happening and perhaps announcements made at the beginning of class of things that are happening socially around campus.”–Carolyn
– “I think the best way to do this would be to do what Dr. McClurken does at the beginning of our classes today: ask the class what they did over the weekend/ what their plans are for the week. Maybe there could be a dance or other social event coming up, or a new rule or privilege could have just been introduced. A short discussion at the beginning of class of the world outside academics would be a great way to give a little authenticity to the class and also work in the elements that are not purely academic.” — Grace

Material/props/dress

Library — “ a handout, maybe – that would capture what using the library was like for students in the 50s. A guide to the Dewey Decimal System, how to use a card catalog. “
Dress — General agreement that we should try to dress in 1950s style. Ask Prof. McCluskey for help?
Material Culture — books? Technology? Notepads
Lots of suggestions here: http://umwtimewarp.umwblogs.org/2012/03/26/how-to-recreate-the-1950s-class/

Sources:

1950s site, interviews, Dr. Crawley’s book, Battlefield, photos, Prof. McCluskey