Symposium wraps up Themester

It was a room filled with war, death, sadness and something else: hope.

The College of Arts and Sciences completed its Themester with a symposium of individual presentations of selected topics of research.

The conference reflected the students’ battle with the theme “Making War, Making Peace” by portraying the hardships of war and goals and dreams of each student to help put a stop to war and suffering.

Freshman international studies major Laura Strawmyer used her interest in war and peace through the Themester course.

“I enrolled in the class to get a new point of view on war and peace through the use of art and literature,” Strawmyer said.

“My project concerned the relevance of international conflicts to American students and to show that we have the voice and power to make a difference.”

Students expressed their views on the effects of war and peace on different cultures through papers, videos, PowerPoints and posters.

Katy Davis, a sophomore enrolled in the Collins Living-Learning Center course Art of War and Peace in 20th Century America, demonstrated her feelings with two posters called, “Caricatures of War.”

The posters include images of Care Bears intending to inflict pain and misery. 

“I wanted to take something innocent and transform it into the enemy,” Davis said. “The pictures are based off of Nazi and Jewish posters from World War II. I wanted to show how propaganda of any kind can change our minds on subjects.”

Other subjects included Middle Eastern literature, international politics and peace building around the world.

For some students, the Themester sparked new interests and job prospects.

Junior Vanessa Mendoza researched the occupation of African hair braiding in the United States.

Her finished project was a result of many readings and research on the lives of immigrants after arriving in America.

“I am in the Muslim and African class, and the topic really stood out to me,” junior Vanessa Mendoza said.

“The class was intense because there were so much reading, but I really enjoyed it, and it actually prompted me to get the African Studies certificate.”