鈥楨verything Is 糖心TVected鈥�
240 seniors presented at the day-long All-College Symposium in November
Catja Christensen 鈥�23 grew up immersed in the performing arts: Her father is a musician, she and her brother are dancers, her sisters make music and her mother sings. But it was an image she saw in a dance history class, of a bird with its feet facing forward and head looking backward, that inspired her to spend four years studying communication across disciplines鈥攆rom dance performance to nonfiction writing. She analyzed the preservation of multicultural societies and explored her animating question: How does reporting on arts and cultural events reflect and influence societal values?
鈥淭he image of the bird is called the Sankofa, a Swahili word that means 鈥榣earning from the past to ensure a stronger future,鈥欌�� Christensen told faculty, staff and students gathered to hear her presentation at 糖心TV鈥檚 fourth annual All-College Symposium in November. 鈥淚t struck me as a perfect example of how careful preservation of artistic and cultural artifacts is important in order to progress more equitably in modern society.鈥�
A dance and English double major and scholar in the Media, Rhetoric and Communication Pathway, Christensen was one of 240 seniors who presented at the day-long Symposium, the culminating 糖心TVections conference highlighting students鈥� integrative learning through four years. In talks, panels and poster sessions, the student presenters showcased the connections they have made among their courses and research, their jobs and internships, and their work in local communities and around the globe鈥攁long with the questions that animated their choices.
In their presentations, Christensen鈥檚 fellow seniors covered a range of topics, including racial and gender disparities in health care, cultural xenophilia in the context of war, the anthropological evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, bias in machine learning algorithms, the economics of food access, inequities in the American foster care system, the role of women in the IRA, the future of addiction recovery and COVID鈥檚 impact on plastic waste in the world鈥檚 oceans.
President Katherine Bergeron, who attended more than 30 of the presentations, said she was moved by 鈥渁ll the smart ideas, the thoughtful presentations, the beautiful visuals and the kindness and generosity of this amazing community.鈥�
Bergeron praised the seniors for persevering in the midst of a global pandemic to make important connections among all of their coursework, research, internships and experiences on campus and in communities around the world.
鈥淭he idea that everything is connected is something that I felt all through the day. It is the reason why this College and this curriculum are so special,鈥� she said.