Summer 2019

The College of Arts, Letters and Education is always excited to share some of the successes of those affiliated with the college, including students, faculty, staff and alumni. Below are just some of those amazing accomplishments.

Art

Student:

Destiny Vaught will be interning at Entity magazine in Los Angeles for a month this summer.

Erika Symonenko will lead tours of the Campbell House as a volunteer for the Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane.

Alumni:

Madeline McGinn has secured a position in the print lab at the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan.

Modern Languages and Literatures

Faculty:

51������ philosophy professor Terrance Macmullan presented at the Lilac City Comicon in June. He was offered a place on the official program and gave a talk about cosmologies of the Force from the Star Wars series in the Spokane Convention Center.

Alumni:

Dane Anderson graduated from 51������ in 2018 with a BS in Biology and a minor in French. After graduating, he conducted some field studies and continued working on gaining more knowledge on how diseases spread. He kept growing in his French proficiency with help from Sara Preisig, worked in a French bakery in Walla Walla and took on a few other odd jobs. Now he has been accepted for an internship at the recently founded University of Paris-Saclay, which is quickly becoming a leader in the area of science and technology, and will be moving to France for two years.

Music

Student:

Musicfest Young Artist Competition

• James Marshal won the Strings Division and performed Walton’s Viola Concerto with the Spokane Symphony at the Fox Theater in May.
• Cedric Bidwell-Williams won the gold medal in the Romantic Division/Chopin.
• Christian Skok won the gold medal in the Impressionism Division/Debussy.
• Davis Hill won the silver medal in Contemporary Division/Schwantner.

Spokane Symphony Orchestra

51������ Senior James Marshal won a position in the viola section of the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. He is now the youngest member, joining 13 other 51������ alumni who are members of the Spokane Symphony Orchestra.

Mid-Columbia Symphony Orchestra

51������ Kim Snow won a horn position with the Mid-Columbia Symphony Orchestra.

Over the summer, four philosophy majors traveled to Greece to present their research at two international conferences – The World Congress of Philosophy in Athens and the 25th International Conference of Philosophy in ancient Olympia. Each student crafted an insightful, coherent and creative take on a key political or ethical concept in the writings of Aristotle and presented their ideas shoulder-to-shoulder with professionals from around the world. The experience afforded the students a glimpse into the life of a professional philosopher and offered them invaluable hands-on learning. Additionally, since such activities are the kind professionals include on curriculum vitae, these students now have a tangible start to their academic résumés, a vital component toward successful graduate school admission. Loni Taber, Braden Agueros and Corey Horn share their experience below.

In the summer of 2016, a group of undergraduate students and several professors from 51������ had the wonderful opportunity to reflect on American democracy through the lens of Aristotle and his political philosophy. 2400 years after the birth of this great thinker, we find ourselves still turning back to reevaluate his ideas that permeate modern society. On this extraordinary occasion, our curiosity took us out of the classroom and across the globe. With guided mentorship from extraordinary faculty, our small group of students was accepted to participate in conferences in both Athens and Olympia, Greece; where we shared our thoughts with a group of diverse intellectuals from all over the world.

Our experience in Greece was highlighted by the rich culture and history of Athens and ancient Olympia. We experienced the architecture, culture, and landscape that was the backdrop for the first Olympic games, the Pan-Hellenic festivals, the plays of Sophocles, the dialogues of Socrates, Plato’s teachings, Aristotle’s investigations of nature and Pericles’ orations all of which added an immersive element to our studies. We walked up to the Acropolis, wandered through the Ancient Agora and witnessed how the passage of time, war and occupation had affected Athens most historical monuments. Our time in Olympia was punctuated by a walk to the Alpheus River (harnessed by Heracles as one of his 12 labors), a walk around the archeological site for the Olympic/Pan-Hellenic festivals and, of course, having a footrace at the first Olympic stadium.

Yet not all sights to be seen were Ancient. The constant juxtaposition of the Ancient and the Modern World of Athens made for a fascinating discussion. We saw how city streets, some hardly changed over the centuries, still facilitated Athenian commerce and dining. Small shops lined alleys lit with hanging lights, and family restaurants filled many open centers. People were friendly and some spoke freely about the economic hardships facing Greece, which added yet another layer to understanding Greece’s culture – past and present.

In addition, we experienced a welcoming atmosphere among the conference organizers. The president of the Center for Ancient Greek Culture and Philosophy was even kind enough to host us at his home on the Ionian Coast where we enjoyed rich conversations and a wonderful barbecue. While at the conference in Olympia, we were often met with glad surprise from other conference presenters that we were all undergraduates – as we were the only ones accepted. They were impressed and offered vocal support for our department opening this opportunity to students. We were honored by their sentiments, and quite proud of our professors and classmates at Eastern.

Looking back, although our individual perspectives may differ, we all unanimously agree that it was an unforgettable experience. We faced travel hardships, unplanned adventures, amazing food, diverse languages and cultures, unbelievable ruins and truly wonderful people. Traveling abroad provided us with a picture of the world that most of us had never seen and it was something real, tangible and life-changing. For this reason, we encourage every student to try and do the same. Eastern has many wonderful programs, financial assistance and extraordinary faculty that help make these opportunities possible.

Written by Loni Taber, Braden Agueros and Corey Horn
Philosophy department undergraduates at 51������

The college and Philosophy Department would like to acknowledge the mentorship and support given by Professor Mimi Marinucci and Professor Dana Elder to these students while on the trip. Guidance from faculty provides the foundation for student’s success as these experiences are often the first time students travel overseas or engage in new cultures.