Photo Credits: Arkansas Tech University
On Sept 1. at 8 a.m. at the Honors Lounge in Doc Bryan, the University Honors students had the chance to talk with Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, Dr. Jeffery Cass, at the first of their monthly Honors Coffee Chats.
Director of the University Honors Program, Dr. Jamie Stacy, says, “Honors isn’t just about the courses students take; it’s about the people they meet and the perspectives they encounter. These Coffee Chats give students an opportunity to have genuine, low-key conversations with the people who help shape Arkansas Tech.”
And that they did, sitting around a small table with a cup of coffee while Dr. Cass told tales of his educational journey and his history with honors programs. They talked about a variety of topics ranging from risqué plays to monks, to quantum physics and philosophy. They had deep discussions on the faults of heroes in epic literature, and the issues in translations of Kafka. Every student was able to share their interests and find similarities with each other and the staff.
“One of the things I enjoyed most was watching the students begin to see connections between their different interests. Their projects weren’t necessarily the same, but as they talked, they started recognizing ways that someone from a completely different discipline might contribute to or strengthen their own work,” said Dr. Stacy.
According to Dr. Cass, “Our discussions were nothing short of astonishing. They were entertaining, informative, and well-considered. I especially enjoyed the students’ statements about their lives and their interests, obviously an enormously intelligent and prepared group of individuals, from all disciplines at the University, who were willing to share with me their time and their ideas, asking pertinent questions and connecting with me and each other. What a wonderful event. The students at the Coffee Chat give me great hope for the future.”
Coffee Chats will continue every month of the academic year with a different dean or administrator. Next month, they are excited to welcome Dean of the College of Business and Economic Development, Dr. Tracy Cole.
