One thing people do not always consider when coming to college is: Will I learn both in and outside the classroom? We obviously learn a great deal in classes, but there is something to be said for continuing to learn beyond the classroom. Whether it is with friends or student organizations, having an intellectual, challenging conversation teaches just as much as a professor.
One option for the non-conventional learner is to take an Intercultural Dialogues course offered here at Madison. Stella Luong, a facilitator, said the course is most often heard about through word of mouth."" ICD is in its third semester and works to deconstruct myths, giving students insight on a diverse range of subjects.
It is student organized and initiated, and though it is a credited class, it certainly does not feel like one.
Set in various settings, including dorm lounges, it is more of a discussion among peers than it is your every day class.
Ashlin Ware, Kenyatta Wilson, Lilia Williams, Treese McCoy and Luong led a course on race and sexuality last week. Through personal anecdotes and constructive criticism, these five facilitators worked to build an understanding of what homophobia is and why it might exist.
They raised questions not always addressed in a class with 300 students. They were personal, they were revealing and they were honest. Such honesty facilitates a more open conversation that might be helpful to the student who does not learn well in a lecture hall.
Another important topic discussed was the visibility or invisibility of so many historical figures who identified as gay, lesbian or queer. Take for instance Bayard Rustin - who played a major role in civil rights activism in the early part of the 20th century. He was a mentor-like figure to Martin Luther King Jr. and also organized much of the March on Washington in 1963, but he was not attributed credit or recognized because he identified as gay.
In the fight for civil rights, it was one battle to fight for race equality, but it was a whole other battle for sexuality equality.
For years these influential figures have been left out of textbooks and the discourse of most history classes. How many people have ever even heard of Rustin? It is important to ask, why are they left out? Is it because they were gay? Is it because they were also people of color?
These are the types of questions being raised in courses like ICD, but they can lead to answers even if people talk about them outside ICD.
There is just as much to be learned sitting on a park bench with your good friend as there is scribbling notes in a lecture hall. Sometimes that type of learning is far more significant and lasts much longer.
Peter Zook is a sophomore with an undecided major. We welcome your feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
