Scholarship

Key Discussion Points

How does creative thinking tie into our lives as scholars?

Creative thinking and “feeling” tie into our lives as scholars by guiding how we seek out information. Our emotions dictate how we view the world around us, which is where the previously mentioned naturalist thinking comes into play. By gaining a deeper understanding of our inner selves, we can better comprehend how and why we are learning.

As a member of society with the privilege of a collegiate education, what do you think are the most instrumental or underappreciated connections between knowledge/scholarship and humility, confidence, pride, and human fallibility?

I think first and foremost we need to define how the knowledge gained from a collegiate education differs from knowledge gained from experience and oral tradition. While the skills and tools you gain utilizing the structure of facilitated discussion and learning build the foundations of scholarship, it is hard for me to equate this with knowledge. As far as the impact on your understanding of humility, confidence, pride, and human fallibility is concerned, the collegiate experience really solidifies your perception of the world around you. As you learn more about the “why” of how society functions, your eyes widen to the problems we face, and you can begin to create a solution based on that insight. Furthermore, the experiences you have throughout your life (which I associate/equate with knowledge) impact how you feel emotions like humility, confidence, and pride.

When it comes to underappreciated connections, the connection between scholarship and human fallibility sticks out to me the most. Scholarship can broaden your intrapersonal intelligence if you approach it knowing that the information to be learned is infinitely vast. It creates perspective on the constant chaos that is humankind. If you have a grasp on this perspective, you know that humans are imperfect and always trend towards disorder. To circle back around to the conclusion I was attempting to reach at the beginning of this post, the collegiate classroom combines discussion and a wealth of information, in a way that teaches you about the emotions and facts that make life what it is. And, that’s pretty cool.

Lessons on Being a Scholar

To me, scholarship is about actively seeking out information to better ourselves and our understanding of the world. While higher education provides an incredible space for mentorship and failure, it is not paramount to scholarship as a whole. Our experiences can be just as valuable as the words we read off of a page. Equally as important is how we communicate with others of similar scholarly pursuits. We’ve talked a lot about being wrong and reevaluating our patterns of thought, and one of the greatest take aways I have is that scholarship is not isolated. The notion that a single experience could provide all the information needed to understand the universe is absurd. Seeking out other opinions and sharing your own allow for some of the most impactful collaborations.

I’ve also learned this past semester that scholarship is empathetic. The fabulous Brené Brown has always been one of my favorite voices to hear speak and I was delighted to see her face on the projector during class. Her research has impacted me heavily and I am definitely one to crown her the queen of empathy. We don’t have to think of things as “the cold hard facts” or “black and white” when human reasoning is never that simple or definable.

Applying Cognitive Explorations Outside of Academia

I’ve never been the most scientific when approaching situations. I spent more time worrying about what the name and origin story of our dissecting rabbit than where his femoral bone was. One of the first terms we discussed within Life as s Scholar was the scientific mindset. While I was not thrilled to hear this, it stuck out to me. There’s a lot to be learned from the scientific method and deductive reasoning. Forming hypotheses and experimentation are key to expanding our understanding of the world around us. Even students like me, who find themselves in the dreaded biology for non biology majors class, can grow in our ability to reason.

On the other hand, reminiscent of our discussions of “multipotentialites” as per Emilie Wapnick’s observations, skills from other disciplines like film are important to well roundedness. Even if you wouldn’t call yourself a jack of all trades, you find yourself with hobbies and passions. This past semester has encouraged me to look beyond the surface in regards to what I am gaining from my college experience as a whole. Schedules begin to reflect more specialized interests as degrees arrive closer to completion. Classes like those within the honors college allow space for refining generalized skills and understanding concentrated skills.