2009 Institute Continues Study of Paradox of Affluence
"This week we have opened our minds to new ideas and opened our hearts to new
friends. We have learned much about our Honors
Study Topic, we have learned a lot about each other, and we have
learned a lot more about ourselves," said International President Edgar
Romero as the Officer Team adjourned the 2009 Honors Institute.
The
Institute, held at the University of Richmond in Virginia, concluded June
26. The perennially popular Town Hall Meeting, presentations on racial
betrayal and the value of public participation, and a reader's theatre
followed the Insitute's earlier
sessions, all devoted to study of The
Paradox of Affluence.
Any group acknowledging itself
as a group is concerned about betrayal, said Honors Institute speaker Dr.
Randall Kennedy. Using Black America as an illustration, Kennedy cited
Fredrick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois and Clarence Thomas as leaders who were
first revered but later considered to have betrayed their race.
No
group can separate itself from the fear of betrayal and traitors, said Kennedy,
who devoted most of his presentation to questions and answers and dialogue
with his audience.
Dr. Paul Loeb spoke about people who effect
change and what factors influence them to become actively engaged. "Change
is not impossible, nor is it up to a chosen few," he said, pointing out that
students of today should study the major social movements of our time - those
promoting civil rights, women's rights and populist ideologies. "Students
tell me they learn the conclusion, but not the process. They don't learn
what it was like to be in the middle of a movement."
Part of the
challenge in any movement is overcoming doubt, he said. "The first step
is critical - once you take it you will be okay." Don't be afraid of failure,
he cautioned, and always remember that your involvement in a cause will
inspire others to become involved.
Honors Program Committee
members Professor Rob Carey and Dr. Liesl Ward moderated the Town Hall Meeting,
using film and news clips to promote discussion on The Paradox of Affluence.
The
Reader's Theatre presentation, directed by Faculty Scholar Stephen Schroeder,
dramatized scenes from plays and films, including Angels in America
and It's a Wonderful Life, to demonstrate the Paradox of Affluence.
The
2010 Honors Institute will be held at Chapman University in Orange, California,
June 14-18.
