On Wednesday, April 16, Lawrence University presented another Main Hall Forum, this time on academic heroes. The event was from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Main Hall 201, and consisted of a handful of professors and staff. The audience was mainly other faculty, but there was a small group of students in attendance as well.
As is tradition, Bonnie Glidden Buchanan Professor of English Literature and Associate Professor of English Timothy Spurgin introduced the event. He also provided some explanation on the term “academic hero,” clarifying that an academic hero is different from a personal hero or a political hero. Rather, an academic hero is someone that has changed the way you approach — and possibly teach —your discipline.
Many different people spoke at this event, but there were a couple panelists that really resonated with me. One was Associate Professor of History Brigid Vance, who talked about a professor she had in graduate school. I think what impressed me was how Vance brought in so many physical objects connected to her mentor. She passed around maps (something her mentor collected and now something she collects too), as well as other trinkets that hold significance in her field and in her relationship with her mentor.
Vance also shared a selection of funny quotes from her professor, which were contained in a small red book. The way in which she spoke about her mentor revealed just how much she meant to her; it made me want to meet this person! Even though I’m not in the history department, there was something so inspiring and endearing about hearing another person talk about someone they admire.
Another speaker that I connected with was George and Marjorie Olsen Chandler Professor of Music Catherine Kautsky. As a pianist, she spoke about how sometimes deciding on an academic hero is difficult, since many of her heroes are more artistic. However, decide she did, and hearing her talk about two different academic heroes who supported and influenced her was beautiful.
Kautsky spoke about one in particular with a level of emotional connection that was really moving. Early on in her presentation, she acknowledged how musical relationships are often very personal, perhaps even more so than academic ones. While I cannot speak for everyone, it was clear that for her, this rings true.
Throughout the event, Spurgin called on members of the audience to share their own academic heroes. I found this really fun; getting to hear from the people in the room about those who shaped them was wonderful. It made me think of how many of us are made up of all the people who came before us and gave us their time and energy. Our ancestors, whether they’re our familial ancestors, intellectual ancestors or artistic ancestors, stay with us.
Leaving this Main Hall Forum, I felt not only intellectually stimulated but emotionally uplifted. Even the people we look up to have people that they look up to, and in that way, we’re all a part of a larger, human community. So, as we go into week five, I wonder if we can take some of that interconnectedness with us.