Speaker at the Dear Gender performance and talk on 9/29/2022, Stacey Waite is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Graduate Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a poet notable for her work on gender identity and sexuality.

Waite opened her presentation by providing some insight into what it is like living in the US as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, before performing Dear Gender, a poem from her chapbook Choke (2004). Following this, she read several more poems from another of her chapbooks, Love Poem to Androgyny (2006), with a focus on individuals being misgendered. Between each poem, Waite would provide an aside, giving her inspiration and reasoning for writing. Afterward, she explained her experiences while traveling the United States giving lectures and running workshops for queer youth in high schools and colleges. The overall objective of Waite was to inform and engage with students on the importance of gender identity, and sexuality, understanding these topics, and how we may overcome and work to help eradicate the discrimination that exists toward members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Listening to Waite’s poems and the backstories behind each one caused me to take time to think about the point of view of members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly those currently facing internal struggles with identity and their place among peers. As a straight, cis-gender man, I would say it is far too easy to take for granted where I stand identity-wise, causing me to develop the idea that those around me have also determined these roles for themselves. Identity is such an individual-based concept, which seems to be overlooked frequently by many of those who would look down upon people faced with such struggles as trying to determine their identity. Hearing Waite speak on her personal experiences and the content of her poetry, specifically the stories of those being misgendered, opened my eyes, somewhat, to what I was unaware was missing. Being straight and cis, I’ve grown accustomed to being referred to as “he/him” and to not question who I am or am not attracted to; I’ve never faced battles against my own mind, trying to determine what I am, who I am, or why I have specific feelings. Empathy has long been a concept that I had a poor understanding of, but Waite’s poetry and its accompanying exposition urged me to re-evaluate how I view others who may potentially be dealing with inner conflict in silence.

The performance ended and was followed up with a recollection of one of her memories from college, which culminated in her closest friend cementing in her mind the belief that one of the greatest ways to increase awareness and public knowledge of the struggles of being in the queer youth community is through fellowship with those with the privilege and empathy. This stuck with me, and I noticed it did to many others in the audience. Perhaps Waite included this in her presentation because it could just as easily apply to many of the audience, especially at a college as diverse as Davidson. I wholeheartedly agree that someone with the power and ability to do “good”, i.e. being open and accepting of others’ personal choices and the way they live their lives without judgment should do so. Unfortunately, much of the United States is not quite accepting of those who are “different”, but the solution to this nevertheless remains to extend a welcoming hand to the LGBTQ+ community and cultivate deeper connections with its members.

Entering this presentation, I honestly wasn’t certain of what to think or even what I thought I knew on the topic of gender identity and sexuality. Naturally, I was aware of the general concepts of being heterosexual or homosexual, identifying as a man or a woman, etc. Listening to Waite speak on her experiences and share her perspective provided me with a new source of information, allowing my comprehension of these societal structures to grow. I now look forward to the future, utilizing the knowledge I garnered from Waite’s words, and reaching out to those who may face adversity and troubles. I can say with full confidence that taking this step toward a more inclusive and positive society excites me as I consider how far we could progress in the coming years. In my case, Waite accomplished the goal of her presentation effectively, and I am confident that the same can be said for many of the other students sitting in the audience.

Speaker at the Forty Years of Religious Studies at Davidson College talk on 10/26/2022, Professor William Mahony, Ph.D., is the Charles A. Dana Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at Davidson College and is notable for his study of religions in India.

Professor Rachel Pang, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Davidson College moderated the talk and asked Professor Mahony questions. These included basic introduction questions for Professor Mahony, before shifting to his areas of focus, and the progress of religious studies here at Davidson College. Following the conclusion of Professor Pang’s questions, Professor Mahony remained on the floor to answer questions directly from the audience and to expand on answers to previous questions. Professor Mahony’s goal during this talk was to review the development of religious studies and programs available at Davidson College over his 40-year-long tenure and to share information regarding these programs with other individuals who may have otherwise been unaware.

In the past, the topic of religious studies of any sort struck me as irrelevant to my academic interests, or even to education itself. While I am a Protestant Christian, I believed that studying one’s religion belongs outside of the classroom. I understood the importance of possessing knowledge of religion but did not consider it necessary or useful to be offered in higher education. Professor Mahony’s answer to one of the questions asking “What drove students to take these courses?” reversed my point of view on this subject. At a liberal arts college such as Davidson, a substantial focus is placed on developing a well-supplemented worldview. Mahony explained that students at Davidson College tend to seek out religious-studies courses in an effort to “understand what it means to be human.” As religion has been a part of the human race for all of recorded history, this made perfect sense to me. It was both a simple truth and a simple answer, yet I had still never even considered this, even as I attended this school, whose education system revolves around maximizing one’s worldview.

I was surprised to leave Professor Mahony’s talk with a newfound interest and respect for religious studies within both the education system and my own academics. I had expected to enter and exit with fresh information regarding the progression of the religious department at the college, but not to form a legitimate interest in what they have to offer. The questions asked by Professor Pang were chosen with the intention of Professor Mahony providing his knowledge of religious studies as a whole and its development at the college, but also to spark interest in the audience within this topic, as I now see. Looking around at several other students, I noticed expressions that seemed to display similar thoughts. While this talk might not have been oriented at gaining new students in religious-studies courses at Davidson College, I believe there is a considerable chance of some, including myself, enrolling in at least one such class in the future, as a direct result of this enlightening presentation.

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) was hosted by Davidson College and Davidson Arts and Creative Engagement (DACE) for a two-week residency during Fall 2022 semester. The RSC performs plays by Shakespeare and other playwrights of his era throughout the United Kingdom and other countries, aiming to share these works with the next generations with the possibility of inspiring new stories. During their residency, the RSC hosted workshops, seminars, and lectures, visited local schools, and provided a showing of The Taming of the Shrew, one of Shakespeare’s comedies. They also provided a collection of engravings that depict scenes from several of Shakespeare’s influential dramatic plays, which were placed in the Cunningham Theatre Center for public viewing.

Theatre, along with theatrical artwork, was not an area of study I would have imagined liking in the past. While I studied various Shakespeare plays, in high school, it was always more so just part of the respective English literature courses I was taking. I never considered them to be important to me or worth investing extra time into understanding more about outside of academics. I realize the Royal Shakespeare Company, whose goal is to share the works of one of the most influential and well-known playwrights, likely intended people such as myself as their primary audience, or at least secondary. The engravings provided by the RSC which I had the opportunity to have a look at were brilliant, and I would say each helped to tell a part of the story it showed a scene from. I was aware of some of the engravings’ plays, though not all; however, after seeing the artworks I decided to research the ones unknown to me. In hindsight, this may have very well been the plan of the Royal Shakespeare Company–to rely on the curiosity of the youth rather than just their preexisting interests, to perhaps nurture the growth of a new interest in the realm of theater. This indicates that the RSC successfully accomplished its goal, at least in my case; the fact that there are students studying theater could also point to the possibility that I was not the only one who experienced this spark.

Given my former lack of interest whatsoever in Shakespeare, theater, or anything of the sort, I find it interesting that by simply visiting the RSC art showcase and following it up with research on the works present, I ended up developing a newfound appreciation in the subject. I had been intentionally avoiding the non-academic study of plays, theater, musicals, and anything associated with them, as I considered them to be irrelevant to my intellectual pursuits and my personal enjoyment. Yet I now know much more information about four plays than I did in the past. Though I have no intention of studying theater or taking courses, I am certain that I will continue to read more of the subject on my own time in the future. That said, I also find it interesting to consider how many future playwrights and incredible stories the Royal Shakespeare Company has inspired, both with their Fall 2022 residency at Davidson College and in their other events.

One of the engravings I was particularly interested by was from As You Like It: https://www.artworkarchive.com/profile/van-every-smith-galleries/exhibition/shakespeare-s-comedies/dramatic-works-of-shakespeare-as-you-like-it

The one-year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia was observed in the Lily Gallery on the evening of February 24. Ukrainian food and drinks were served, lived experiences of individuals, including two Davidson College students who were present during the initial invasion were retold, traditional Ukrainian musical performances took place, and a silent art auction happened in order to generate funds for medical equipment to send to those fighting.

While the Lily Gallery was filled to the brim with roughly 300 people, all talking and milling about before any performances took place, my attention ended up on the silent art auction taking place in the farthest-back section of the room. There were several tables lined up, covered in various paintings, some directly referencing Ukraine and its culture, others making more-subtle hints toward key aspects of its history, people, or major events that shaped it. These included the sun shining over beautiful fields of wheat, the Ukrainian flag with its trident emblazoned upon the center, and on the more somber side, the skeleton of a fallen soldier lying in the mud and surrounded by poppies, still wearing their war gear.

Though there was the obvious purpose of selling this art to purchase much-needed medical supplies for the war, I also believe there was much more intent behind the usage of art to accomplish this. There was no one put in charge of explaining each piece, but rather a paper describing the works and detailing the respective artist’s motives and purpose behind their creation(s). Given the number of people attending the event, it would have shocked me if those in charge of planning the night assumed everyone was well-rounded with regard to art exposure of any sort. Furthermore, as so much of the art was specifically oriented toward a country that sits on the other side of the world, it was interesting to watch and listen to people speak to one another about each piece, some seemingly understanding the intent of the artist, while others were utterly clueless as to the purpose of certain paintings. I believe the choice to utilize these specific art pieces for this silent auction was made with the goal of instilling an appreciation for more than just the easy-to-see aspects of Ukrainian culture. Having developed a strong interest in art over the first semester at Davidson, I was enamored with many of the artworks. That said, my knowledge and understanding of Ukrainian culture were still lacking considerably, even with Russian language studies and the pieces of Slavic culture it includes. Being able to walk around and look at numerous pieces of what were essentially bits and pieces of a nation on canvas allowed me to see through the eyes of a Ukrainian, to a degree. I was able to catch a glimpse of how they see their country and the struggles it has faced and continues to face. It was both an inspiring and enlightening experience, to say the least.

Watching the other attendees’ expressions and listening to conversations around me, I got the sense that I was not the only one who had gained some insight into Ukraine’s culture, as well as a newfound admiration for the love their show toward their country. The usage of art as the primary means of gaining money for the war effort was certainly a brilliant one, as it undoubtedly enabled more lives to be saved with new medical equipment, but it also garnered attention toward Ukraine from people who are essentially outsiders, people who may not have known very little about the country prior to this night.

The Dean Rusk International Studies guest speaker, Greg Delawie gave a presentation in the Siemens Lecture hall within the Visual Arts Center on “Promoting Democracy and Rule of Law in the Balkans.” Delawie boasts an impressive and extensive career in foreign affairs, ranging from diplomacy and 30+ years of experience with advocating/developing US policy to working on international trade, human resources, and international aviation with the State Department. From 2015 until 2018, Delawie was the US ambassador to Kosovo. He graduated from Harvard with a degree in economics.

To begin his presentation, Delawie provided a brief overview of what exactly is meant by “the Balkans” and which of these nations, in particular, he would be focusing on. The Balkan nations were formed following the collapse of Yugoslavia and their individual movement toward democracy and free market economics. The Western Balkan 6, i.e. the 6 Balkan states that want to join the European Union, were the subject of Delawie’s talk. These include Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia. Delawie noted that these six nations, while each having many similar struggles within their borders, are more developed with regard to the implementation of democracy and free market economies, compared to the other Balkan states (Bulgaria, Croatia, etc). As he continued the discussion of democracy, Delawie provided definitions for terms such as corruption and explained what the “rule of law” actually consists of. He emphasized the link between democracy and the ability to fight corruption, using certain Western Balkan states as examples of this. Delawie finished up his presentation with reasons “Why we in the USA should care about democracy and corruption” in other countries. These reasons boiled down to the fact that democracy is opposed by the two major superpowers (Russia and China), and that democracy promotes stability. Lastly, he provided several pieces of advice that would help grow democracy and rule of law in the Balkans, particularly the states that experienced more corruption than others. Overall, Delawie’s presentation was oriented at informing the audience of the importance of democracy and how it positively affects a nation, in addition to pushing corruption out.

Entering this presentation, I was fairly uneducated about the Balkans other than their origins and that there have been a series of wars that took place within several of these countries. I was aware of the fact that democracy and lack of corruption/fair rule of law tends to result in a better way of life for the people of these countries, but hearing about the individual experiences with corruption and how it has negatively impacted these nations was enlightening. Given the presumed goal of Delawie was to educate the audience on how important promoting democracy and a strong rule of law, not just in the Balkan states, but throughout the world as well, it would be fair to say this was accomplished from an objective standpoint. The slides he used, though few, were informative, and the content of his presentation answered anything I may have had a mind to ask, such as individual examples of how corruption has been stamped out in certain Balkan countries. I can say, without a doubt, my personal interest in this region of Eastern Europe has increased a notable amount following this talk, and I now plan to spend more free time researching and learning more about the US activities in this region.

Looking at Delawie’s presentation from a Humanities perspective, what he had to say certainly made sense in that in order to avoid repeating the tragic histories experienced by the Balkan states and Albania, instituting a strong rule of law and democracy is the best path to go down. Again, my prior knowledge of this region and the individual workings of each respective nation, as well as that of Yugoslavia (prior to its collapse), was limited, but judging from what Delawie had to say and current events, it is fair to conclude that whatever systems formerly in place, or even currently, were not doing their job. “What job?” one might ask. To construct a society in which future generations can live peacefully, without corruption lacing through their own governments, sabotaging chances for a nation to grow and prosper in exchange for personal wealth or gain.

The Davidson College Symphony Orchestra (DSCO), winners of The American Prize in Orchestral Performance at the collegiate level in 2018, is comprised of roughly 60 members, consisting of undergraduate students, college faculty, and members of Davidson’s community. They perform up to 10 times a season at various Davidson College and Town of Davidson events. Each January, the DSCO has a tour during which it performs at schools and churches, giving both concerts and learning opportunities to people. In addition to this, the DSCO serves partially as a workshop orchestra for student conductors. On the evening of April 20, the Davidson College Symphony Orchestra performed Tchaikovsky’s Symphony Number 4 in the Duke Auditorium located in the Alvarez College Union. One Professor Marcus Pyle conducted this concert.

I have long been a fan of certain composers, primarily ones whose pieces frequently get used in movies such as Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Zach Hemsey, and Steve Jablonski, to name a few. I had previously attempted to experiment with my music tastes by listening to classical composers, Tchaikovsky included but had never found the appeal until witnessing this performance. Sitting on the third-floor balcony, the loudness of the orchestra’s performance was incredible. The time seemed to flash by without me noticing it, as almost as soon as I was sitting down the instruments stopped playing and the musicians were bowing. That said, what I listened to was epic, to say the least. The emotion was visible in Professor Pyle’s movements, as it was with each of the orchestra’s members playing their respective instruments. It was undoubtedly a brilliant introduction to live-performance orchestral concerts, and easily outmatched any recorded pieces I had listened to in the past.

Upon entering the Duke auditorium, there was no ticket or ID check, and I noticed a considerable number of fliers for this event around campus and the Union. Perhaps those more musically inclined than I would be aware of orchestra concerts, but I thought this was great when it came to attracting new audience members. There were certainly a variety of people walking in along with me, which simply cements the aforementioned statement in my mind. Outside of honoring several graduating seniors in the orchestra, I would say this performance was aimed at both garnering more support for the DSCO, on and off campus, as well as perhaps inspiring or attracting new members and musicians for the future. I can say with considerable confidence that I will not be learning the trombone, oboe, or violin with the goal of joining an orchestra anytime soon. Still, I have realized it may be enjoyable to eventually pick up an instrument as a hobby, or at the very least, show out to more of the Davidson Student Orchestra’s performances when possible. To be quite frank, I had no idea we had one until only a few weeks prior to this event.

Overall, this concert did an excellent job of raising my personal interest level in orchestral performances, as well as in the college orchestra’s own activities. Walking out, I listened to several students around me saying similar things to each other. I would consider this an excellent experience for students and myself, showing off the musical talent of some of our own students while also igniting perhaps even the smallest of interests in this style of music and performance in many more.