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Welcome to our e-newsletter
Minds in Motion
The Class of 2014 dove head first into the philosophy unit this month--none of that toe in the water stuff--and Professor Matthew Daude Laurents waxes rhapsodic about it in the Final Word. Also, learn how Free Minds is offering an extra year of support for graduates, and plug in with us through our many fall offerings.
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"If in doubt, begin by reading all the words in order, from the start of the assignment to the end," Free Minds philosophy professor Matthew Daude Laurents told students as they contemplated the first book of the semester, the Republic. He wasn't joking, at least not entirely. Diving in to the challenging ancient Greek text requires courage and a tested strategy.
Fortunately, students had both. From their first class on Plato, they went deep into the material, filling the room with points and counterpoints, questions and assertions. The discussion ranged from the relationship of Plato and Socrates to the merits of sautéed squid in red sauce to the ways Plato's arguments may conflict with our own world views.
For student Michael Thibodeaux, this was key. He appreciated being encouraged not to simply shut a book when we disagree with it, but instead to go deeper. "Matthew has done an amazing job of steering us through and explaining the cultural differences that make some of the material difficult to digest," he said.
Michael also credits the many voices around the Free Minds table for helping him come away from the reading surprised by how much he understands. "Listening to what everyone else has gathered and learning how to share understanding with my fellow students has greatly increased my own understanding," he said. "I think that the material begs to be discussed, and to read this alone would be missing the point."
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Fall 2013 Workshops and Events
Whether you're an alum looking to reconnect with the Free Minds community, a prospective student or volunteer, or someone seeking a thought-provoking experience, there's a place for you around our table. Come explore with us this fall!
TUESDAYS, OCT. 1 - NOV. 19
Writing Workshop, 6:30-8:30 pm
Learning Center, Vintage Creek Apartments (7224 Northeast Drive)
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16
Master Class: Delving into Díaz, 6:30-8 pm
Community Engagement Center (1009 East 11th Street)
UT Literature Professor Jennifer Wilks will lead a discussion of Junot Díaz's "Wildwood," an excerpt from his Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.
THURSDAY, NOV. 7
Actors from the London Stage Present Othello, 7:30 pm McCullough Theater, UT Campus (2375 Robert Dedman Drive)
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13
Master Class: Rethinking Reading, 6:30-8 pm
Community Engagement Center (1009 East 11th Street)
We will discuss reading strategies and explore how technology has changed the way that we read today with Elisabeth Moreno, former assistant director of UT's Sanger Learning Center, as our guide.
THURSDAY, DEC. 12
End-of-Semester Reading and Celebration
M Station Apartments (2906 East MLK)
Come share in a celebratory dinner, and cheer on the Class of 2014 as they complete their first semester of Free Minds.
Call or email the Free Minds office to sign up or get more information.
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Free Minds Pilots Mentorship Program
Nearly two years of preparation and planning culminated on August 23 when a group of 2013 Free Minds graduates met their mentors for the first time. Next year, mentors and mentees will meet twice a month to work toward mentees' educational and professional aspirations. The program was conceived as a way of offering the expertise of the broader Austin community to graduates as they seek to build on their accomplishments in the Free Minds class.
After completing a months-long application, interview, and training process, mentors were matched with graduates based on shared areas of interest. Mentors include professionals from the academic, counseling, and legal fields. The pilot program this year will track five pairs of mentors and graduates, with an aim to expand the program in years to come.
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Special Thanks
As they embark on a year-long journey of guidance and discovery with their Free Minds mentees, we're thankful this September for our five volunteer mentors. We also appreciate the group of volunteers who have worked so hard to make mentorship a reality.
Mentors:
Karen Landolt
Mary Lynn Marinucci
Rose Mastrangelo
Eileen McGinnis
Nikki Stinnette
Mentorship Volunteers:
DeAunderia Bowens
Mary Cafferty
Tiffany Eagan
Michelle Faires
Clair Norton
Charlotte Nunes
If you are interested in volunteering with or supporting Free Minds, you can find more information on our website.
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Minds in Motion
Archive
Lots to celebrate at the outset of this academic year: exciting funding news and a dynamic new group of students!
With a new administrative home and interviews for the Class of 2014 underway, new beginnings are in the air this July.
This month, we're recruiting a new class and peeking behind the scenes.
May 2013
For the Free Minds Class of 2013, nine months of hard work pays off this May!
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The Final Word
Dr. Matthew Daude Laurents on Returning to Plato and Free Minds
 This fall Matthew Daude Laurents, Department Chair of Philosophy and Interim Dean of Arts and Humanities at ACC, came back to the Free Minds classroom. Daude Laurents taught philosophy with the program in its first three years, but hasn't been a regular classroom presence since 2009. He led students through the complex ideas of ancient Greece with his characteristic enthusiasm, the same enthusiasm he brings to this month's Final Word. We get the sense he might stick around.
Vivé asked me for a my reaction to the six classes on Plato's Republic for the newsletter, and my first thought was that these few hours were some of the most fun teaching I have ever done. Of course, that reaction is all about me--which is probably no surprise. But maybe I can convey something about what Free Minds means to me with a little less narcissism.
After this week's class--our last session on Plato until the spring--a student came up to me and said, "I never thought I'd be saying this because I'm really not into reading, but can you tell me some other Plato books I could read? How about something about classical Greek philosophy?"
How could a philosopher not be delighted? Thanks, Free Minds students! I'm honored--and very grateful--that you're letting me get you pumped about a dead guy.
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A program of Foundation Communities, in partnership with The University of Texas at Austin and Austin Community College, Free Minds offers a two-semester college course in the humanities for Central Texas adults who want to fulfill their intellectual potential and begin a new chapter in their lives.
Free Minds Project
Foundation Communities
3036 South 1st Street
Austin TX, 78704
Project Director: Vivé Griffith Program Coordinator: Amelia Pace-Borah Ph: 512-610-7961 F: 512-447-0288
www.freemindsaustin.org |
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