Will Marquess a professor of English and coordinator of the first-year seminars, has been discussing using the cultural pass with other professors since last summer. Some topics of the first-year seminars work well with different plays or shows offered at the Flynn Center.
“I encourage professors to use the cultural pass in the classes, but I mostly leave the decision up to the individual instructors,” Marquess says.
Culture in the classroom
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The Flynn Space is located next-door to the Flynn Center. (Photo by Michelle Thomas) |
Nick Clary, a professor of English, is currently teaching two sections of the course, “Genres: Drama.” He has integrated three plays from the Flynn Center and three plays from the Flynn Space into his classes. The Flynn Space is a smaller, more intimate venue next-door to the Flynn Center.
Clary recommends that students purchase a cultural pass because it is less expensive than buying the texts or each ticket individually.
Clary says it is easier for his students to get downtown to see the shows with the new free bus transportation.
“I have arranged with the Flynn Space that students are allowed to see the show for free the night before it opens,” Clary says.
Now, in addition to seeing performances campus, Clary’s students can see more productions using the cultural pass.
“We are now able to discuss the differences of the text, the film clips, and the play,” Clary says.
Ten years and counting
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First-year students discuss peace and justice issues in Professor Laurie Gagne's first-year seminar. (Photo by Michelle Thomas) |
In 1997 St. Michael’s began its first-year seminar program.
“There were many trial runs but the program that we have today was introduced in ‘96 and began in ‘97,” Marquess says.
Sophomore Molly Canfield took “Race and Culture” for her first-year seminar with English professor Lorrie Smith. The seminar was enlightening and opened her eyes to many things she did not know, Canfield says.
“The cultural pass would have definitely added to the class,” Canfield says. “Especially because of the topic of the seminar, the pass would have provided more opportunities to experience different cultures.”
Working out the kinks
Marquess worries that accommodating all of the first-year students at the Flynn may create a problem.
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Flynn Center programming manager Aram Lecis believes the first-year seminar classes will be easy to accomodate. (Photo by Michelle Thomas) |
Aram Lecis, the programming manager at the Flynn Center, doesn’t believe it would be an issue for the Flynn to incorporate students into the shows.
“With something like this there is no special hosting needed,” Lecis says. “We would just provide tickets for the students and they would see the show along with everyone else.”
For large groups, such as middle or high schools, the Flynn does private matinees, but it wouldn’t be necessary for a couple of classes, Lecis says.
“We haven’t completely worked out the details with St. Mike’s, but if we knew a class or two was coming then we would just reserve a block of tickets so that the show wouldn’t sell out,” Lecis says.
Many shows at the Flynn are traveling, which would mean that the students taking first-year seminar in the fall would be seeing different shows than those that take it in the spring, Marquess says.
“It all really depends on the topics of the class,” Marquess says. “Maybe some seminars can incorporate [it] and maybe some can’t.”