The neurochemistry capstone course offered a wide range of new subjects for me. It featured an outstanding group of seniors and juniors that created many useful and applicable discussions about neurological diseases, as well as advice by about life. The core focus of this class being a capstone requires the active engagement with our liberal arts education in the Fargo-Moorhead communities. This resulted in working with the social work class, allowing for making new friends and connections at Concordia. I found the community action project(CAP) a beneficial and powerful experience, showing the potential for students to collaborate to serve a better cause and attempt to solve some of the challenges encountered during our in class discussions.
I found the design of this class very beneficial, since many of the topics covered feature no direct answers, only more questions this resulted in open ended discussions. The open ended discussions allowed us to take components from our previous classes, and apply that knowledge in our search to find out more information on the research of the material. By teaching the class this way, it allows students to provide feedback during the discussions to each other, by seeing how each component of the research builds up to the larger picture of the disease. The ideas developed by each person in the class contributed to a greater understanding of the subject at the end of the week with our final discussions. The blog and wiki pages offered a meaningful resource for us to look further into our personal opinions, and express our thoughts to share them with the rest of the world.
The diversity of the different majors that compose this class offer a well rounded and this created lots of new friendships during the discussion of the topics. As the personal component to each of the discussions, is what drives us to seek more information about the diseases that effect us in our personal lives. During the ASD topic I found that very interesting and personal too, as growing up with a severely autistic sibling changed my views on the world, and this class allowed me to reflect with others and share what I have encountered and learned. This is what makes the class interesting, it isn’t another lecture that has no implications to you besides the next exam. The material learned during the class and discussions bears a personal connections that will stick with you for the rest of your life. You may not remember the exact pathways or molecules involved, though the exposure to the reality of the neurological problems provide potential outlets for many of us in this class to apply our content learned from our majors in future careers. As a majority of the students taking this class further plan to enter into the medical, research, pharmaceutical, and scientific industry that will help contribute small components to hopefully eventually help end these conditions. As that is the goal of the application of science, it serves as a means of knowing more about the world, and by acquiring as much information on these diseases is the first steps to solving them.
The CAP offered a meaningful and productive way of applying our understanding of neurological diseases and disorders. My project with mental health allowed our group to provide a better exposure of support structures and treatment options to college students on Concordia’s campus. As having known several close friends who have suffered greatly at college with their depression and anxiety, this make the issue personal to me. The impact of our project, and the discussion of the topic with other students showcased the need for better support networks for college students, and help to reduce the stigma of mental health issues. The challenges faced by the project and overcoming them provided a great sense of pride for me and my group members. I wish more classes offered more interconnected projects, as by working with other students from another field, showed what their goals and applicability of their major in solving real world problems.
The completion of this course is decisively a peak for my college experience, the open ended classroom provides a great environment for students to flourish in. It provides us with the basis of the ability for students to seek more than just the superficial components to a problem. The exams provided a better and more applicable means of solving complex problems from many small portions out of context. This class provides a direct link with our major and the serious issues that affect many people around the world. I am going to really miss this class, and all of the great individuals that are a part of it.
Tommy Styrvoky, class of 2019
