Former
senator will kick off Odyssey project
By Christine G. Adamo
On-line Forty-Niner
Retired
Sen. George J. Mitchell, D-Maine, and an
on-campus art exhibit will mark the commencement
as the inaugural speaker of the 2002-2003
Odyssey Project at Cal State Long Beach.
Mitchell is a recipient of the Presidential
Medal of Freedom, the U. N. Peace Prize
and other distinguished honors. He will
introduce the lecture portion of the Odyssey
Project on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Titled “Conflict
Resolution: From Northern Ireland to the
Middle East,” the lecture will begin at
6:30 p.m. at the Carpenter Performing Arts
Center.
According to Rachel Brophy, student programs
coordinator of the CSULB Academic Programs
office, Mitchell was appointed by President
Clinton to chair an international fact-finding
committee on violence in the Middle East.
The committee compiled the “George J. Mitchell
Papers” which has been adopted by the Bush
administration for use as a guideline of
conduct in the Middle East.
Brophy said that the task of scheduling
lecturers like Mitchell is “a moving and
fascinating experience.” She further stated
that their efforts support the Odyssey tradition
and embody the underlying themes of “The
World We Are Making” by demonstrating “their
dedication to improving the world we live
in both on and off-campus.
The Odyssey Project mission remains unchanged
from year to year, to emphasize a focus
on the journey to the self. The theme, however,
is modified annually to reflect the concerns
and interests of its sponsoring college.
This year’s theme, “The World We Are Making,”
was chosen by representatives of the College
of Liberal Arts who were in a special committee
with CSULB Academic Programs staff and community
members
In addition to lectures and performances,
the series’ message will be reinforced with
fine art installations such as “Selfportrait.map,”
a video installation created during the
rise of the AIDS epidemic complete with
interactive video, scheduled for display
at the University Art Museum from Aug. 26
to Oct. 27.
The Odyssey Project gives CSULB juniors
and seniors the opportunity to earn interdisciplinary
credits by participating in lectures and
accompanying workshops. Sharon Olson,
of the CSULB Academic Programs office and
coordinator of the Odyssey theme year project,
anticipates a year of excitement for those
students. Their semester-long experiences
will be documented in a group quilt made
from burlap squares and their choice of
embellishment.
The Odyssey Project courses are UNIV 300I
for fall and UNIV 301I for spring.
Brophy said class content will likely change
in the spring to place greater emphasis
on environmental issues. All events
are free of charge unless otherwise indicated.
Programs will be available shortly in department
offices and at the University Student Union.
|
