- What kind of government can secure our most basic freedoms?
- Should we be willing to give up our freedoms for the sake of our
country? Or is our country itself dedicated to preserving those freedoms?
- How important is freedom?
- What do we mean by freedom and its place in our community?
What This Learning Community Is About
Politics of Freedom learning community invites first-year students to live in
a residential community and share their class experience
 in
the first year seminar course
Augustine and Culture
Seminar (called ACS). Through specially designed sections of the first year
seminar (a year long interdisciplinary class required of all freshmen), students
focus on the theme of politics and freedom in both the ancient (fall semester)
and modern (spring semester) worlds.
Students in the Politics of Freedom learning community will:
- live in
O'Dwyer Hall in a co-educational setting with their ACS classmates.
- be enrolled in one of the designated sections of Augustine and Culture
Seminar associated with the learning community.
- enjoy extra programming offered by the faculty and residence life staff,
including special hall-wide events, lectures, and field trips.
- be taught by professors who are working together through their class
material to focus on the issue of freedom as it relates to the political,
philosophical, and religious thought of the ancient and modern worlds.
Living Together
Students live together in O'Dwyer Hall so they have the chance to get to know
their hall mates and classmates both in and out of the building and classroom.
Because the students are studying the same course material in their respective
sections of the first year seminar, students can share ideas whether or not
their closest friends are in their same section of the class. Getting Connected
Students in the program are encouraged to make connections between their
academic pursuits and the choices they make in their day-to-day lives. In
addition, students are expected to participate actively in the life of the
O'Dwyer community, which includes programs offered by both faculty and the
residence life staff.
Some students who have participated in the program in
the past share their thoughts on the program:
"Through the teachings of the program, I have learned about many different
and unique ways to look at life. Because of this class, I now view the concept
of freedom in a completely different way. I definitely recommend [this program]
to the upcoming freshman class."
"I think that living with students in the same course helped the overall success
of the program for the students because it enabled us to talk about similar
topics."
"The choice to take part in [this program] was probably the best choice I have
ever made."
You may also be assigned to be part of Politics of Freedom by virtue of your
housing assignment in
O'Dwyer Hall.
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