Alumnus completes prestigious seminar at National WWII Museum
Chadron State College graduate student Arttie Parker of North Platte earned the opportunity to attend what his professor Dr. Tom Smith calls a prestigious seminar this summer.
By News Channel Nebraska
CHADRON – Chadron State College graduate student Arttie Parker of North Platte earned the opportunity to attend what his professor Dr. Tom Smith calls a prestigious seminar this summer.
Parker is a CSC alumnus, twice over. He earned a bachelor's degree in History in 2011 and another one in Social Science Education in 2012. He will graduate in May with a master’s degree.
As the sole teacher in the alternative program for North Platte High School, Parker teaches mainly juniors and seniors along with a few underclassmen. Since 2012, he has taught U.S. History, World History, Government, Algebra 1 and 2, English, Earth Science, Physical Science, Biology, Personal Finance, and Strength and Conditioning. He is also the school’s powerlifting coach.
Parker had used resource materials from the National World War II Museum in New Orleans for years in his units about propaganda, so he applied for the museum’s seminar about propaganda and was selected from a pool of several hundred.
Parker has a wall in his classroom covered in posters from across the world that he calls the Art Of War.
“Propaganda analysis can be used in many different curricular areas, from the obvious historical observations to the use of colors and perspective, the choice of words, to the various forms that propaganda took,” Parker said. “So when the opportunity arose for this [educator’s seminar], I jumped at the chance.”
He plans to incorporate a lot of his research material from the seminar into his graduate project with Smith.
“I'm excited about the project, but even more, I'm hopeful it will open some eyes and be a valuable tool in my school district, as well as others. I came away from the seminar more excited about my [CSC graduate] project. I'm confident I am headed in the right direction with the project because I think it has practical application for any school that wishes to pursue World War II and/or Holocaust studies with modern applications,” Parker said.
The online portion of the seminar was intense, much like his current CSC graduate courses, according to Parker.
In addition to the online component, Parker spent a week at the museum.
“It's truly an incredible place that can't be completely absorbed in a single day. We crawled all over the museum with any free time we had,” he said.
Parker worked on collaborative projects in small groups and heard daily presentations from museum staff including curators, educators, and media specialists. They were led on guided tours of exhibits and worked with materials not yet on display yet. He found it fascinating to discuss what other school districts teach and other states’ standards.
Parker’s work culminated with a project called an Ignite Talk that seminar organizers require participants to present, after returning home, to their co-workers, administrators, and regional educators.
“We each presented to the rest of the group to demonstrate what we planned to take away from the seminar and present to others as professional development,” he said. “It is hoped that by making people more aware of propaganda and media literacy, we can help students to learn from the past and to make informed decisions when dealing with media of all sorts, whether it be mainstream media or social media.”
Although he considered himself well-informed about WWII, he said he was exposed to propaganda materials he had never encountered before.
“For me, the information I was able to uncover about how the Holocaust was perpetuated, hidden, and then justified through propaganda was of great importance to my graduate cumulative project. It was staggering to learn how much Holocaust denial material is being spread through social media and how much our students, and our own children, are being exposed to this material and pro-Nazi material,” Parker said.
Exhibit in King Library designed to increase awareness about Sexual Assault
CHADRON – A survivor art exhibit, “What Were You Wearing,” is in the King Library Sept. 16 through Oct. 31. The display, including articles of clothing described by survivors of sexual assault, aims to explore the cultural attitude implying clothing provokes sexual assault, according to Interim Title IX Coordinator Morgan Cullan. The exhibit will be open during regular library hours in the northeast corner of the second floor.
“No one should be shamed or made to feel responsible for being attacked because of the clothing they wear,” Cullan said. “The pieces will be replicas of clothing worn by local survivors who showed strength to tell their stories anonymously. I am hoping this exhibit will generate conversation on campus about sexual assault awareness and will break the cycle of blaming the victim.”
The installation contains descriptions of sexual assault, which can cause a range of emotional reactions.
“We encourage utilizing self-care as needed and to contact campus resources for support,” Cullan said.
Cullan said the Title IX Office, the Library Staff, Residence Life Association, Zeta Alpha Kappa, and Student Senate co-sponsored the display.
Cullan said a series of educational presentations intended to increase awareness about sexual harassment and Title IX by DOVES, a local domestic violence service agency, is planned throughout the fall semester and early next semester. The series, called Let’s Taco About it: It’s Nacho What You Think, is co-sponsored by Residence Life Association and designed to demonstrate how barriers such as sexual harassment can affect educational opportunities. Students will be able to earn points on the Eagle Rewards app by attending. All sessions are in the Student Center from 6 to 7 p.m.
Schedule
Oct. 6: Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships Part 1
Oct. 19: Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships Part 2
Nov. 7: Sexual and Dating Violence
Nov. 15: Sexual Harassment
Dec. 5: Consent
Jan. 17, 2023: Bystander Intervention
Christensen named Project Strive/TRiO Student of the Month
CHADRON – Chadron State College student Katrina Christensen is the Project Strive/TRiO Student of the Month for September. A sophomore from Guernsey, Wyoming, Christensen said she chose CSC because it provided the most opportunities and excitement about Project Strive/TRiO.
Christensen appreciates the helpfulness of the other participants and the leaders of Project Strive.
“I especially appreciate Amanda (Lewin). Whether it be with proofreading papers and helping with schoolwork or giving me personal advice, I really trust her,” Christensen said. “I love being in Project Strive. It has helped me meet a lot of new people. When I first came to CSC, I was very shy and the program has helped me get more involved and meet lots of genuine people. It’s kind of like its own little community.”
Christensen is majoring in Psychological Sciences with a minor in Interpersonal Communication.
“I wanted to go into psychology because I want to be a therapist,” she said, “but I wasn't sure about a minor. I ended up choosing Interpersonal Communication to help me with the communication aspect of psychology.”
Having autism and social anxiety, Christensen finds communication quite interesting.
“I find understanding what people are thinking and why they do and say, really interesting,” Christensen said.
Christensen said she became interested in psychology after an experience with her own therapist that inspired her.
“Therapy interests me because I can help people who are struggling learn to struggle less. Seeing them improve and change their lives is a really big motivation for me,” Christensen said.
After graduating from CSC with her bachelor’s, Christensen plans to earn a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology in hopes of becoming a licensed therapist.
Christensen is an active member of Revive, Chi Alpha, Eagles for Life, and International Club. She said that she joined the organizations because she enjoys being around people with the same beliefs she has. Christensen said her faith drives her passion about helping people.
As an Eagle Mentor, Christensen said she wants to support first-year students to have a positive experience by helping them become comfortable, answering questions, and providing assistance when needed.
“I love being an Eagle Mentor,” Christensen said. “I had an Eagle Mentor last year who really helped me and I wanted to be that same person for someone else..”
Christensen’s favorite class is Families in Society with Professor of Family and Consumer Sciences Dr. Lorie Hunn. The class is about different family styles which Christensen said will be very helpful to her in her future career. She appreciates Hunn’s teaching style, exuberant personality, and the help she offers.
Hunn appreciates Christensen for being a committed and productive student.
“Katrina is a great student to have in class,” Hunn said. “She is very conscientious when it comes to her classwork. She takes her classes and expectations seriously and to a higher level. Katrina is a highly productive and goal-oriented person. She analyzes and continually strives to improve her abilities. I admire her because she stands firm in her beliefs. Katrina has definitely demonstrated her commitment to learning and is an asset to CSC.”
Jen Schaer, Director of Project Strive/TRiO, noted Christensen’s dedication to her schoolwork.
“Watching Katrina grow and develop into the student she is today has been rewarding,” Schaer said. “Katrina uses resources available on campus and talks to her professors about the subject matter or concerns. Katrina works well with other students and is a great mentor. I can’t wait to watch what she does in the future.”
Chadron State College’s Project Strive/TRiO program, located in the lower level of the King Library, is an academic enrichment program committed to helping students succeed. Project Strive also focuses on career exploration, cultural and social enrichment, and self-awareness. To be eligible for the program, a student must be one of the following: A first-generation student where neither parent has a four-year degree, meet low-income status based on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services criteria, or have a documented disability. For more information, visit www.csc.edu/projectstrive.