Virtual Reading Room

By Michelle Blaschek (Class of 2007) ACES James Scholar, Honors Council Member, and 2006 President of the ACES James Scholar Media Team. Reprinted from Cursus Honorum VI:4 (November 2005)

This photo of President White appears courtesy of the Office of the President, with special thanks to Kate Metz, Executive Assistant to the President. To learn about President White's recent book on hegemontology, please visit http://www.thenatureofleadership.com/.

The College of ACES is one of the most outstanding colleges within the University. It has achieved many celebrated accomplishments and continues to strive for excellence every day. Being James Scholars within ACES, you are obviously aware of these achievements; however, the new President of our University, Dr. B. Joseph White, has also taken notice.

When speaking with President White, we first discussed his feelings toward ACES. He stated that not only is ACES a very renowned college, but it has also maintained this excellence for a long time and has become a “cornerstone program” within the University. He then went on to praise the wonderful faculty who are involved in the college and their strong commitment to maintaining its excellence. Going beyond ACES, I began asking him about his feelings toward our Honors Program. President White stated that this is a good program that allows students to create more opportunities for themselves. He pointed out that although not every student in the college can participate, it is an opportunity that is always open to them.

Delving further into the Honors Program, we then discussed the Undergraduate Research Project that is necessary for students to engage in during their time with the program. President White states that this University is made for these types of projects and that it would be a shame to go to school here for four years and never take part in one. He encourages all students to reach out to a faculty member or take a class where a serious research project is offered. He also points out that along with our many faculty members, emeriti faculty members would be more than willing to take on a student to guide in a research project. Essentially, he tells us that there is no excuse for not having this valuable experience.

Undergraduate projects are important in helping every student decide on a career path, along with classes offered within the College of ACES that can help to prepare you for future plans. President White states that because students have to make many major decisions like deciding between graduate school, a career, or other options, there is a need for these types of classes that allow students to really benefit from them and the good counseling they provide. He also states, however, that it is necessary for the students to take the initiative and get advice from those who are knowledgeable. He tells us that the help is there – we just have to be willing to seek it out.

To sum up our interview, I asked President White what direction he felt the College of ACES was moving in. He stated that he has a lot of confidence in the future of our college, since it is so strong and well known, and because the community has such close ties with it. When addressing the students, he states that he hopes they feel good about their University and the wonderful professors who teach them. He finished by saying,

"I hope they feel they are getting a good education and enjoying it, and I hope they will choose to be lifelong supporters of the U of I in every way."

By Bethany Six (Class of 2007) and Jessica Anderson (Class of 2008)

Reprinted from the March 2006 Issue of Cursus Honorum (VI:8)

Now is the time when midterms and projects start stressing everybody out – so let's take a trip to a place that is warm and sunny and where everyone is on summer vacation. This is exactly what the ACES Global Ambassadors did in January. For the last two weeks of Winter Break, sixteen students (including ourselves!), accompanied by Dean Charles Olson and Dr. Robert Skirvin, traveled around Argentina learning about the culture, economy, and agriculture of the country.

Our first stop was a bit unexpected, as we ended up spending a day in South Beach, Miami. The weather in Chicago was rainy, which delayed our flight and caused us to miss the connection from Miami to Buenos Aires. It was sunny and warm, so no one minded the layover, but everyone was eager to get back to the “scheduled” destination.

Even though it was a long overnight flight, the minute we stepped off the plane, it was nonstop from there. We quickly dropped our belongings at the hostel and immediately headed to Cargill, our first company visit. Our group was able to get a better feel of Argentine agriculture and economy through a presentation at the company's headquarters. While most of the company presenters were fluent in English, our group soon found that this was not the case on the streets. In order to interact with the Argentines, we had to rely on what little Spanish we knew, which was at times burdensome, but in the end it was very rewarding. The remaining three days in Buenos Aires were spent sightseeing, shopping, eating lots of beef (Argentines eat massive amounts of red meat!), and getting to know others in our group better.

After four days in the beautiful city of Buenos Aires, it was time to head to the mountain country of Mendoza. On the way, we stopped at a family-owned farm business called Los Grobo. All of us were amazed at the humbleness and graciousness the Grobocopatel family expressed toward our group as well as the Los Grobo employees and surrounding community. Not only were they dedicated to expanding their agricultural business, but they also played a big role in improving the education system of the country and the well-being of their employees. This type of attitude is just one aspect of Argentina that really impressed us.

Mendoza came as a surprise to everyone, as no one was accustomed to the desert-like climate. Mendoza sits at the foot of the Andes Mountains, and on the first day, we all climbed up into the mountains and looked down on the city. While up there, we stopped at the statue of San Martin, who fought for and won Argentina's independence from Spain. Learning about the history of Argentina was both an enjoyable and educational aspect of our trip.

One highlight of the trip was touring several vineyards and wineries in the Mendoza area and learning about the art and science of winemaking. Our group enjoyed learning the proper way to taste wine and quickly found their favorite kind.

Of course, the trip was not only educational but also adventurous! We experienced a huge adrenaline rush whitewater rafting down the Mendoza River, and then we spent a relaxing afternoon horseback riding through the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

The 70,000-acre ranch provided a beautiful view of the mountains and a taste of the life of a true gaucho (cowboy). Hiking through the Andes Mountains, we were able to walk through Incan ruins and tour an abandoned silver mine. We ended the day by watching the sunset over Aconcagua, the largest mountain in the Western Hemisphere. The beautiful sites of the Andes are visions that we will never forget!

The last leg of the trip was to Venado Tuerto, a smaller farming community in the Pampas of Argentina, a region much like central Illinois. Getting there was quite an adventure, as our bus broke down three times on the way. El Rapido, the charter's name, was anything but fast as the eight-hour scheduled trip turned into a twenty-hour ride in which the passengers had to get off the bus several times and literally push it off the road. Our group met several people while on the bus, including a few Argentine families who, despite the language barrier, became good friends with us.

When we finally arrived in Venado Tuerto, we felt right at home, as corn and soybeans lined both sides of the road. The first stop in Venado Tuerto was at Pioneer, where we learned about the research performed at their facility. That evening was spent enjoying barbecued hamburgers, swimming, and playing a friendly game of soccer.

Our last day in Argentina was spent touring a large dairy farm where they pasture-fed the cattle year-round using a rotational grazing system. The farm's owner and his family were eager to teach us about their operation and answer questions. Their attitude certainly reflected the hospitality that is so common among Argentines. The final destination was to a 10,000-acre farm on one continuous piece of land that grew corn, soybeans, and wheat. The farmer talked about his operation and discussed current agricultural issues between the United States and Argentina. We toured the farm by bus, thoroughly amazed at its size, the blackness of the soil, and at how much it truly looked like home. Learning about agricultural production in Argentina was a good end to a wonderful trip.

We were sad to leave and not eager for the long flight home, but we all left Argentina with memories that we will never forget. We gained knowledge about the world we live in that will stay with us through the rest of our college life and future career. Each of us had gained fifteen new friends who had taught us more in our two weeks abroad than we could have ever learned from two weeks in a classroom. When school starts getting stressful, the only thing our Argentina group has to do is think back to the warm, sunny, relaxing days in Argentina, and hopefully this article has helped you de-stress a little, too!

All photos on the this page appear courtesy of Bethany and Jessica.

By Dr. Cleora D'Arcy, Professor Emerita of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois

In the past, I have asked students in both high school programs and college classes if they had ever cheated or known someone else who cheated on an exam or an assignment. Usually, every single student says yes. And every year, some students on our campus cheat or in some other way break the rules governing academic integrity. As a result, they may fail an exam, fail a course, or even be expelled from the University. Or, worse yet, they may cheat and not get caught, creating the impression that they do not have to play by the rules. This behavior, when continued, will simply set the stage for a major ethical failure later in life. How can you keep this from happening to you? It's quite simple. Know the rules and play by them.

While the Student Code may not be the most exciting reading, I urge you to take a few minutes to look over Article I, Part 4 -- the policy on academic integrity (full text online). Here you will find definitions of cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and other infractions of the Code. You will also find the penalties that an instructor can impose for these infractions. They range from mild (a warning in your file) to very severe (dismissal from the University). Finally, the Code spells out the procedures that the instructor and student must follow while any allegation of academic misconduct is investigated. Students have the right of appeal and, should you be unjustly accused, it is important that you know your rights.

Is this article meant to “scare you straight”? Maybe a little, but its main goal is to encourage you to become a better-informed participant in your educational system. The best advice is to know the rules and to play by them. At the end of their freshman year, students often tell me that the most important lesson that they have learned at the University is that they need to manage their time better. Give yourself plenty of time to do your assignments and to study for your exams so that you are not tempted to cheat, fabricate, or plagiarize. If you make effective time management one of your goals this semester, then your academic integrity will never need to be tested.

Academic Integrity Resources

"Academic integrity governs the way in which you research and write while at University. It is founded on the principles of respect for knowledge, truth, scholarship, and acting with honesty. These principles and values are the foundation of academia."
-- Infoskills Glossary, The University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

• UI Policy on Academic Integrity

• Beware of Diploma Mills! -- Dr. George Gollin

• Research Ethics Information from the Vice-Chancellor for Research

Anonymous Byzantine portrait of Hippocrates (ca. 460-380 BCE) from a 14th-century CE manuscript in the National Library of Paris. The "Father of Western Medicine" is portrayed here as a silver-haired sage, expounding medical precepts from one of his books. The Hippocratic Oath provided high ethical standards for physicians in the ancient Mediterranean world. It set forth the cardinal precept of medical practice, “Primum non nocere” (“First, do no harm”), and it required physicians to guarantee their patients' confidentiality. (Image Credit: Public Domain)

The following links point to representative articles contributed by members and friends of the ACES James Scholar Media Team. The purpose of this collection is to give ACES James Scholars and website visitors some windows of insight into James-Scholarly life within the College of ACES.

Files maked as "PDF" require the Adobe Acrobat Reader (download here).

• Compendium Neophytorum: The Neophytes' Compendium (PDF) -- This document has been compiled especially with the needs and concerns of new ACES James Scholars in mind; however, its contents can be appreciated by all participants in the Honors Program.
• International Adventures: A Cornucopia of ACES James Scholars' Overseas Experiences -- Here's the portal to our "International Adventures" page, which features stories and photos from ACES James Scholars (and friends of the Honors Program) who have added an international dimension to their academic careers.
• Changing the World Through Sharing What We Have Learned: My Philosophy of Education -- An Address to the UIUC Chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society (Rob Chappell was invited by Dean Kathryn Martensen to present this address to newly inducted members of Golden Key at the Illini Union on November 30, 2006.)
• Academic Integrity -- A Core Value of the ACES James Scholar Honors Program: -- What is academic intregrity, and why is it an essential ingredient for your success at the University and in the Real Word? Find out in this classic article!
• ACES James Scholardom: A Gateway to Your Future! (PDF) -- Why be an ACES James Scholar? Eleanor Hodak (Class of 2005) addresses this question from the standpoint of a recent alumna.

Anonymous portrait of Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim (1493-1541), popularly known as Paracelsus. A true Renaissance polymath, Paracelsus studied and practiced several academic disciplines during his lifetime, including alchemy, astronomy, medicine, and philosophy.

A Weblog from the University of Guadalajara

Spring Semester 2006

This weblog was composed by ACES James Scholar Meg Dill (Class of 2007) during her ACES Study Abroad experience at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico. All photos on this page appear courtesy of Meg.

Portrait of Meg Dill taken outside the "Cruz Blanca" in Guadalajara, Mexico.

An Upcoming Adventure (of Sorts) Wednesday, January 4, 2006 @ 11:44 PMMendota Heights, MinnesotaI am leaving tomorrow for Guadalajara, Mexico, where I will be living and studying until this summer. Some people have requested that I keep them updated about what I'm doing, so I will try to write an informative and hopefully entertaining letter every few weeks and send a few pictures. Here's a hopefully amusing story: I've been trying to convince myself that I"m not going to stick out THAT much in Mexico -- after all, some Hispanics are redheads, and I'm told that my accent is pretty good. Well, this morning at the Mexican Consulate in St. Paul, it was very obvious from the sideways glances I received and surprised looks from the people whom I spoke Spanish to that I did not fit in. The applications officer whom I spoke with was obviously not fooled, as he basically refused to carry on the conversation in Spanish. Note: My brother Ben, who is providing his suggestions as I write, says that while not amusing, this story is "very much you" -- whatever that means... Con mucho carino --
Meg

A massive fountain stands in the historic center of Guadalajara.

Meg writes:"The concept of the Plaza - a public gathering area that is usually paved and features a prominent architectural work such as a statue, garden, fountain, or building -- is rare in the U.S. but very common in Mexico.  This fountain graces the plaza outside of the Mercado Libertad.  The Mercado Libertad, known by the locals as San Juan de Dios, is the largest enclosed market in Latin America.  It's a great place to buy authentic Mexican food and Mexican arts and crafts such as woven products and leather goods."All's Well on the Southern Front Friday, January 13, 2006 @ 12:17 PMGuadalajara, MexicoSaludos from Mexico! I told myself that I would write to you all today to let you know that I have arrived safely and am starting to feel at home here. As I experienced different things this week, I would think, "Oh, I should tell the people back home about that" and then compose in my head how I would write it, so hopefully I can get all my thoughts out.

First, I'll tell you a bit about my home here. I live with a widow, Blanca (or Blanquita as we call her), another Mexican girl, Liz, who is also a student, and two international students -- Ana from the U.S. and Zebbie from Holland. Liz works at a bank and takes classes at night, so we barely ever see her, but Ana and Zebbie have a great time together. We pretty much have the upstairs to ourselves -- with our own phone, own little sitting area, and own balcony that connects our rooms. We ride the bus to school together in the mornings and have done some exploring of the city together.

The neighborhood where we live is the nicest I've seen since I've been here. I'm told that people who live here are called fresas (which means strawberries, but it also means snobby), although I have never been called that personally. There is a nice park two blocks away where many people go to exercise, meet up with friends, or teach their kids how to ride a bike (so cute to watch!). Around the park are some pastelerias (bakeries, or literally, cake shops) and restaurants, and there is a little store a block away that sells everything from laundry soap to fruit and even some carry-out deli foods.

My favorite place that I have discovered here is a taco stand a few blocks away. In Mexico, people eat their large meal in the early afternoon, then have a light meal, la cena, around 8-10 p.m. I was walking home from the store in the early evening when this taco stand was starting to cook up tacos for la cena, and the smell was amazing! The tacos are very small -- the tortillas are the size of my palm -- so I could try them without eating a whole meal. This place also serves juice from a variety of fruits -- mandarin oranges, lemons, grapefruits, oranges - which is squeezed while you wait. I've had a lot of tasty food here, but that little place is still my favorite!

Les traigo en mi corazon.
Love, Meg

Meg and three of her friends on the bus in Guadalajara. From left to right: Ana, Meg, Marian, and Jennifer.

An Update About Life Here, and a Cooking Lesson

Wednesday, February 22, 2006 @ 11:55 AM

Guadalajara, Mexico

Hi everyone!

Now that I have lived in Guada for over a month, life has settled into a comfortable routine.

One of the hardest things for me to get used to was the Mexican schedule for eating -- which is sort of like the American schedule turned on its head and shifted back about three hours. Breakfast in Mexico is a big meal -- typical breakfasts are eggs and beans, a sub sandwich, a big bowl of fruit, yogurt and granola, or the ever-present tacos. The midday meal, "la comida" (literally: "the food") is between 1-3 PM and is usually two or three courses: sopa (which is either rice or broth containing pasta or vegetables), a meat course, and sometimes a dessert or fruit at the end. In the evening around 8-10 is "la cena" -- a light meal of a few small tacos,
a sandwich, or a sweet roll with coffee or atole (a sweet drink thickened with corn flour).

Here in Jalisco, corn tortillas are a mainstay. They are present at virtually every main meal, and I am amazed at the variety of ways that Mexican cooks combine tortillas with meat or vegetables to make different dishes. For example, you can:
* Put the fillings on top of the tortilla and eat it like a sandwich (taco).
* Wrap the fillings in a tortilla and cook it in spicy sauce (enchilada).
* Place the fillings and some cheese between two tortillas like a sandwich (gringa -- this is also the word for an American girl -- what is this implying?).
* Fry the tortilla in oil then put the fillings on top (tostada).
* Fold a tortilla in half, put the fillings inside and cook it in oil (quesadilla): usually the filling for quesadillas is only cheese, but I have had quesadillas filled with potato (very starchy!).

Tortilla dough is a mixture of corn flour and water, and some dishes are variations on the cooking method of the tortilla dough. For instance, you can:
* Stuff the fillings into a ball of tortilla dough, wrap it in corn husks, and cook it in boiling water (tamale).
* Stuff the fillings into a ball of dough, pat it into a cake, and cook it in oil (I don't remember what it's called).
* Pat the dough into a little cake and cook it in oil, then cut it in half and put the fillings inside (gordita).

There are several regional specialties that I have tried, too:
* Birria -- spicy soup traditionaly made with goat meat.
* Chile relleno (literally, stuffed chile) -- a green chile stuffed with cheese and cooked in egg.
* Chile engalada (literally, decked out chile) -- green chile stuffed with a mixture of meat, banana, nuts and raisins, and topped with sweet cream and pomegranete seeds.
* Torta ahogada (literally, drowning sandwich) -- a crusty roll filled with spicy meat and covered in spicy tomato sauce.

My adventures here haven't been only culinary. A few weeks ago, my roommates and I took a picnic to the town of Ajijic on Lake Chapala. The school organized day trips to Tonala, a local artisan town, where we toured a paper maiche' workshop, ceramics workshop, and glass-blowing workshop; and to Tequila, where we toured an agave ranch (agave is the plant used to make tequila) and a tequila factory. This weekend, we are taking a three-day trip to Mexico City, where we will tour the ruins of Teotihuacan and see the famous sights.

I spend my weekends in Ixtlan, a small town in the state of Michoacan, where I attend the church there. On my website (netfiles.uiuc.edu/megdill/MexicoPictures), I posted some pictures of my friends from Ixtlan. The pictures are from a recent trip we made to downtown Guadalajara.

That's all for now!
Love, Meg

An Update About Magdalena -- and How to Travel Like a Mexican

Friday, March 24, 2006 @ 4:48 PM

Guadalajara, Mexico

Hi everyone!

It seems odd to me to write about the news in my life since I just saw a bunch of you! For those of you whom I didn't see -- I spent six days with a group from the U of I that was in Magdalena, Mexico working at the Casa de Vida y Esperanza orphanage. I really enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with so many friends at once, both U of I friends and the missionaries at CVE, and the Great Harvest bread that my roommates brought me was a great surprise (you guys are fantastic!).

Unfortunately I spent so much time socializing, working (we did some hardcore block laying, trench-digging, and painting while I was there), and playing with the kids that I have only six pictures to show from the trip. Hopefully they'll be up on my website (https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/megdill/MexicoPictures) on Monday.

As far as school goes, the excitement of going to school in Mexico has worn off now, and I'm honestly really looking forward to Spring Break. Although my "new vocabulary notebook" would suggest that I'm still learning new words, the learning curve isn't as steep as it was when I first arrived. In addition, I've reached a point where I understand pretty much everything that is spoken to me, so I don't have much more to learn as far as comprehension is concerned. The area where I need to improve the most is in my speaking ability, and I believe that will improve not by studying more, but by just talking more. When I was in Magdalena, I had a great opportunity to practice speaking because a Mexican girl, Alma, was visiting CVE, and I chatted a lot with her and interpreted between her and the Americans. Alma is probably the most outgoing, outspoken, jolly person I have ever met, so not only was it a learning experience, but it was also good fun as well.

I was very lucky in that I was able to fly to Sonora, the state that Magdalena is in, because traveling from Guadalajara to Magdalena is like traveling from central Illinois to Arizona. Mexico has a fine air-travel network, but by far the most common method of travel in Mexico is by bus. Most towns in Mexico have a camionera central -- a central bus station where buses entering and leaving town stop to pick up passengers. In addition, towns located on a highway have a bus stop on the highway where first-class buses can stop without wasting time going into town. The first-class buses are the equivalent of tour buses in the United States, and they are comfortable with the exception of the ridiculously violent films that they often show as entertainment. A better form of entertainment, in my opinion, are the traveling musicians who go from bus to bus, playing the guitar and singing to earn tips. In addition to the musicians, vendors selling hot sandwiches, fresh bread or cookies, cold pop, chips with chile, and fresh fruit with chile and lime also ride the circuit, selling their goods to passengers on one bus, then hopping off and taking a bus in the opporite direction back into town.

In some ways, I prefer buses to driving because they are more spacious, the seats are more comfortable, it's impossible to take a wrong turn and get lost, and I'm able to read or watch the mountains and farms whiz by rather than watching the road.

Many Mexicans do own cars, although owning a car in Mexico presents some difficulties not seen in the United States. In Mexico City, for example, the traffic and pollution are so heavy that the government established a law that prevents all drivers from driving on one day of the week, which is determined by their license plate number. The wealthy, however, are able to circumvent this law by owning multiple vehicles, so that they always have at least one that they can legally drive.

In place of stop signs, many Mexican roads have topes -- large speed bumps that force all vehicles to slow down almost to a stop in order to cross them without damaging the vehicle. In my opinion, topes are more effective than stopsigns because if drivers decide to blow through a tope, they're the ones who will suffer the most.

The legal driving age is higher in Mexico than in the U.S. (I believe it's 18); however, this too is circumvented by the very wealthy. My roommate Ana has a good friend who is still in high school and thus can't drive legally. However, his family is wealthy and has already bought him a car, and he drives wherever he wants and just pays off the cops whenever he gets stopped.

Within Guadalajara, buses are my primary means of transportation. The bus system here is very efficient, although I had to adjust to the lack of a timed schedule and clearly mapped routes. Buses are so popular here that there honestly isn't any need for a timetable. Each route has so many buses on it that for most routes, a bus passes each stop at least once every ten minutes. In addition, in many cases, more than one route leads to wherever I'm going, so if a bus for one route doesn't pass, then a bus from another route probably will. When I first arrived in Guadalajara, I was determined to find a bus guide and make a comprehensive map of all the bus routes. When I finally purchased a bus guide after close to a week of searching, I was disappointed to find that the maps didn't list specific streets and that some of the routes were not listed correctly. Now I've learned that a more effective way of learning the bus system is to learn where main roads and places are throughout the city. The windshield of each bus lists the main roads that it goes on and places where it stops, so if I know where those places and roads are, I can figure out where the bus goes without consulting a map.

Based on my experiences here, I wish more cities in America would improve their mass transit systems. Not only is travel here cheaper than in the United States, but I've gotten lost fewer times in Guadalajara than I have in Champaign and St. Paul.

That's all the news for now!
Love, Meg

Greetings to the James Scholar Retreat

Wednesday, April 5, 2006 @ 11:12 AM

Guadalajara, Mexico

I'm writing to you from a shady corner of parque Rubèn Darìo – a park here in Guadalajara where I go often to study, read, run or enjoy a Popsicle. The fact that I'm here illustrates several highlights of the study abroad experience:

* Wherever you study abroad, you will probably find that the climate is more pleasant than in Central Illinois.

* Most study abroad curricula are not as rigorous as coursework at the U of I, so you will find that you have more time to relax, travel, and learn about yourself.

I have met a variety of people here at the park, including some little girls selling Popsicles out of a cooler, a grandpa playing with his toddler grandson, a policeman patrolling the neighborhood, and a lady waiting for her exercise buddies. This illustrates several other points about studying abroad:

* You will meet people of different lifestyles and backgrounds whom you never would have encountered otherwise.

* You will experience what it is to be different, an outsider – especially if you're a redhead surrounded by morenos. :)

* If you study in a non-English speaking country, you will experience the thrill of realizing that you just held a conversation in a language that is not your mother tongue and understood every word. When that day comes, it will be worth all the work that you put into studying and practicing the language!

* You will learn that although differences between cultures are huge (if they weren't, culture shock wouldn't exist!) and that language barriers may seem insurmountable, all of us humans are made of the same stuff, and we all have hearts that are longing for love.

I hope that before each of you graduate, at some point you too find yourself in some sunny park in a remote corner of the world.

Que les vaya muy bien!

Meg

An Adventure in Mexico -- and How to Relax

Wednesday, April 5, 2006 @ 4:47 PM

Guadalajara, Mexico

Greetings, everyone!

I realize that I just wrote an update a few days ago, but I have some cool (at least I think they're cool!) pictures to share of last Saturday's activities:
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/megdill/MexicoPictures/

I might not be able to check my email during the next two weeks, as this Friday marks the beginning of "las vacaciones." During Holy Week and Easter Week, the whole country of Mexico (except for those in the tourism industry) goes on vacation. Students have one or both weeks off of school; businesses, especially small family-owned stores and restaurants, close for a few days or longer; and everyone who can heads to the beach or goes to visit relatives.

Going to the beach and visiting family are probably the two most common vacations here in Mexico. Most Mexicans would rather spend their free time relaxing with family than visiting lots of places or meeting new people.

Here in Guadalajara, the people I interact with are middle- to upper-class, and they like to spend their free time hosting a barbeque, hanging out at a restaurant or cafe, or attending a soccer game. In addition, many enjoy spending time outdoors, and there are many pleasant parks in the city. On Sunday afternoons, the little park down the street from my house is full of families picnicking, little kids learning how to ride a bike, strolling couples, and groups of teenagers licking popsicles. I like to go there, too, to read and observe the people, and I'm learning how to spend my time in a laid-back way like the people here rather than constantly finding things to do or places to go.

In Ixtlan, where most of the people are poor, there aren't parks and cafes to hang out in, so many people wander down to the plaza or simply sit in front of their houses and chat with family members and whoever happens to pass by. It's rare that I pass someone in Ixtlan who doesn't at least say "Adios," and many people want to converse, as a pleasant way to pass the time.

So if you ever feel the need to relax, Mexico is a great place to do that -- just don't come during "las vacaciones."

Love,

Meg

A (Not-So-Quick) Report on "Las Vacaciones"

Wednesday, May 3, 2006 @ 11:56 AM

Guadalajara, Mexico

Greetings, everyone!

Well, I'm back in Guadalajara after two incredible weeks of relaxation, a bit of hard work (if two hours spent painting counts as hard work?), and good times with my family.

I spent the first part of the break in Ixtlan with my American friend Kelly. We had some random adventures, including:
* Coming face-to-face with a scorpion (do scorpions have faces?) while painting in the guest house.
* Making friends with some of the neighborhood kids -- note to self: giving away cookies is a sure-fire way to attract more visitors!
* A morning bike ride through the lush valley and little towns that border Ixtlan.
* "The Mexican college life" as Kelly calls it -- eating garbanzos while watching Chariots of Fire.

My parents, my brother Joe, and my sister Claire arrived in Guadalajara the day before Good Friday -- one of the holiest days in Mexico. Dad had found a little house for rent in Tlaquepaque, a suburb of Guadalajara, and we really enjoyed our quaint little house-with-the-green-door that even had a little courtyard with trees in it! On Friday we observed some of the festivities going on in the plaza, which included a huge parade of people filing through the Catholic church to pay their respects to the altar, reenactments of the Stations of the Cross, and vendors selling empanadas, a traditional Easter treat. Joe found great delight in the Easter tradition of breaking colorful eggs filled with confetti onto the heads of his unsuspecting sisters and Dad! :)

We spent Easter in Ixtlan, and I'm glad my parents were able to meet the people there, worship with them, and experience a church service in Spanish. I had the opportunity to translate Dad's Bible study on Saturday evening, which was an experience both encouraging (how far I've come!) and humbling (how many words I have yet to learn!).

Meg "hangs out" on a rip line at the Tararacua Waterfall near Uruapan.

On Monday, we went to Uruapan, where we hiked at the Tararacua Waterfall, browsed the market in the plaza where many Purepecha and Tarasco (Indians) were selling their pottery and other goods, and visited an amazing textile factory that still uses machines from the 1800s to spin and weave colorful cotton fabric.

The 19th-century spinning machine from the textile factory at Uruapan.

The drive to Uruapan was fascinating for me, as we passed through many little hamlets that are predominately indigenous -- some of the road signs were even in native languages! We passed through some gorgeous mountains and agricultural areas and saw a few farmers carrying their plows on horseback to their fields.

I had heard about some cool ruins an hour outside of Guadalajara, but I was a bit suspicious, as neither the ruins nor the town they were located in was on my map. Using information we found online, we decided to try our luck at finding this place, and I'm so glad we did, because the ruins were definitely worth the trip! Called the Guachimontones, a combo Nahuatl/Spanish word that means (if I remember correctly) "Circular Mounds," the ruins are the remains of an ancient community. The people there built small circular "pyramids" for ceremonial purposes. Around each pyramid was a ring of platforms on which families built their homes. In between some of the pyramid/house complexes were ball courts where the men competed in a ball game that was either political or religious in nature, depending on the event.

It turns out that excavations and reconstruction of the ruins only began six years ago, which explains why it wasn't on my map. It was obvious to us, however, that the people there hope to make it a tourist attraction soon. The highway leading there is being leveled and expanded, the plaza in the town was under construction, and a string of restaurants and little waterparks have already been built in the surrounding areas. It's lucky for us that we discovered this place before all the tourists, because we got a private tour of the little museum and of the archaeologist's laboratory. How cool is that?!

Right now, I'm trying to make the most of my last few weeks here in Mexico, which are going to fly by! I still haven't bought a ticket home, but I should be back on U.S. soil by the second week of June.

With much love (and an attractive flip-flop tan on my feet) --
Meg

Good Times with My Brother

Thursday, May 18, 2006 @ 7:52 PM

Guadalajara, Mexico

Hi everyone!

So my brother Ben left Guadalajara today after a week-long visit, and we had such the great time together! As he commented to me yesterday, it was a pretty packed trip, especially as we spent almost every day traveling somewhere at least two hours away! I've posted some pictures from our adventures (https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/megdill/MexicoPictures) in the "Good Times with Ben" folder.

On Monday, we tried to go to the Guadalajara zoo, as I've heard the safari is cool, and I thought he would be interested in the landscape since he studies plants and landscape architecture, but it was closed, so we visited the neighbooring Selva Magica instead. The Selva Magica is an amusement park, and to be honest, going to a Mexican amusement park was not something I thought would be "good times with Ben," but it ended up being really fun! The park has some pretty mean roller coasters, a surprisingly gory wax dinosaur exhibit, and a sweet dolphin show featuring tricks I haven't seen even in the States, among other attractions. The coolest thing I saw there was an attraction (it's not really a ride) called "My Uncle's Hut," a hut built on a 30+ degree incline, which makes for some sweet optical illusions. For example, there are water troughs built into the wall that compared to the floor look like they point up, but in reality flow downhill. When water is poured in the bottom end, it runs "uphill" into a bucket! As Ben commented to me, although this amusement park was nothing like the huge theme parks in the States, everyone seemed to be having such a good time that it was really enjoyable to be there.

Meg and her brother Ben at the Selva Magica Amusement Park in Guadalajara.

When I asked Ben what he wanted to do on this trip, the only thing he would tell me was that he wanted to see mountains. So on Tuesday we went to Ciudad Guzman, the closest large city to the twin volcanoes, Nevado and Fuego, that are a few hours south of Guadalajara. I had heard of nothing cool in Ciudad Guzman, so I figured it would be a ho-hum place for us to spend the night before heading out to hike the volcano. However, like with the Selva Magica, I was again surprised. Guzman is not a tourist town, which makes it very enjoyable because it's full of wonderful Mexican people going about their Mexican lives in a beautiful little city. As we were talking with a book vendor, we heard classical music coming from the plaza, and he commented nonchalantly that "Oh, that's the concert in the plaza." It turns out that the "concert" is a big inflatable screen onto which are projected videos of orchestras performing famous classical pieces -- Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Beethovan's Fifth Symphony -- while we were watching. I was seriously amazed -- a city that can't afford to bring in a live orchestra still finds a way to offer classical music to its citizens! There was a surprisingly large and diverse group gathered to listen -- grizzly-bearded old men, couples, parents with their kids, even some single young adults. Definitely not what I expected to find in Ciudad Guzman, but a very nice surprise! :)

Thanks to my nifty Lonely Planet guidebook, I was able to find a local man who drove us most of the way up the mountain to the point where vehicles aren't allowed, and we hiked the rest of the way to the top. The peak we hiked to is around 4000 meters high, and we passed through the cloud level on our way up. The hike wasn't particularly difficult because a "civil defense station" that monitors the activity of the live volcano, Volcan de Fuego, sits at the top of the "'dead" volcano we were climbing -- so there is a vehicular access path all the way to the top. Feeling an absence of challenging hiking, we decided to climb out to the edge of the rock ridge that crosses the top of the mountain. Sitting on the edge of the ridge, munching on Mexican peanuts (our power-food), watching the clouds roll through the valley below, it was definitely worth the extra effort!

The whole trip up and down the mountain was uneventful and relaxing, except for a three-minute chain of events that left me laughing uncontrolably, which Ben (unfortunately) managed to capture on camera. (See Ahhhhhhhhhhh.jpg!) It started innocently enough when Ben asked me for a kleenex. All I had to offer him was our crumpled trail info sheet, and in the process of giving it to him, I dropped my water and suntan lotion, which, when he picked it up and handed it back, exploded all over me. The story doesn't really sound funny now, but at the time, well -- it was good times with my brother!

Until next time (which will probably be the last update!) --

Craziness...)
Meg :)

Life "Alla en Estados Unidos"

Friday, June 16, 2006 @ 11:03 PM

Mendota Heights, MN

Salutations from Minnesota!

I'm in the United States now and finding that I slipped back into life here more smoothly than anticipated. The worst culture shock that I've experienced so far is searching in vain for a trash can for toilet paper (forgetting that here it can be flushed), almost reprimanding my relatives for drinking out of the tap (forgetting that tap water here is drinkable), and a few close calls with almost saying "perdon," "buenos dias," or "disculpe" instead of their English equivalents.

The last few weeks in Mexico were very unlike any other times I spent there. My good friend Heidi Ann Knobloch came the week after I finished classes, and we had a great time touring Michoacan. After an unfortunate but amusing incident, where we managed not to see each other for five hours in the tiny Guada airport, we made up for lost time by talking the whole way to Ixtlan. Marshall graciously stayed up late to talk with us and let us pick his brain on a variety of topics. Hopefully he enjoyed it as much as we did.

I finally got to see Morelia with Heidi, which is as beautiful as I've heard it is. We fit in pretty well there, as the population is supposedly 1/3 students, and we enjoyed such "student" entertainment as a free Tuna (traditional Spanish music style) concert, coffee shopping, and plaza strolling.

I had read in my nifty guide book about camping on the beach, which is really just sleeping in a hammock on the porch of a cabana (beach house), in little beach towns on the Michoacan coast, so we went south to the beach and found the perfect camping spot in Playa Azul. At least, we thought it would be the perfect camping spot. It turns out that a hammock is one of the best places I've ever found for napping, but in the darkness after sunset, the sound of the nearby waves was magnified. The sniffles and yips of beach dogs became unnerving, and the weave of the hammock digging into my sunburnt back was not comfortable. After an hour of trying to convince myself that this was really cool and relaxing, I realized that my stubbornness would cost me a sleepless night. Fortunately, our cabana had real beds inside and a door with a lock.

At the beach, we also decided to experience surfing. The guide book recommended Barra de Nexpa, which (it turns out) is a great place to "experience" surfing, but not a great place for unexperienced girls from the Midwest. Nexpa is little more than a string of cabanas with a few restaurants and surf shops, where surfers from all over the world come for a few weeks (or months!) to ride the great waves. For surfers, great waves = huge waves. If the waves in Florida are like playing hopscotch, the waves here are like dodgeball.

We were greeted by a friendly Texan and his Mexican wife, who quickly informed us that if we tried to ride these waves, we were going to end up like shivering jellyfish on the sand. I think he could see my determination mounting with every word he said, because he offered to teach me a thing or two and look out for me whenever a big set of waves came through to make sure I didn't drown. I honestly really enjoyed surfing, although I never managed to stand up on the board. I paddled through the waves to the calmer waters where the waves begin and was able to watch the pros doing tricks as they rode the white water in -- pretty cool!

After Heidi left, my dad came down, and he and I spent a week and a half in a very different part of the Pacific Coast -- Barra Vieja, a little village built on a sand bar about half an hour north of Acapulco. Barra Vieja is not a vacation spot, although the locals are trying their best to put in some decent restaurants, nice resorts, and paved roads. Hopefully they will find a way to clean up the trash in the streets and empty lots and get rid of the pigs, chickens, dogs, and other fauna that roam (or run!) about as they please.

We went to Barra because the relatives of some of my friends from Ixtlan live there. Dad went to do Bible studies with them, and I was his translator. I think the people I met there will forever be some of my favorite people in the world. We spent the most time with one couple, Bartolo and Kike, and their children -- Ricardo (who is fifteen and went to Mexico City while we were in Barra for an operation on cancer in one of his lungs); Miriam, a joyful, helpful, friendly nine-year-old (who is almost capable of running the family store by herself); and Areli, age four (who is full of smiles, energy, mischief, and usually sand as well). I posted pictures of them at https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/megdill/MexicoPictures.

Barra is different from anyplace I had visited in Mexico. I've seen poverty and filth and inadequate housing, but never in such a tropical climate. Here, life for many people is like camping year-round. Their homes are usually concrete structures, although some parts, especially the kitchen, may be outdoors under a canopy or palm roof. Our accomodations at Kike and Bartolo's house, which they let us use while they lived at their store, were some of the nicest we saw. Their house was completely enclosed, with rooms, a kitchen, running water, even a little yard with a fence around it.

Overall, I enjoyed my role as translator, although I sometimes forgot how important that role was. One morning, Bartolo and my dad were going to go net fishing, and I planned to let the guys have their fishing trip while I stayed back with Kike to help her run their little store. When I told Kike of my plans, she asked me matter-of-factly, "Well, how are they going to chat?" Good point! So I went along on the fishing trip so the men could chat. Now I'm really excited about my ability to translate, and I look forward to using it both in the U.S. and abroad. There's something about the light of understanding that dawns on someone's face when I dicipher the babble of another language into words they understand that makes me smile. The more I translate, the more I love it and want to do better -- to be able to express more precisely what the other person was trying to say.

So now I have two months to spend with my family before it's back to the U of I for one more year! I'm not working right now, which is almost a lifestyle adjustment for me -- certainly a bit of an emotional adjustment because so much of my life and purpose last year revolved around having jobs and trying to support myself. For this reason, I think it's for the best that I'm currently unemployed. My dad noticed when we were in Barra that whenever we walked somewhere, I would end up ten paces or so behind him, and he commented that I've developed a more laid-back attitude -- a Mexican schedule. Hopefully I retain that low stress/enough time lifestyle when I get back to campus.

Looking forward to seeing all of you sometime soon!

Love,
Meg

A Directory of Selected Blogs Created and Maintained by ACES James Scholars, Alumni, and Friends of the Honors Program

BLOG LINKING POLICY

ACES James Scholars, alumni, and friends of the Honors Program may email the Honors Secretary to request that a link to their blog be placed on this page. The Honors Program reserves the right to add or remove links based on the content of scholars' blogs. Bloggers are strongly encouraged to share their experiences and insights through their online journals while steering clear of hot-button issues and objectionable subject matter. In other words -- keep it real, but keep it positive! Recommended topics for James-Scholarly blogs include, but are not limited to, the following suggestions:

• Honors Credit Learning Agreements (e.g., Papers, Presentations, Projects, etc.)
• International Academic Experiences
• Narratives and Observations on Daily Life as a James Scholar
• On-Campus and Off-Campus Internships
• Registered ACES Student Organizations and Their Activities
• Scientific Research Projects and Their Outcomes (e.g., Conferences, Publications, Travels, etc.)
• Anything Else That Pertains to the ACES James Scholar Experience, Past and Present

Links to Selected Blogs by ACES James Scholars, Alumni, and Friends of the Honors Program

(Last Updated: 2007-Nov-14)

Alyssa's Adventure in Agriculture by Alyssa Bane

Join Alyssa on her trip to Tampa, Florida for the 2007 Commodity Classic, and learn about her ongoing involvement with the James Scholar Media Team. She uses her blog to keep readers up to date on her observations, experiences, and current agricultural issues. Alyssa is a member of the ACES James Scholar Class of 2010, majoring in Agricultural Communications. (Photo Credit: Alyssa Bane)

RD in the Making by Meg Dill, B.S.

Meg Dill (Class of 2007) graduated from the University of Illinois as a Chancellor's Scholar in addition to her completion of the ACES James Scholar Honors Program. She is now completing her dietetic internship in her native Minnesota. Read about Meg's professional development both before and during her internship on her new blog!

ANSC-USDA Summer 2007 UIUC

This blog, coauthored by ACES James Scholar Jessica Hendrickson (above) and her traveling companions (Alanna Kmicikiewycz, Samantha Matusiak, and Allison McDaniel), chronicles their academic travels with Dr. Walter Hurley in Denmark during summer 2007.

Interning with Caterpillar, Inc. by Karlie Elliott

Farm Progress: Karlie's Take by Karlie Elliott

Journey with Karlie to Peoria, where she interned with Caterpillar during the summer months of 2007. She used her blog to update her family and friends on her adventures and what she was learning in the "Real World" of corporate America. Karlie was also commissioned by Monsanto to write a blog about the Farm Progress Show (August 28-30, 2007 in Decatur, IL). Karlie is a student intern in the North Annex during the academic year and is currently serving as President of the Illini Ag Communicators of Tomorrow. 

The (Mis)adventures of Miss Lynsee Melchi: Electronic Chronicle of My Time in Pretoria, South Africa by Lynsee Melchi

Lynsee graduated with James Scholar Distinction from the College of ACES in May 2003. After working on campus for a few more years in the South Research Park, Lynsee left for South Africa, where she is now pursuing a D.V.M. degree at the Univeristy of Pretoria. (Photo Credit: Lynsee Melchi)

Moberkitty in Paris by Danita Moberley

Danita is an Account Technician II in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. She completed her B.A. degree in French through Eastern Illinois University in December 2006. During July 2006, Danita traveled to Paris for an intensive month-long Francophonic experience. You can read all about her adventures in the City of Lights on her blog. (Photo Credit: Marsha Poff)

Here is the complete text of Rob Chappell's address to newly inducted members of the UIUC Chapter of the Golden Key International Honor Society, as presented on the evening of November 30, 2006 in the Illini Union. (A printer-friendly PDF version of the text can be downloaded here.)

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

By Rob Chappell, M.A., E.F.M.
Advisor, ACES James Scholar Media Team
President-Elect, The Secretariat

Introduction

Ladies and gentlemen, members of Golden Key and honored guests:

It is an honor and a privilege to be here with you this evening. I can still remember my own reception into Golden Key, which took place on October 27, 1988 in this very same building. Having come full circle, from being a neophyte to an alumnus of our great society, I would like to share with you some brief reflections on what can make our academic achievements most meaningful.

As juniors and seniors at the University of Illinois , you are well on your way toward completing the undergraduate portion of your academic journey. Some of you are no doubt making plans to attend graduate or professional school; while for others, the real world is beckoning through internships and the prospect of full-time employment. No matter what your plans may be following graduation, you will still be faced with some momentous questions that I would like to put before you tonight. What makes a college education meaningful, and why do we, as members of Golden Key, strive to achieve academic excellence at university?

The answers may vary from person to person, and that is only to be expected, for there are many possible reasons why each of us has chosen to follow the path to scholastic excellence. Admission to graduate or professional school, lucrative job opportunities, and the satisfaction of becoming a well-rounded individual are all laudable in and of themselves. But I would submit to you that there is one reason to strive for academic achievement that surpasses all of these, without negating the others in any way.

The highest goal to which we can aspire as members of Golden Key is to seize the opportunity to share what we have learned with others. Learning profound truths about the world and thinking great thoughts are wonderful exercises for the mind – but they can only become meaningful if we share them with others. Our parents and teachers, the professors and administrators of the University, and the agencies that have funded your education here, are all expecting something from us once we leave the classroom and dormitory behind, and that something is that somehow, somewhere, at sometime in the future, we will use what we have learned here to help change the world for the better. This goal is put very eloquently by Captain John Sheridan in an episode from the second season of Babylon 5:

We have to make people lift their eyes back to the horizon, and see the line of ancestors behind us, saying, “Make my life have meaning.” And to our inheritors before us, saying, “Create the world we will live in.” I mean, we're not just holding jobs and having dinner. We are in the process of building the future.
-- Episode #37: “And Now for a Word”

How can we build the future by sharing what we have learned? This endeavor can take manifold forms. One person can become a volunteer mentor to schoolchildren at risk. Another person may write a weblog about a recent study tour to Brazil . Still another will present a seminar about how to stamp out hatred in a nearby city. Do whatever you feel led to do – but be sure that you do something to make the world a better place because of what you have learned here, both inside and outside the classroom.

As an alumnus of the School of Humanities at UIUC, allow me to share with you two brief examples of how sharing what we have learned can make the world a better place. They are examples drawn from classic literature – from books that I hope you will read at some time in the future, if you haven't perused them already.

I. The Gilgamesh Epic (Anonymous, Circa 2000 BC)

In the Gilgamesh Epic, which was composed over 4000 years ago in Mesopotamia , the hero, King Gilgamesh, undertakes heroic deeds with his friend Enkidu to rescue people from dangerous monsters. When Enkidu falls ill and dies, Gilgamesh goes on a final quest to find the secret of immortality. Although the king fails to attain endless longevity, he does obtain lasting fame because, when he returned to his home city from all his adventures, he shared his experiences with his subjects and taught them what he had learned from his globetrotting adventures. As the epic poet wrote of King Gilgamesh:

He who has seen everything, I will make known to the lands. I will teach about him who experienced all things alike; Anu granted him the totality of knowledge of all. He saw the Secret, discovered the Hidden; he brought information of the time before the Flood. He went on a distant journey, pushing himself to exhaustion, but then was brought to peace. Take and read out from the lapis lazuli tablet how Gilgamesh went through every hardship. He walked through darkness and so glimpsed the light.-- Gilgamesh Epic: Tablets I & XII

Whatever historical truth may lie behind his legend, Gilgamesh is remembered still today because the life lessons that he exemplified are timeless truths that appear again and again throughout world literature. Mortality will come to us all, Gilgamesh would say, but while life lasts, let us spend it in service to others through heroic deeds and teaching wisdom by example.

II. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum (1902)

In L. Frank Baum's classic holiday tale, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, we meet a young man named Claus, a human foundling raised by the immortal denizens of an enchanted forest. In his young manhood, he chose to dwell among mortal humans because he wanted to share the joys of his own happy childhood with the children of humankind. At first he simply played, sang, and shared stories with the children who lived near his home in the Laughing Valley of Hohaho, but afterward, he “invented” the first toys and spread the joy of giving Yuletide gifts around the world. Unlike Gilgamesh, Claus obtained endless life within the circles of the world, when the immortals who had raised him endowed him with the Mantle of Immortality. They gave Claus such a momentous gift because Claus had seen that the lives of mortal children in that long-ago time were filled with drudgery and misery, and he had determined to correct this injustice by sharing with them the fruits of his experience – namely, that a happy childhood, filled with kindness and giving, could lay the foundation for a better world when the children grow up.

Baum summarizes so eloquently the lessons to be drawn from his mythical biography of Santa Claus that they require no further comment on my part. He writes:

It is true that great warriors and mighty kings and clever scholars of that day were often spoken of by the people; but no one of them was so greatly beloved as Santa Claus, because none other was so unselfish as to devote himself to making others happy. For a generous deed lives longer than a great battle or a king's decree or a scholar's essay, because it spreads and leaves its mark on all nature and endures through many generations.
-- Book II, Chapter 11

“In all this world there is nothing so beautiful as a happy child,” says good old Santa Claus; and if he had his way, the children would all be beautiful, for all would be happy.
-- Book III, Chapter 3

Conclusion

To me, these principles are not just words printed on a page; I have had the privilege to see them in action as I have pursued my own career as an administrative professional at the University of Illinois . After obtaining my master's degree, I spent three years at the Graduate College managing its Information Office. There, I met and fell in love with student services – which led me to the College of ACES and its James Scholar Honors Program, where I have been working with hundreds of gifted students like you for the past six-and-a-half years. Sharing educational experiences with them has had a profound impact on me. Through my time spent with these future leaders of government and industry, my own hope for the future has been rekindled, for I see in them a sincere desire to serve humanity through their chosen career paths, both now and after graduation – and that's what sharing one's education with others is all about.

There is one final thought that I'd like to leave with you tonight – sharing your educational experiences is contagious, and it never has to end. It begins with you and then spreads out to the people around you until it becomes a chain reaction that has the potential to transform our society in ways that we can only dimly imagine now. You may never know if that fellow classmate, younger sibling, niece, nephew, or child of yours is going to turn out to be the next Albert Einstein or Marie Curie. That's what makes sharing your education with others so exciting – you will never fail to be surprised by the friends that you make and the goals that you can help them to achieve. As for me, I'm eagerly waiting to see what the ACES James Scholars are going to do next year, next decade, and so on and so on, into the bright human future among the stars that we all fervently wish for.

Tonight, you are being recognized as new members of the Golden Key International Honor Society. I would like to challenge you to discover how you can use your University of Illinois education to benefit the people and institutions that you will come into contact with throughout the rest of your life. Golden Key will be most grateful – as will all the people who have supported your educational endeavors – if you will use your membership to unlock the door to a future of lifelong service to others, which will inevitably lead to a better world for us all. In closing, let us remember and take to heart the words of Captain Sheridan from Babylon 5:

I mean, we're not just holding jobs and having dinner. We are in the process of building the future.

Congratulations to you all, thank you, and good night! J

Anonymous illustration from a medieval manuscript depicting the Roman philosopher Boethius (480-524 AD) with Lady Philosophy -- the personified figure who dialogues with him in his magnum opus, The Consolation of Philosophy. Boethius' brilliant career as a scholar and teacher was brought to a premature end when he was executed as a prisoner of conscience by Theodoric the Ostrogoth, the barbarian King of Italy (reigned 493-526).

Eleanor Hodak in New Zealand Spring 2004

Current photo of Eleanor Hodak, now residing in Chicago after her graduation as an ACES James Scholar with Bronze Tablet Honors in May 2005.

Eleanor's Newsletter Articles

• Peregrinatio Eleanorae: Eleanor's Journey (PDF)

This document contains a sequence of Cursus Honorum articles penned by Eleanor Hodak, an ACES James Scholar who studied in New Zealand during the spring 2004 semester. Through her eyes, we experience the anticipation and fulfillment of her desire to add an international dimension to her honors experience.

Eleanor's Photo Gallery

"North Island: Sometimes the best sceneries in New Zealand weren't destinations but could be found simply by pulling the car off the road... on the left!"

The Leadership Studies Portal for ACES James Scholars

WHAT IS HEGEMONTOLOGY?

Hegemontology is a neologism coined by Rob Chappell, the ACES Honors Secretary. The word is derived from the Greek terms hegemonia (leadership) and logia (study/discourse) -- hence its English equivalent = "leadership studies." Hegemontology is therefore a discipline that examines all aspects of leadership -- what it is, how it works, and why the understanding and practice of good leadership skills is essential to professional success in today's world.

Exploring Leadership Studies

• Hegemontologiae Anthologia: The Leadership Studies Anthology -- Collection of Articles by Lisa Burgoon, Previously Published in Cursus Honorum and Ultreia (PDF)
• Jacobi Philologi de Hegemontologia: James Scholars on Leadership Studies -- Collection of Articles by JSMT Members, Previously Published in Cursus Honorum and Ultreia (PDF)
• 2007-Feb-07: "Ethics in Leadership" Presentation to the Honors Seminar (ACES 199 JS) by Lisa Burgoon & Marianne Lorensen (Power Point)

Noteworthy Illinoisan Leaders

• Elijah Lovejoy (1802-1837): Abolitionist Publisher and Martyr for Freedom (Lateral Ancestor of Dean Simmons!)
• Jonathan Baldwin Turner (1805-1899): One of the "Founding Fathers" of the University of Illinois
• Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865): "The Great Emancipator" -- Sixteenth President of the United States
• Lydia Moss Bradley (1816-1908): Philanthropist and "Founding Mother" of Bradley University
• Jane Addams (1860-1935): Social Reformer and Nobel Peace Prize Winner

Great Leaders of the Past

• Pharaoh Hatchepsut (fl. 15th Century BCE): Queen of Egypt and Patron of Architects and Explorers
• Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE): Conqueror of the Known World and Herald of Hellenistic Multiculturalism
• Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE): Roman General and Master of Statecraft
• Empress Suiko (554-628 CE): First Female Imperial Ruler of Japan
• Charlemagne (742-814 CE): Unifier of Western Europe and Patron of the Carolingian Renaissance
• Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204 CE): French Duchess, Queen of England, and Patron of the Troubadours
• Elizabeth I (1533-1603 CE): Queen of England and Architect of the Elizabethan Golden Age
• Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965): Prime Minister of the United Kingdom During World War II

Philosophy of Leadership: East and West

Explore the lives and teachings of these exemplary sages from yesteryear. Their insights on the quest for excellence in everyday life are just as relevant today as they were in days of yore.

• Ptah-Hotep (fl. 24th Century BCE): Maxims of Good Discourse
• Aesop (fl. 6th Century BCE): Fables
• Laozi (fl. 6th Century BCE): Dao De Jing
• Confucius (551-479 BCE): Analects
• Sunzi (544-496 BCE): Art of War
• Aristotle (384-322 BCE): Writings
• Mencius (372-289 BCE): Writings
• Zhuangzi (370-301 BCE): Writings
• Plutarch (46-120 CE): Parallel Lives
• Epictetus (55-135 CE): Writings
• Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE): Meditations
• King Cormac of Ireland (fl. 3rd Century CE): Instructions
• Myamoto Musashi (1584-1645 CE): Book of Five Rings
• Okakura Kakuzo (1863-1913 CE): The Book of Tea

Resources for Aspiring Leaders

• ACES Student Development & Career Services -- Headquarters of the Leadership in Action Team!
• Illinois Leadership Center -- Located in 290 Illini Union
• LeaderShape Institute -- Offering Innovative Immersion Programs for Leaders-in-the-Making
• The Nature of Leadership: Reptiles, Mammals, and the Challange of Becoming a Great Leader -- Recent Book by Dr. B. Joseph White, President of the University of Illinois
• Introducing Hegemontology -- Presidential Column Written by Rob Chappell for the August 2007 Issue of the Secretariat's Newsletter

This anonymous medieval engraving shows King Arthur (center) and the Knights of the Round Table feasting together at Camelot. Arthur Pendragon is regarded as an exemplary leader in the Matter of Britain, a vast legendarium encompassing the traditional history of the Britons from ca. 1200 BCE to 600 CE. (Image Credit: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

"The world is a book, and those who don't travel read only a page."
-- Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

Anonymous portrait of Sir John Mandeville from an early printed edition (1459) of his magnum opus, The Travels of Sir John Mandeville. According to his travelogue, Mandeville journeyed from his native England to visit the Middle East, India, Indochina, Indonesia, China, Tibet, and Central Asia. His book, which details his globetrotting adventures between 1322 and 1357, was completed ca. 1370 and became immensely popular throughout Europe during the Age of Discovery.

Each year, ACES James Scholars from the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes may choose to participate in an international experience. This may consist of a two-week study tour, a semester or two at an institution in another country, or an internship with an international corporation. This page showcases the experiences and adventures of ACES James Scholars and friends of the Honors Program who have traveled beyond the United States to embrace the global civilization of our collective future.

The following links lead to stories and photos submitted by intrepid ACES adventurers for inclusion on this page. To submit items for consideration, please contact the Honors Secretary, Rob Chappell -- and be sure to check out the section of links to historical travelogues at the bottom of the page.

Finally, before you depart on your own international adventure, be sure to pay a visit to the Cosmopolitan Club on campus. One of the oldest student organizations in existence, the Cosmo Club promotes international understanding and friendship through activities that bring together American and international students for fun and fellowship. Check it out!

Contemporary Travelogues from ACES Adventurers

• ELEANOR HODAK -- ACES James Scholar Alumna (Class of 2005)
  Eleanor Hodak, an enthusiastic contributor to James Scholar publications during her junior and senior years, spent the spring semester of 2004 in New Zealand. Follow the above link to a collection of her writings and photos from this exhilerating phase of her academic career!

• AVENTURA MEXICANA DE MEG -- MEG'S MEXICAN ADVENTURE
  ACES James Scholar Meg Dill studied at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico during spring 2006. Follow the above link to her weblog, where she shares her experiences through edutaining letters and photos. Meg's insights into the culture that she visited and how her encounters with it have changed her are both witty and profound.

• BETHANY SIX AND JESSICA ANDERSON -- Travel with the ACES Global Ambassadors to Argentina!
  In January 2006, James Scholar Media Team members Bethany Six (Class of 2007) and Jessica Anderson (Class of 2008) joined the ACES Global Ambassadors on a fortnight-long study tour to Argentina. Follow this link to read their story and see photo highlights of their adventures!

• MICHELLE BLASCHEK -- Follow Michelle's Adventures During Her Six-Week Stay in Salzburg, Austria
  Michelle spent the last half of May and most of June 2006 in the picturesque city where The Sound of Music was filmed back in 1965. There, she had the opportunity to pursue her interests in the German language and opera performance as part of her international experience. Share Michelle's enthusiasm and excitement as she learns about the people and culture of Austria.

Links To Historical Travelers and Travelogues

"Travelblogs" from the "Pre-Internet Age"

• Apollonius of Tyana (ca. 40-120 CE) -- Greek Philosopher and World Traveler
• Herodotus of Halicarnassus (ca. 485-425 BCE) -- "The Father of Western History"
• Sir John Mandeville (fl. 14th century CE) -- English Knight and Spinner of Tall Tales
• Pausanias  (fl. 2nd century CE) -- Greek Traveler and Geographer
• Augustus Le Plongeon (1825-1908) -- Eccentric Mayanologist of the 19th Century
• Marco Polo (1254-1324) -- Italian Merchant and Ambassador for the Great Khan of China
• Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947) -- Visionary Artist and Explorer of Central Asia

Transnational Organizations

• ACES Global Ambassadors -- "Bringing Worlds Together"
• ACES Global Connect
• Cosmopolitan Club @ the U of I -- "Above All Nations Is Humanity"
• Europa: Gateway to the European Union
• United Nations

Travel Information and Preparation

• CDC: Travelers' Health
• CIA World Factbook
• MapQuest
• U.S. State Department: Bureau of Consular Affairs
• WorldAtlas.com

Please visit this page often, as new stories and photos will be added as they become available. For detailed information about ACES Study Abroad opportunities, please contact:

ACES James Scholar Michelle Blaschek (Class of 2007) is an Animal Science major from Champaign, IL. She is served as the first elected President of the ACES James Scholar Media Team during 2006, and she has been contributing articles and photos to Honors Program publications since her freshman year. (All photos on this page appear courtesy of Michelle.)

Greetings from Austria!

Friday, May 19 @ 5:36 AM

Salzburg, Austria

I thought I'd let you know a little bit about what is going on so far here in Salzburg, Austria for the weblog. We just got our host families about two days ago, and then we were taken on a walking tour around the city, just to get to know where everything essential was like banks and where to get our phone cards. Today is our first day of classes. I'll be taking intermediate German and voice performance. I took my German class already and will be taking voice this afternoon -- I'm really excited!

My host family is super nice -- they are half Italian and half Austrian, so a lot of the food they make is Italian. They have three daughters, a bunny, and two cats, so the house is usually pretty full. :) Anyway, this weekend we will be going to a region called the Salzkammergut, which has many really beautiful lakes and mountains. It is also near many of the sites where The Sound of Music was filmed. I took the official Sound of Music tour a few days ago, and it was so much fun! Everything was filmed in a variety of different places throughout Europe, and they used many different houses for different angles of the Von Trapp home.

Anyway, this has been what is going on so far. I'll have lots of pictures soon!

Michelle

Alpine Adventures

Monday, May 29 @ 4:55 AM

Salzburg, Austria

Time here is going so extremely fast! I can't believe it is already May 29 -- I have a little less then a month left in my program! Well, the Salzkammergut region was beautiful, with so many lakes and churches, I couldn't count them all! I included a picture of me from that area -- it was really just too beautiful to describe!

Michelle poses next to a medieval church in Salzkammergut, Austria. Throughout Europe, many structures built in the Middle Ages are still used by the public. Modern North American edifices are "young" by comparison with their European counterparts!

Classes have been going well; I am really learning a lot of helpful German, which has been helping me to get around the area a lot better. My voice lessons are going extremely well; at the end of the program, I will be singing a concert in Schloss (Castle) Mirabell in front of 400 people! I am really excited and hope I'll do well!

So far, I have visited Mozart's birthplace and where he lived later in life, and I have seen two fantastic operas composed by Mozart. It is by far the best singing I have ever heard.

We have also taken a few day trips around the area, one of the best being when we took a trip to the world's largest ice cave! We had to hike up this huge mountain and then take a very scary cable car ride the rest of the way up! It was really scary but worth the ride -- the caves were beautiful, and the view from the top of the mountain was spectacular.

This week, I will be going to visit one of the main palaces here in Salzburg, and then we are off to Vienna for a few days. After that, we will be taking a short trip to Rome! I can't wait and will update you all more soon!

Ciao from Salzburg --

Michelle

Michelle captured the Salzburg skyline at sunset from the riverfront. The river pictured here is the Salzach. Until the advent of railroads in the 19th century, this river was used for the shipping of salt (hence its name) from salt mines in the Alps to Bavaria (SE Germany).

Vienna: There and Back Again

Monday, June 5 @ 6:12 AM

Salzburg, Austria

Hey Everyone!

I figured out today that I have eighteen days left in Salzburg!!! That seems like so little! In some ways, I am really starting to be ready to go home -- it can be hard to adjust to other people's lifestyles (such as getting used to cold showers because my host family's water doesn't get very warm), and the constant rain and cold have been horrible! They say it's the coldest June in Austria in fifty years: it's had a hard time going above 45 degrees F. But other than these things, I know I will miss it here when I have to leave. It's just too beautiful of a place not to.

This weekend, I went with my school to Vienna. We visited so many different places -- such as Mathausen, a concentration camp that was located on our way to Vienna. It was an experience I think many of us felt we had to have, because no matter how many times you read about this horrible history or have seen it in movies, it is nothing compared to actually seeing it all. It was a very sad experience, but important to have nonetheless.

After that, we made our way to the city of Vienna and got a tour around the whole area. We were taken into St. Stephen's Church, a very Gothic cathedral, which is extremely important to the people of Vienna. No buildings are allowed to be taller then the steeple of this church. Next we visited the tombs of the Hapsburgs, the family that ruled over Vienna for many, many years. One of the Hapsburg princesses married Napoleon, and one of the other Hapsburg princesses was Marie Antoinette, who was forced to marry Louis XVI, the King of France, and was later beheaded. Lastly, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose death started World War I, was also a descendant of the Hapsburg line. We were then able to visit the majestic Schoenbrune Palace ,which was once the home of the Hapsburgs. It was gorgeous and filled with history.

Other highlights of our trip included a visit to the United Nations located in Vienna, and we got to see THE room where many deliberations take place.

Michelle visited the United Nations Office in Vienna, which serves as the Secretary-General's liaison office in Central Europe, hosts international conferences, and oversees the peaceful use of outer space.

We then got to see the house of the musician Haydn, as well as various other musical instruments used in older times. We were also able to go backstage in the Vienna Opera House and see how they are able to put all there productions together.

Michelle went backstage at the Vienna State Opera House. Originally constructed in 1869, the building was destroyed during World War II by Allied bombing. The Opera House was rebuilt after the war and reopened its doors in 1955.

Lastly, on our way home, we were able to visit the Melk Monastery, which looked more like a castle and had the most beautiful church I have ever seen.

Here is a close-up view of the interior of the Melk Abbey Church, which has served the (still-active) Melk community of Benedictine monks since its founding in 1089. The monks turned a castle (donated by Margrave Leopold II) into their abbey, which included a school noted for its library and scriptorium.

Anyway, that was a short recap of what has been going on with me. It's hard not to forget stuff because we do so much! On Thursday we leave for Rome, and I cannot wait! I am so extremely excited to see all the beautiful history it has to offer, and I'll be meeting one of my friends from home there, so we will be able to experience it all together! I can't wait to tell you all about it later!

Michelle

All Roads Lead to Rome

Friday, June 16 @ 5:01 AM

Salzburg, Austria

Hey Everyone --

I thought I should write another entry into my weblog since I won't be here much longer. :( Last weekend, I went to Rome, and it was AMAZING! The only negative part of the whole weekend was getting to Rome. My roommate (Lydia) and I took the train, and it was about fourteen hours one way with layovers. We went overnight, which was good, but we had to sleep in chairs the whole way there because we didn't pay for the sleeper cars. We didn't realize how uncomfortable it would be! It was also quite a struggle figuring out the train system (they're always on time, and they'll leave without you!), plus many signs are poorly marked. But we made it there and back in one piece -- and let me tell you, it was well worth the effort. I would do it again in a second because Rome was completely breathtaking.

Lydia and I decided to go to Rome because there are just so many important things to see and because my roommate and best friend from home was going to be there with her family. It was amazing how much we could see in two-and-a-half short days. We arrived Friday morning and took a bus to Vatican City. There we got a free tour of St. Peter's Basilica, and we toured the huge Vatican Museum, which leads directly into the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo's famous work was amazing and, I think, the most awe-inspiring part of my trip. We were able to go into the tombs of the popes and saw the grave of the apostle St. Peter as well as Pope John Paul II.

The Pieta is one of the most well-known sculptures by the Renaissance master Michelangelo (1475-1564). In addition to being a sculptor, Michelangelo was also a painter (he adorned the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel) and a poet.

The next day, I met my friend and her family outside the Colosseum! It was great to see her and in such an amazing place! We toured the Colosseum and then the Roman Forum. It was amazing to think of all the history that encompasses these walls. After that, we stumbled upon the Treve Fountain, and I tossed a coin over my shoulder, ensuring that I would someday come back to Rome.:)

Michelle and her roommate toured the Colosseum in Rome (a/k/a the Flavian Amphitheater). This massive sports arena was built by the Roman Emperors Vespassian and Titus between 75 and 80 AD and could hold up to 45,000 spectators.

The last day, we saw a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, and then we were able to see the Pope! We heard him speak and saw him from his window while we were surrounded by a massive crowd in St. Peter's Square. Luckily, we had a really great spot and were able to see and hear him perfectly.

Pope Benedict XVI addresses the people gathered below his window in St. Peter's Square. St. Peter's Basilica, which overlooks the square, was constructed between 1506 and 1626 under the direction of several architects, including Raphael and Michelangelo.

It was such a great weekend, and something I thought I could never do by myself. Running from train to train, speaking a language I barely know, and figuring out which streets go where were hard but extremely rewarding. I feel like now I could do almost anything! :)

Ciao for now --

Michelle

The Grand Finale

Monday, July 17 @ 4:41 PM

Champaign, IL

Last time I wrote, I had just gotten back from the beautiful city of Rome. The days after that flew by. My roommate and I decided not to travel anymore and to just enjoy the beauty of Salzburg. The weather had FINALLY gotten nice, and we were able to swim in the little brook that runs past our host family's house. We decided to take advantage of the nice weather and took a cable car up the main mountain in Salzburg -- the Untersberg. The view was amazing, and there was still snow on the very top that I tried to resist throwing at my roommate (Lydia). :) We also decided that we had to ride bikes around our host family's neighborhood, which was so much fun and a definite workout -- it's hard to get used to those hills!

Michelle rides a bicycle through her host family's neighborhood, with the majestic Austrian Alps in the background.

Another big thing I was doing was preparing for my recital. I was so extremely nervous, because out of all of us that were performing, I was the only non-music major. Not only that, but the room I was to sing in was the same room Mozart frequented during his time in Salzburg. It was incredibly important to the people of Salzburg, and so I felt I had to do even better. As the time approached, I practiced more and more, and finally I felt ready. As I was getting dressed for the concert, my Dad called me. He had meetings for work in Munich, and I was going to meet him there later in the week, when it was time for me to leave. I didn't think he was going to make it to Salzburg for the concert, but it turned out he had worked things out and was going to be there! I was really glad that he could come. I later found out that my host family had been in on the surprise the whole time and had tried to keep it from me as long as they could.

The actual concert went great. I was still really nervous the whole time, but it was an experience I couldn't pass up or let myself give up on. Singing has and always will be my passion, and to be able to do something like this has taught me to never give up on the things you truly love.

This photo of Michelle was taken after her operatic performance at Schloss Mirabell in Salzburg, Austria. Encore, encore! :)

After the concert, there were only two days before I was to leave. I packed quickly and left the rest of the time for enjoying the few moments I had left there. On the day that I left and the bus came to pick me up, my whole host family and
roommate (Lydia) were there. They all gave me great big hugs, and I tried my hardest to remember their faces and that moment. They were all so kind to me and really made my experience what it was. It's funny that you go to a country to study abroad because you love that country, but you never realize how much you will end up loving the people as well. They are just as much a part of what I love about Austria as anything else. As we drove away, I looked back at them waving at me and then glanced at the mountains and hillsides I had become so fond of. I realized that I really couldn't be sad. My host mother put it best when she said, "Someday soon you'll be back at my doorstep, and when that time comes, you