The Research: Self-Selected
Students choose various topics to research inspired by their international conversation partners, class lectures, or personal interest. For example, one student chose to research quality standards in Chinese restaurants after hearing a story from a Chinese conversation partner, and an art major chose to research how food is used in pigment.
In 2019, Wyoming celebrated the 150th anniversary of women's voting rights. That year the class examined the importance of cookbook sales to the Suffrage Movement.
Between 1886 and 1920 cookbooks were published by suffragette associations around the country. Suffrage Cookbooks had not only recipes but also political statements and quotes from notable people of the time and from history. These all helped move the suffrage movement forward.
It's important to remember that it was only a few generations ago that a state constitution had these words:
Idiots, lunatics, paupers, felons and women shall not be entitled to vote. -- Illinois constitutional law circa 1891
Sales of cookbooks not only raised money for the Suffrage Movement, but they also allowed women to network during sales events such as bazaars and fairs.
The Charity: UW's Karma Fund
Each year in this class, students select a charity to support. In 2020, due to the pandemic, students created ornaments for the UW Art Museum's fundraiser ornament auction. In 2021, still with COVID restrictions, students helped create a video for the virtual UW World Languages Day. In 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023, students selected the Karma Fund for their charity. The Karma Fund is a program created by the UW International Student Association in 2011 to help raise money for international students in case of a medical emergency. The funds from Karma help pay for medical expenses and help students return to school.
The Presentation: Pecha Kucha
Students in this class present research in the form of Pecha Kucha Presentations. See a few examples of what a Pecha Kucha is in this video made by students in the 2021 class.
Through the Years
2016: Cookbook Sales
2017: Cookbook Sales
2018: Bake Sale for Karma
2019: Sale of Jarred Cookie Ingredients
2020: Ornaments Benefitting the UW Art Museum
2021: Video to benefit World Languages Day high school students
2022: Cooked Pasta to Benefit the Karma Fund
2023: Fundraiser of Jackfruit Curry with the Gamelan during International Education Week
YSEALI Reciprocal Project: Improving Teaching of Writing and Speaking in Jambi, Indonesia
In fall 2024, when Indonesian teacher and graduate student Suci Utami Armand came to UW for a four-week professional placement with LeaRN through the Young Southeast Asian Leadership Institute (YSEALI) program, Mollie Hand served as both Suci’s homestay host and professional mentor. In January 2025, Mollie will travel to Jambi, Indonesia to conduct workshops. The links below are for students and faculty in those workshops.
Research Argument & Call to Action
Jambi Province and Wyoming State
Jambi Province is on the island of Sumatra, and its area is about 50,058 km2 (19,328 mi2). Within that small area live 3.77 million people. In contrast, Wyoming is 253,348 km2 (97,818 mi2), four times larger, and Wyoming's total population is 587,620. If we just look at the area of Jambi City, which is only 205 km2 (79.3 mi2), the population density becomes even more pronounced.
April Heaney is the Director of LeaRN, and she was a big part of the inspiration for Suci's YSEALI reciprocal project. She introduced Suci to many LeaRN programs, such as Fall Bridge and the Writing Center. The assignments shared are a part of the Fall Bridge curriculum.
UW Writing Center Director Francesca King gives tips for starting a writing center and introduces a training resource from the University of Wyoming, a shared Open Resource document. Another great resource is the Writing Center Policy Handbook.
A collection of Open Educational Resources are available to support training efforts for writing center consultants. This training book can inspire Jambi's training efforts for establishing a Writing Center. It includes practical strategies, reflective prompts and activities, and advice.
Experience how to conduct a Writing Center consultation from a San Jose State University writing center video. It's what the University of Wyoming Writing Center consultants do. Note that the priority is not "fixing" the writing but rather guiding the writer.
"Re-Storying the West for a Transformative Future: We Are Wyoming" is a three-year project (2024-2027) gathering stories of everyday Wyomingites from all around the state. We are proud to share these gifts with you as we celebrate our wonderful friends and neighbors.
Re-Storying the West