WKU News

The Mahurin Honors College (MHC) exists to offer scholars unique opportunities to immerse themselves in education beyond classroom walls. On Oct 22-23, 2022 Scholars in Honors Art History 106 visited famous paintings and sculptures as they explored the art museums in St. Louis. 

Directed by their professor, Guy Jordan, 20 scholars toured The Pulitzer Art Foundation, The Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis Art Museum and the Kemper Museum at Washington University. An array of pieces from Renaissance to Contemporary were on display for scholars to examine and discuss. 

Each scholar was given a sealed envelope at the beginning of the trip citing an art piece. It was their mission to find the art piece, analyze it, and write up a short paragraph about their thoughts. 

“I learned that it is possible to mix different media when creating pieces,” explained Hailey Stapleton (MHC ‘25). “ For example, some modern artists have taken to building sculpture-like paintings that are massive and trick the eye. I really enjoyed the trip because we got to see art from different centuries, different cultures, and different styles. It reaffirmed that there is no one way to create art, and that it is all beautiful.”

As a double major in International Affairs and Visual Art, this experience enabled Hailey to practice examining fine art in preparation for her study abroad in Florence Spring 2023.

Professor Jordan described how vital it is for scholars to experience the art,”Works of art—especially paintings, sculpture, architecture, and other object-based media--are made to be experienced first-hand. No slideshow or PowerPoint presentation in a classroom is a substitute for that physical proximity. I can show my students images of, for instance, stained glass windows in a Gothic Cathedral; but that can't replicate the kinesthetic movement through the space when one is surrounded by beams of colored that pass through the ambient incense and candle-smoke while the soft echo of hushed voices are absorbed into a 110-foot nave. That's not a classroom—that's magic. That's a transformative experience.”

While this trip was certainly informative and immersive, scholars were also able to grow in community and enjoy the beautiful city of St. Louis. With plenty of free time, scholars branched off and enjoyed dinner together. 

Gabriel Jerdon, a freshman in the MHC majoring in Civil Engineering, said, “The MHC does a good job giving scholars unique experiences. I can’t think of any other class or program that would send its students 5 hours away to check out museums of things we’re learning in class.”

Professor Jordan added, “Opportunities like this offer honors students not only an immersive experience related to their coursework, but an opportunity to get to know one another and also the faculty who teach their courses. A big feature of the MHC experience is building networks of friends and colleagues that support one another both during their time here at WKU as well as after graduation. Trips like these allow that networking to happen.”

Scholars are encouraged to seek similar opportunities and propose other ideas to expand their education through MHC experiences!