Congratulations to Concordia Fellows students (a group of whom are shown here on a trip to Washington, D.C. in 2019), whose thought-provoking essays have been published at the Pop Culture and Theology blog. The blog published writing from Katherine Suss, Irene Pirn, Ava Perez, Morganne Cartee, Rebecca Garloch, Stephanie Taylor, Alesha Attry and Emma Chapman.
The essays were written for Dr. Joshua Hollmann's honors seminar "The Movies and Meanings of Wes Anderson." According to Dr. Hollmann, “Over the course of the seminar, we recognized adulting and the search for authenticity as recurring themes in Wes Anderson’s work. Søren Kierkegaard’s Stages on Life’s Way speaks of three spheres of human existence: the aesthetical, the ethical, and the religious, or how to live a life of significance. Chapter three of the book of Ecclesiastes in the Hebrew Bible meditates on the seasons of life and finding happiness and enjoyment in the times of every matter under heaven. What Ecclesiastes perceives as seasons, Kierkegaard identifies as three modes of existing, or what we might term today, adulting and the search for meaning and personal authenticity in all aspects of life.” Dr. Hollmann is working on his next book, Theology and Wes Anderson, for the Theology and Pop Culture series from Rowman & Littlefield's Lexington Books/Fortress Academic publishers.
As academic leaders, Fellows enjoy a visible role on campus. They take on leadership opportunities, attend campus events, and interact with faculty, administration and distinguished guests. They take at least four exclusive honors seminars, and write for the Prelude, the Fellows journal. Fellows have access to experiential learning, taking full advantage of the vibrant culture and diversity that New York City has to offer. Concordia Fellows are expected to use their talents in service, volunteering on campus and in the surrounding communities. Fellows take a heavier course load than other students (at least 18 credits per semester), while maintaining at least a 3.5 GPA. Many use their free overload credits to take 21 credits each semester, and as a result graduate early.