As part of the General Education Program, we are proud to offer all first-year students the opportunity to explore in depth academic topics selected by professors representing a variety of disciplines
Acclimating to RIC and Academia
These First-Year Seminars (FYS), limited to twenty students each, are designed to provide an introduction to the academic world and to our community, and to help students advance with confidence as Rhode Island College scholars.
Spring 2026 First-Year Seminars
FYS 100-01: Sweet Success (Stilwell)
T/Th 10-11.50am
So you want to be successful?! Is success being like Taylor Swift or Beyonce, or a parent or family member? This course will explore what success means to you. We will also investigate the big-picture questions: What does it take to be successful and how do we get there? We will take an in-depth look at “successful people”, broadly defined, and investigate what made them successful and how they got there. Finally, we will apply some of this information to set a range of goals and expectations for ourselves.
FYS 100-02: Leadership Study Through the Biography (Kunkel)
M/W 8-9.50am
This course will look at the dimensions of leadership primarily through the study of biographies and biographical portraits. The class will explore qualities of various leaders though online sources, print and media. For final projects, students will conduct research as well as read a biography of their choice and share portraits of their subject based on their original research.
FYS 100-03: Shock Therapy: Drama as Action (Abbotson)
T/Th 8-9.50am
Throughout history, rulers have viewed the communal opportunity offered by theater as a potentially dangerous form of communication and have striven to censor anything perceived as threatening existing mores and sense of order. This course will explore some of the socio-cultural boundaries enforced on and broken by drama from the Greeks to contemporary works, as playwrights have striven in varying ways to provoke attention to a variety of social and cultural inequities and wrongs through staging plays that determinedly engage our attention on a gut level. Such protest drama is by its very nature shocking, but can it go too far, does it still work, and can we create some of our own?
FYS 100-04: Language and Gender (Basile)
M/W 10-11.50am (Online Synchronous)
This course will explore the concept of gender as a social construct, and how men and women use language to reflect cultural expectations of masculinity and femininity. It will analyze a variety of materials that illustrate how we perform our gendered identity through language and provide a critical discussion of theories of this interdisciplinary field of study.
FYS 100-05: Critical Issues in American Education (Kunkel)
M/W 10-11.50am
This seminar provides an overview of critical issues in 21st century public school education policy. Current issues include: vouchers, gender, equity in school finance, reading, integration, affirmative action, critical thinking, multicultural education, national curriculum, values, business, testing, teacher empowerment, mainstreaming, academic freedom, unions, private schooling, and school violence.
FYS 100-06: Exploring Wellness + Building Community at RIC (Pepin)
T/Th 10-11.50am
Wait. You’re telling me eating pizza at midnight and going to bed at 3am are not recommended in college?! We live in an age where health and wellness trends are broadcast daily - but we usually make choices on our own. This seminar is designed to investigate concepts of wellness and the culture of wellness at college. Through course readings, reflection, and class dialogue, students will jointly explore these ideas and co-construct a model of wellness to guide their college experience.
FYS 100-07: Never Again? The Holocaust and Its Legacies (Merritt)
T/Th 10-11.50am
At the end of World War II, the global community was shocked by the mass murder of Jews by the Nazis and declared that they would “never again” allow such a genocide to occur. Through this course we ask whether (and in what ways) “never again” remains relevant for us today. We will explore how political movements can mobilize around bigotries both old and new; how segregation and repression are implemented by governments and experienced by victims; why some people choose to participate in violence against others, stand by and do nothing, or stand up and help victims; and the representation of genocide in TV, movies and literature.
FYS 100-08: Never Again? The Holocaust and Its Legacies (Merritt)
M/Th 12-1.50pm
At the end of World War II, the global community was shocked by the mass murder of Jews by the Nazis and declared that they would “never again” allow such a genocide to occur. Through this course we ask whether (and in what ways) “never again” remains relevant for us today. We will explore how political movements can mobilize around bigotries both old and new; how segregation and repression are implemented by governments and experienced by victims; why some people choose to participate in violence against others, stand by and do nothing, or stand up and help victims; and the representation of genocide in TV, movies and literature.
FYS 100-09: Where Is Everybody? (Gullapalli)
T/Th 4-5.50pm
Are we alone in the universe? The fact that we live in a vast universe with many planets has led to speculations about the possible existence of aliens. There is ongoing exploration of our solar system for indications of life, while others have claimed that alien intervention in human societies has already happened. In this course we tackle the question of alien life in three ways. We will explore the ways that alien life has been imagined; we will analyze and evaluate the evidence for past and current visitations by aliens; and we will become familiar with what current explorations of the solar system and beyond reveal about the possibility of alien life.
FYS 100-10: Coca-Cola, Culture and Globalization (Auger)
M/W 2-3.50pm
This seminar introduces students to the history of Coca Cola and its effect on national, international, and pop culture. Second only to ‘okay” as the most commonly understood word in the world, Coke’s brand has worldwide influence. Through film, Coca Cola’s website, and a textbook we will explore Coke’s responsiveness to changes in society from the patent medicine era to current concerns about the links between soft drinks and obesity.
FYS 100-11: Podcast Perspectives (Hewins)
M/W 2-3.50pm
Podcast Perspectives examines the history, genres, and influence of podcasts, exploring their impact on society and how they at times blend truth and fiction. Student will work together to analyze diverse podcasts, reflect on ethical issues, discuss regulation and generate their own podcasts. Assignments foster critical thinking and creative engagement with this contemporary communication medium.
FYS 100-12: Waste Matters (Little)
T/Th 10-11.50am
In this course, we explore how the topic of waste and discard is linked to broader discussions of economy, ecology, consumption, globalization, toxicity, and sustainability. We explore an array of questions. What is waste? How do people talk about waste and discard? Who handles and manages our waste? How are waste workers perceived in our society? What does it mean to be a “throw away” culture? What are the global flows of waste? Finally, what does it mean to live in a wasted/wasteful world?
FYS 100-13: Global Perspectives on Health (Pfeiffer)
T/Th 2-3.50pm
Human experiences of health, illness, and disease are often taken for granted and assumed to be similar around the globe. However, ideas about and embodied experiences related to health and access to treatment and care, as well as explanations of causes and cures vary radically across geopolitical space and historical time. In this seminar, students will consider “big questions” related to health, illness, and healing in our own communities, countries, and our globalized world.
FYS 100-14: Technological Design and Innovation (McLaughlin)
T/Th 8-9.50am
Technology! We are surrounded by it, but do we understand it? Technology is one of the greatest liberating forces in human history. We are consumers of technology without equal, but we have a certain lack of knowledge about the materials and processes used to make the things we use on a daily basis. During this seminar, we will research historical technological design and innovations that make our lives better. The class activities will require us explore the processes of innovation and invention, designing, prototyping, and building simple products. This course will contribute to our understanding of technology.
FYS 100-15: Origin Stories: Black Superheroes, Identity and the Student Experience (Cummings)
T/Th 12-1.50pm
This First-Year Seminar explores the cultural significance of Black and Afro-Latinx superheroes, tracing their roots to African and diasporic myths while examining their impact on identity, representation, and the student experience. Using the documentary Theft of the Black Gods: The Superheroes as a foundation, students will analyze how comics serve as modern myths and reflect on their own college journeys as “origin stories.” Through weekly pairings of guiding questions, comic excerpts, and academic articles, students will engage in critical reading, writing, discussion, and creative expression. Assignments emphasize reflection, connection to campus resources, and the creation of individual and collective superhero narratives.
FYS 100-16: Building a “Balance of Stories:” Meaning Making from What We Carry (Donaldson)
M/Th 12-1.50pm
Every day we move between people and places in our lives, carrying belongings and stories as we go: our phones full of photos; our fears down deep; our favorite talismans inked in skin. This seminar will explore the “things” we carry and how, where, and why we carry them. It will employ literary and media arts (writing, photography, audio production, and film making) to consider these ideas as they relate to the stories we know, tell, and are told. It will root this inquiry in a larger body of work that spans multiple disciplines (including literature, history, cultural anthropology, visual art, social work, and sociology) while consistently drawing on stories, storytelling, and the central metaphor of what we carry.
FYS 100-18: Latina/o Art and Culture (Quintana Vallejo)
T/Th 4-5.50pm
Who are Latina/os? Are we immigrants? Indigenous? Citizens? Did we cross the border or did the border cross us? Do we speak Spanish, Portuguese, English, Creole, Nahuatl, Quechua? This First Year Seminar will provide answers to such crucial questions by centering the art and cultural production of Latina/os in the United States. To answer, we will analyze plastic art, music, films, and a graphic novel by and for Latina/o artists. Students will leave with a nuanced understanding of who we are and our history.
FYS 100-19: Introduction to Mindfulness (Hesson)
M/Th 12-1.50pm
How are you feeling going into college? Are you excited? Curious? Overwhelmed? Anxious? Too busy to think about how you’re feeling? You’re not alone! Life gets so busy for all of us, and in those moments it can be hard to figure out how to get everything done while maintaining a sense of calm and inner peace. That’s where this class comes in! In this practical course, we will learn about (and try out!) mindfulness practices. We will read and listen to others to learn how they have incorporated mindfulness practices into their own lives. The goal of this course is to develop mindfulness practices that will take you through the journey of everyday life (including your first year of college!) with greater awareness, calm, peace, and joy.
FYS 100-20: Black Cinema (Bery)
T/Th 2-3.50pm
In this course we explore Black films across multiple genres, including narrative fiction, horror, Afrofuturism, comedy, musicals, and documentaries. Black Cinema explores Black life from diverse perspectives. These cinematic representations foreground what is silenced and made invisible by dominant mainstream cinema. Through creativity and imagination Black films create new ways of seeing and knowing. Our weekly screenings, discussions and collaborative work will be guided by interviews with Black filmmakers, critical film reviews, and readings on the Black experience.
FYS 100-21: Bill Nye the Science Guy, Norman Lear, Sesame Street, Elementary Education and Me (Galvez)
T/Th 2-3.50pm
An exploration of how we learn, and what we learn through popular media. Themes associated with early childhood development, health communication, and social justice will be examined.
FYS 100-22: Performance in First Person: This Is Me! (Pennell)
M/W 6-7.50pm
You are a Primary Resource! Your life stories and experiences are unique, interesting and exciting. This class will explore a variety of methods of journaling, personal narrative/memoire writing and storytelling. It will also involve theatre exercises and methods for presentation. No text required.
FYS 100-23: What Our Zip Codes Can Inform Us About Our Health (Mukherjee)
M/W 2-3.50pm
It does not sound fair that where we live will impact how long we live, right? Yet, that is the reality. This course will focus on how health is shaped by our physical environment, including the air we breathe in, the water we drink, the food we eat, the climate/weather patterns, the neighborhood, as well as our social, economic, cultural and political environments. We will discuss what being healthy means, and how health is determined by conditions under which we live from our birth throughout life. We will explore case studies and relate with our experiences. The course will also seek answers to: How can we improve our collective health and be healthy as a population or a community?
FYS 100-24: The Power of Sound (Breene)
M/W 2-3.50pm
How does music convey emotion? Can a song or instrumental piece represent the emotions of its creator or interpreter? Why do we enjoy listening to sad music? How do sensory experiences such as hearing colors and feeling rhythms contribute to musical emotion? Is musical emotion universal or subjective? If you have ever wondered about these questions, this seminar is for you. We will approach the topic from a range of perspectives, including historical, cultural, philosophical, and scientific. Musical selections will encompass Romantic symphonies, jazz and blues, opera, film music, contemporary popular music, and more. No previous musical experience is required.
FYS 100-25: AI: Friend or Foe? (Torres)
T/Th 6-7.50pm
Will generative AI make our lives easier? Does using AI change who we are as people or as a society? Should we worry about the environmental impacts of AI use? This course asks you to engage with AI in two ways. First, it invites you to think about the impact of AI in our lives by understanding the different ways it is currently being used in education, industry and healthcare. Second, the course will ask you to experiment with AI tools to understand first-hand how their use changes how we understand and think about our world and ourselves.
FYS 100-27: Sweet Success (Stilwell)
M/W 4-5.50pm
So you want to be successful?! Is success being like Taylor Swift or Beyonce, or a parent or family member? This course will explore what success means to you. We will also investigate the big-picture questions: What does it take to be successful and how do we get there? We will take an in-depth look at “successful people”, broadly defined, and investigate what made them successful and how they got there. Finally, we will apply some of this information to set a range of goals and expectations for ourselves.
FYS 100-28: Coca-Cola, Culture and Globalization (Auger)
M/W 4-5.50pm
This seminar introduces students to the history of Coca Cola and its effect on national, international, and pop culture. Second only to ‘okay” as the most commonly understood word in the world, Coke’s brand has worldwide influence. Through film, Coca Cola’s website, and a textbook we will explore Coke’s responsiveness to changes in society from the patent medicine era to current concerns about the links between soft drinks and obesity.
FYS 100-30: Conflict Is Normal! (Harrison)
M/W 6-7.50pm
How do we resolve our conflicts? How can conflict management skills help us? This course explores how conflict, though often seen as negative, can be a powerful tool for growth, understanding, and change. Through discussions, debates, and hands-on activities, students will develop communication strategies, critical thinking, and conflict resolution skills applicable to both personal and societal challenges.
