Taken your first semester on campus, Simpson Colloquium is designed to immerse you in the college's academic culture of engaged citizenship and introduce you to others new to campus.
Grow personally and intellectually as you transition into the collegiate environment
Your Simpson Colloquium will familiarize you with the tradition of a liberal arts education through focused study of important issues, and give you a solid foundation for future academic success by focusing on essential skills like writing and critical thinking.
First-year students: SC 101
The Simpson Colloquium (SC 1010) is a four-credit, full semester course limited to 18 students each. The professor will be your academic advisor for most of your first year of college. Exemplary current students also serve as your peer mentor SC leader and as your writing tutor. Together, they'll help you transition to college life and expectations.
You'll meet students in your SC 101, your SC leader and your professor at summer registration in April or June, when they'll also help you register for your other fall classes. For more information contact Simpson Colloquium Director, Mark Gammon, at 515-961-1685 or via email.
There are Simpson Colloquium topics for nearly every area of interest and academic pursuit. Check out the individual course descriptions below and meet the instructor and SC Leader of each.
Why do some Americans hold false beliefs about politics and policy issues, and why are those beliefs hard to change? In this class, we will learn how psychological factors and the nature of today's media make us vulnerable to misinformation or "fake news." We will see how voters are misled by political rhetoric, TV advertising, and viral news on social media. You will then play the role of an investigative journalist by fact checking (and debunking) fake news in real time in the 2020 Iowa Caucus campaign.
Meet your instructor
Kedron Bardwell
Professor of Political Science, Department Chair of Political Science, Division Head of Social Science
Kedron Bardwell serves as a professor, mentor, and internship supervisor, working closely with students to achieve their professional goals. He also represents Simpson College in the Simpson/RABA Research poll and remains active in political science by conducting surveys and assessing political attitudes.
His political commentary has been cited in national news outlets like the New York Times, CNN.com, USA Today, The New Yorker, and NPR.
Meet Your SC Leader
Noah Trujillo
Hello! My name is Noah Trujillo and I am a first-year student at Simpson College. I have many interests and am involved in plenty of organizations at Simpson including SGA (Student Government Association), Culver Fellowship, Active Minds, Speech and Debate and Greek Life. I am a First-Year class senator and co-chair of political events for the Culver Fellowship I also serve as the Risk Manager for Lambda Chi Alpha, one of the fraternities here. I graduated from Arapahoe High School in Littleton, Colorado last year. While there, I was involved in theater and student journalism. I like to think of myself as a jack-of-all-trades as I have experience doing a variety of different activities. Right now, I am hoping to double major in political science and history. In my free time, I like to keep up with current events and politics, read, and spend time with my brothers at Lambda Chi Alpha. You can see me around campus either at the library or in Kent, or see me riding my scooter around campus trying to get to class. People have told me that I have an excellent sense of humor and a kind, warming presence. I try to be the best person that I can be which means treating others in the best way that I can. I always make an effort to make people’s days brighter and be involved both on and off campus.
Both technology and society are changing rapidly. New technologies drive changes to society, but society can also influence the direction of technological change. This course will explore the future of technology, particularly what is possible over the next 20 to 30 years, and how it may change society as we know it. Just as important, we will discuss how individuals and groups can (and should) influence the evolution of these technologies. Just a few of the topics we will cover include future directions in space exploration, the creation of intelligent agents and robots and how we will interact with them, and how new genetic research will change the human life span.
Meet your instructor
Carolyn Brodie
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Carolyn Brodie joined the Department of Computer Science as an Assistant Professor in the fall of 2018. Before this she was an adjunct professor in the Computer Science department at Simpson for seven years. She received her B.S. degree from Iowa State University in Computer Engineering and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She worked for IBM both as a Research Staff Member at the IBM Watson Research Center in New York and as a software developer and software development manager in IBM’s Federal Systems Division in Maryland. Her research interests are in the area of Human Computer Interaction. In particular she is interested in how to leverage emerging technologies to design systems that solve real user problems in real-world domains.
Meet Your SC Leader
Blake Kakacek
Hey there! I'm Blake Kakacek and I will be a junior for the 2019-2020 school year. I'm majoring in Computer Informational Systems (CIS) and Biology with a Computer Science minor. My dream job is to manage a database for a marine biology institute! Here at Simpson I am involved in eSports, Rotaract, Climbing Club, Alpha Lambda Delta, and this is my first year being an SC Leader.
Here's what you need to know about me! I have a passion for helping others, and I love getting to know people, my favorite foods are cheesecake, chicken wings, and ravioli. My favorite show is Game of Thrones! My favorite movies are Road to Perdition and Baby Driver. I'm a really excited for next year, and I can’t wait to get to know you all! This first year will be a big change, but it is my job to help you transition into college and lead you to the right resources in order to make your first year successful. I am really excited for this course, and it will cover some stellar topics.
I can't wait to meet you all! If you have any questions feel free to email me at blake.kakacek@my.simpson.edu
A survey of recent popular culture reveals that we are in a dystopian fervor. Our political situation seemingly reflects this as well, with both the LEft and Right lamenting our current situation. This class asks: Well, how did we get here? What have we lost by emphasizing dysfunction? Where does utopian thinking lead us? Utopian thinking was one of the fundamental elements of the Enlightenment project. Works by Thomas More and Francis Bacon helped to establish its parameters. Later, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Edward Bellamy outlined many of the projects that reformers would pursue in the 20th century. However, with the wartime horrors of that century, and American liberalism's need to distinguish itself from other imperial projects during the Cold War, utopian thinking largely fell out of favor. This class seeks to revisit the history of utopian thought, rediscovering and considering afresh its potential and its pitfalls. From religious precedents to more recent countercultural visions, we will explore both the ideas of utopian thinking and the forms in which it emerged in words, images, and communities. Along the way, we'll revisit our own values and ethical frameworks and consider how utopian thinking might help us negotiate a world of competing interests and values.
Meet your instructor
J.J. Butts
Associate Professor of English
I enjoy teaching a wide variety of courses in American literature, culture, and film, while specializing in modern, contemporary, and multiethnic literature. Prior to joining the English faculty at Simpson in 2011, I worked at Wartburg College, Syracuse University, American University, and several schools in New York City, including Hunter College and the Fashion Institute of Technology. I have published articles on depictions of public housing in New Deal guidebooks and on urban collective novels, and an essay on African American documentary texts in the 1940s was just published in African American Review. My current book project, Building in the Valley of Ashes: Community and Development in New Deal Era Urban Literature, highlights the promotion of narratives of community, modernity, and development in New Deal documentary texts and literary responses by African American and Jewish writers from the 1930s to the 1950s. I am one of the founding organizers of MUCH: The Midwest Undergraduate Conference in the Humanities and also serve as the book review editor for The Space Between: Literature and Culture, 1914-45, a journal of interdisciplinary scholarship focusing on the period between the World Wars.
Outside my teaching and scholarly activities, I enjoy spending time with my family; pursuing outdoor activities including hiking, biking, and climbing; exploring Iowa’s cultural, culinary, and musical resources; and playing various stringed instruments (primarily the banjo).
Meet Your SC Leader
Morgan King
Hello friends! My name is Morgan King and I will be your SC leader for this semester! I will be a senior for the 2019-2020 school year and I cannot wait to help you on your journey here at Simpson. I grew up in Des Moines, Iowa and I attended Lincoln high school. I played softball, was senior class president, a member of the theatre department, was in show choir and I also was a part of the National Council on Youth leadership.
At Simpson, I am a Theatre Arts major and a Secondary Education minor. I am hoping to teach both English and Theatre in and around the Des Moines area. Along with my studies, I am a member of Simpsons Theatre department, TRIO Student Support Services, Tri Delta, Alpha Psi Omega (the honorary theatre fraternity), and Agents of change. When I am not doing homework or helping out with these activities I enjoy watching movies and LOVE eating meals at Applebee’s.
I am honored to be your SC leader and I cannot wait to help you in your transition into college. Aside from all the fun information about me, I also truly value education. College can be challenging but I am here as a resource. I have background on running study sessions for college students, I have done test-taking workshops along with paper editing workshops and I am always willing to help others out. If you have any questions as you gear up to head to college PLEASE feel free to email me at Morgan.King@my.simpson.edu
I look forward to meeting you!
The United States places a high importance on the pursuit of happiness, yet in study after study, many other countries outrank the U.S. on measures of happiness. In this course, we will examine global happiness from ten different cultural perspectives, ranging from “happiness is failure” in Iceland to “happiness is not thinking” in Thailand to “happiness is home” in the U.S. Through readings, films, and activities, we will discover the wide variety of routes to happiness. Do you think you know what will make you happy? You might be surprised!
Meet your instructor
Tricia Calkins
Professor of German
Patricia Calkins has taught at Simpson College since 1997. She has taken students on semesters abroad eight times and on numerous May Term experiences. Helping students to respectfully interact with new cultures and people is one of her passions. She works towards the inclusion of all people into the Simpson community and is particularly interested in serving those who are culturally and linguistically different from the majority culture of Iowa. She is spearheading the development of an English as a Second Language program at the college as part of these efforts.
Meet Your SC Leader
Olivia Sullivan
HELLO, ALL! My name is Olivia Sullivan, and I am the SC Leader for Patricia Calkins’ SC class, “Pursuits of Happiness”! I will be a senior in the 2019-2020 school year.
For some personal facts and information: My favorite color is purple! It reminds me of lilacs, my favorite flower (and favorite scent!). I love cats and dogs equally! I am a resident of Indianola, Iowa, and I love the town with my whole heart! Its intimate size and rustic hospitality always make me feel cozy. I went to high school here and had a lot of fun participating in theater and music. I’m particularly a fan of choral music, and had fun taking part in the Iowa All-State Choir for my junior and senior years.
At Simpson, I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in German! I adore my classes, and I hope to pursue graduate school and conversational therapy when I graduate. I still love music, and I have great fun participating in the Simpson College Choir! Knowing that I can still balance my love of music with my love of my studies is something I adore about the Simpson experience! On top of music, I love to visit sporting events and cheer on Simpson’s teams (go, volleyball, go!!), so if you see me in the bleachers, don’t be a stranger! I also enjoy art and working with groups on campus to make designs and logos for student organizations like CAB and the SAA.
If you’d like to reach out to me with any questions, comments, or fun facts (dolphins sleep with one eye open!), my school email is olivia.sullivan@my.simpson.edu! You can also reach me at 515-868-7321 for when you just don’t feel like coming up with a “subject” title.
I’m sure we’ll all have a blast in the 2019 school year!
Go Storm!
You will use critical thinking skills to learn about the U.S. policies that removed American Indians, forcing them to walk from Tennessee to Oklahoma - "Indian Country," causing 1/4 of the tribe to die along the way. Through a social justice lens, we will study the factors that led up to the Indian removal. We will travel by van over an extended fall break to the original home of the Cherokees in Tennessee and across the Trail of Tears to the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. Only the most adventurous students should select this course. There is a fee of $500 for travel & food costs for the trip (you may apply for student financial aid).
Meet your instructor
Carolyn Dallinger
Professor of Criminal Justice and Social Work, Chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
Prior to coming back to teach at her alma mater, Simpson College, Carolyn served as a social worker serving disabled children and abused women and children; as an Executive Director of a domestic violence agency; as a supervisor of Human Rights Investigators; and as a Human Rights Attorney. Carolyn thrives in bringing these various experiences into the classroom to benefit her students.
Meet Your SC Leader
Alex Millan
Hey! My name is Alex Millan and I am from Des Moines, Iowa. I will be the SC leader for Professor Dallinger’s Simpson Colloquium class. I will be a senior in the 2019-2020 school year majoring in Neuroscience with minors in Spanish and Sociology. I plan on going to medical school sometime after graduating from Simpson.
A few things about myself: I grew up speaking Spanish as my first language (My parents are both from Mexico). I am a huge animal lover with one dog and four cats. I love to try new foods, but Mexican food will always be my true love. I am also part of Sigma Lambda Gamma, a Latina-based multicultural sorority here on campus. I’ve also been to five countries, three of those countries were because of Simpson’s study abroad program! Outside of Simpson, I am either working at a rehab center in Des Moines or binge-watching documentaries on Netflix.
Your first year of college is full of many new experiences, it can be overwhelming, but I am here to help you out! I can’t wait to meet you all.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at alex.millan@my.simpson.edu
The path has been a popular metaphor for life. It is full of twists and turns, choices and roads not taken. Often the journey takes you someplace you did not seek and it challenges you to grow in ways you did not anticipate. This course will explore the metaphor of the path in various cultures through the study of literature, art and film. We will think critically about cultural perspectives and values throughout our studies and seek to trace our own life's path and the possibilities that lay before us. What better time to think about your path than when you begin the new adventure at Simpson College? Hopefully your eyes will open to all the possibilities that lie ahead and allow you to make informed decisions about your journey.
Meet your instructor
Tracy Dinesen
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Department Chair of World Language & Culture Studies, Professor of Spanish
Tracy Dinesen serves as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs aiding all students at Simpson College to persist to graduation by coordinating retention and student success efforts across the college. She is a mentor, teacher, and advisor that enjoys working closely with students from all backgrounds and identities. Dr. Dinesen assists students in learning more about their personal strengths and working purposefully to achieve their goals. She is passionate about Spain and Spanish culture and she incorporates projects, creative ideas and rich cultural interactions into her classes.
Meet Your SC Leader
Blu Ossian
Hello Everyone! My name is Blu Ossian and in 2019-2020, I will be a sophomore. Here are a few things about me: I am from Shenandoah, Iowa, which is in the southwest corner of Iowa. I was a four-sport athlete and played club volleyball in the off-season. I participated in other school organizations outside of sports, as well. My hobbies include reading, cooking, watching movies, and listening to classic rock music.
Here at Simpson, I am majoring in French. I work at the IT helpdesk so if you’re having a technology problem I know where to go. I am the publicist for the Computer Science Club and a member of the Student Alumni Association and On the House Improv Group. I also have the privilege of being your SC Leader for “The Path” with Tracy Dinesen Your first year of college will be hard, but it will also be one of the most exciting parts of your life and I hope to help you as much as you can along this next step in your educational journey. This will be my first year as an SC leader and I am so excited to meet you all and guide you on your journey!
If you’d like to discuss with me any questions please feel to reach me by email at blu.ossian@my.simpson.edu or on Snapchat at bossian2. I can’t wait to meet you all!
If everyone is a few paychecks away from being homeless, then how do some people dig out of debt and others don't? What is social privilege, and what role does it play in the cycle of poverty? Why do some people almost inherently know how to access social welfare resources (food stamps, debt repayment options, housing help, etc.) and others don't? Students in this class will examine issues related to poverty, privilege, homelessness, and drug use. Activities will include a visit to a homeless shelter, a project dealing with personal finances, and engagement with several guest speakers who work directly with those in need.
Meet your instructor
Amy Doling
Professor of Biology and Department Chair of the Department of Biology and Environmental Science
Amy Doling moved to Indianola in 2002 after completing graduate school, and she teaches microbiology, immunology, principles of biology, and biochemistry seminar. She also teaches a May Term class entitled The Political and Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and works very closely with Iowans living with HIV. Dr. Doling shares her home with two slobbery and naughty basset hounds named Miles and Baxter and always has a visiting dog or three.
Meet Your SC Leader
Brooke Fonley
Hello! My name is Brooke Fonley and I will be a sophomore in the 2019-2020 school year. I am from Algona, Iowa, and I attended Algona High school. While in high school, I was involved in volleyball, basketball, track, softball, band, and choir. I was also involved in speech, National Honor Society, Student Senate, and I tutored at my high school. In my free time I like to work out, watch shows on Netflix (particularly NCIS), hangout with friends, and eat good food. I also really enjoy traveling to different places. While at Simpson, I am majoring in biology with a minor in secondary education. I would like to someday teach high school biology and coach different sports. At Simpson, I am involved softball and I am a Wesley Service Scholar. Through this program I do a lot of volunteering at the Indianola Middle School with The Zone, which is an after school program.
Course participants will learn the basics of financial literacy and develop vital financial management skills. The goal is for all class members to be able to think critically about their own consumption decisions and the trade-offs of spending versus saving or investing. In short: All the things you wish you’d been taught about money, and the things you actually need to know!
More broadly, we will examine how money is treated in popular culture, including movies and music. In addition, we will study some of the strategies, appeals, and execution tactics that advertisers use to influence the decision process when consumers compare insurance, credit cards, and other financial products and services.
Topics covered will include some or all of the following: setting up a budget; student loan debt; leasing versus buying a car; credit cards; signing rental agreements for apartments; home mortgages; buying life insurance; investing in the stock market; credit scores; and 401K and IRA retirement plans.
Meet your instructor
Mark Green
Professor of Management
Dr. Green is Professor of Management. He teaches courses in management, marketing, advertising, international marketing, and entrepreneurship and innovation. He has also been a Visiting Professor at the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business where he has taught undergraduate and MBA sections of International Marketing. During the 2011-2012 academic year, Dr. Green taught international marketing for the Consortium of Universities for International Studies (CUIS) in Paderno del Grappa, Italy. He directed Simpson's Semester in London program in 1997 and again in 2017.
Meet Your SC Leader
Olivia Lowry
Hello! My name is Olivia Lowry and I will be the SC Leader for Professor Green’s SC class, Money- It’s a Gas!
I will be a senior in the 2019-2020 school year and I’m from Indianola, Iowa! I never thought I’d go to college in the town that I live in, but here I am! I haven’t lived in Indianola for my whole life though, I moved from Plainfield, Illinois when I was in fourth grade. When I’m not busy with school, I enjoy spending my time by being with friends and family, traveling, being active, and of course, watching Netflix! My favorite show at the moment is Dexter. Before Simpson, I attended DMACC for two years and got an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts. At Simpson, I am majoring in Business Management with minors in Human Resources and Marketing. On campus, I’m involved in Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) and Simpson’s service club, Rotaract.
Beginning college is an exciting experience but it can also be very nerve-racking. My job of being an SC Leader is to be a resource to you and help guide you through the start of your new journey! I’m very excited to meet you all and can’t wait to see what Simpson has in store for you! Feel free to reach out to me through email, olivia.lowry@my.simpson.edu, or by adding me on Facebook!
Have you ever taken a forest bath? When was the last time you unplugged and went on a walk in the woods? Did you know hugging a tree might lower your blood pressure and improve your mood? Current neuroscience research is taking us back, far back in time and suggesting a multitude of physiological benefits to immersion in nature. Following the work of Dr. Eva Selhub and Dr. Alan Logan, in this course, Your Brain on Nature will look at the effects that both nature and technology have on the brain's functioning and one's overall well-being. Your Brain on Nature offers an antidote to technology addiction through scientifically proven, nature-based methods for reducing stress, improving cognitive powers, and boosting the efficiency of exercise. And,we'll go on hikes!
Meet your instructor
Marcy Hahn
Director of Graduate Teacher Education Programs, Assistant Professor of Teacher Education
Meet Your SC Leader
Josh Breitbarth
I was born and raised on a little island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in place called Hilo, Hawaii. I have been around water my entire life obviously, spending time in the ocean and body boarding, then in rivers jumping off waterfalls. Along with those very unique activities I also was involved in baseball, track, basketball and cross-country my entire life. I was in class council all 4 years of high school, with being the vice president my junior and senior year. Besides all of those school activities and sports, I enjoy watching Hawaii 5-0, Chicago Fire, and all types of sports on TV. Here at Simpson, I am majoring in Sports Administration and Physical Education, while being a member of the baseball team, as well. I also have interned at Indianola High School and other high schools around the area in their athletic departments. My goal in life is to become a high school P.E. teacher with the ultimate goal being an Athletic Director at a high school, with dreams of going back to my high school to become that.
Several years ago, Los Angeles Times journalist Charles McNulty wrote, “Eco-consciousness is on the rise in the arts, from mainstream films [to] popular music.” Just as art and life cannot be separated, neither can people from place. In this course, we will explore how culture, nature, and the arts are all connected. We will take on topics from animal rights and pollution to the appreciation of natural beauty and our fears of environmental apocalypse. Some pieces we might respond to include plays such as The Kentucky Cycle by Robert Schenkkan, short fiction from James Morrow, and popular films like James Cameron’s Avatar and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds.
Meet your instructor
Mimi Kammer
Assistant Professor of Theatre, Women’s and Gender Studies Faculty, Research and Creativity Symposium Co-Chair
Mimi Kammer arrived at Simpson College in the fall of 2013. She teaches literature, history, and directing classes, and directs one production each year. Plays directed for Simpson College include The Women of Lockerbie, Marisol, Pericles, Playhouse Creatures, and The Bald Soprano. She also teaches in the Women’s and Gender Studies program and frequently assist students with their writing and research projects for the annual Research and Creativity Symposium, which she co-chairs. Actively involved in theatre and dance since the age of three, Mimi has taught and performed in America and abroad in Italy, Germany, and St.Kitts/Nevis. She has also presented research in national and international conferences in the U.S., Denmark, South Africa and Canada. A former actor, her favorite roles include Agnes in Agnes of God, Phebe in As You Like It, Cordelia in King Lear, and Portia in Merchant of Venice. She is originally from eastern Pennsylvania and currently resides in West Des Moines.
Meet Your SC Leader
Elise Sturgeon
Hey you all! I’m Elise Sturgeon and I will be a sophomore in the 2019-2020 school year. I’m majoring in Political Science and minoring in Spanish with a certification in the Honors Program. I hope to one day be a politician, work on the campaign trail, and attend law school. Here at Simpson, I am a Culver Fellow, a member of the speech and debate team, and a theatre student.
Here’s just a little bit about me! I am really passionate about my academics and activities. Once I commit to something, I will give it my all. I love to help others develop the tools that they need to help achieve their best. My favorite shows are Criminal Minds and Friends. I love to listen to any kind of musicals, but my favorite show would have to be The Last Five Years. I love new experiences, so I’m excited to get to know about you all!
My first year at Simpson has been incredible, but it hasn’t been without its struggles. As the SC leader for the honors course I want to help acclimate such talented high school students to the rigor of the honors curriculum. I’m also here to be your guide when you’re unsure of anything. From academics to home sickness we’ll get through it all together. I’ll be there to help you find your place on campus, because I believe that we all deserve to feel at home here. Mimi is an excellent professor and I am so excited to work with her for this class!
I can’t wait to get to know you all! If you have any questions, feel free to email me at elise.sturgeon@my.simpson.edu
Is it better to stick to your first impulse than go back and change multiple choice test answers? Does memory work like a video camera? Do we use only 10% of our brains? Do people really repress traumatic memories that can be recovered later? In this course, we will discuss what scientific research has to say in answer to questions such as these. You will discover that many people believe things that just aren’t true, and you’ll learn how to critically evaluate evidence to determine what the truth is. In addition, you will have the opportunity to apply the research on learning and memory to your own lives, and you will thus be able to discover which study strategies are most effective for you.
Meet your instructor
Sal Meyers
Director of Faculty Development, Professor of Psychology
I became a professor because I love learning and I love creating meaningful learning opportunities for others. As a professor of psychology I help students learn to think like social psychologists. Social psychology is the use of scientific theories and research methods to understand and explain how people’s thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and interpretations of their social worlds are influenced by characteristics of social situations and by other people. People influence us intentionally and unintentionally, even when they are not actually with us, and even when we are not consciously aware of being influenced. I also help students learn how to generate their own questions, systematically gather data to answer those questions, use statistical tools to analyze their results, and share the answers they’ve uncovered with others – that is, I teach statistics and research methods.
Over the years, I have taken many students to the Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA) conference in Chicago to present the results of their own research. MPA accepts proposals from 80-85% of the undergraduates who submit proposals. So far, 100% of the Simpson students who have applied have been accepted. Three times in the last six or seven years Simpson students have even won the Psi Chi Regional Research Award.
When I’m not focused on teaching and learning, I enjoy relaxing with my pets. I have 5 cats and 2 hamsters. The hamsters, each in his or her own aquarium, serve as entertainment for the cats – kitty TV.
Meet Your SC Leader
Emily Bell
My name is Emily Bell and I will be the SC Leader for Professor Sal Meyer’s Myths of Learning and Memory class. I will be a junior this next 2019-2020 school year.
I am from Aurora, Colorado which is about ten hours from Indianola. I went to Cherokee Trail High School and graduated with a class of seven-hundred students. I played softball for my high school, as well as competitively. I have a family of four. My mom, Kelle, dad, Steve, younger sister, Kelsey, who is sixteen, and I have two Shih Tzu’s, Charlie and Bailey. I love hanging with friends, playing/watching sports, being with my family, and going outdoors.
I am majoring in Business Management and minoring in Psychology and Health Services Leadership. My hopes are to go to law school and either pursue a career in criminal law or healthcare law. I am pretty involved on campus and love the connections and memories this brings me. I play softball here at Simpson, I am a student ambassador, a Culver Fellow, and I am vice president of Pre-Law Society. The first year of college for sure has its ups and downs but, it definitely is a blast. I am here to help guide you through this life transition! My goal is to help you feel at home here at Simpson and start your college journey off right! I want you all to be able to find your place and get involved in what makes you happy. I can’t wait to meet you all and get to know you throughout the semester. We are going to have a great year! Let’s make it memorable!
If you’d like to reach out to me with any questions you can contact me through my school email at emily.bell@my.simpson.edu. Feel free to add me as a friend on Facebook and you can message me there as well! I am looking forward to meeting you all at SOAR!
Roll Storm!
Baseball originated before the American Civil War and long dominated US sports. Though today its popularity is waning, the sport still has a global reach and plays an important part in the landscape of American sports. The course will address a number of topics pertaining to baseball, including:
• The history of baseball.
• The barriers that affected African Americans in baseball during the post-Civil War era and the effect of Jackie Robinson and Curt Flood on the game and society.
• The impact of women in executive roles in professional baseball and those who have played the game, such as the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
• Fundamentals and strategies for playing the game.
• The importance of statistics in baseball. This involves learning how to calculate traditional statistics (e.g., batting average and earned run average) and baseball’s new statistics (e.g., weighted on-base average and fielding independent pitching).
• Creating and managing fantasy baseball teams and leagues.
Students will have the opportunity to speak with baseball players, coaches, and analysts. Students will also attend an Iowa Cubs baseball game.
Meet your instructor
Jon Nachtigal
Assistant Professor of Sport Science & Health Education
Jon Nachtigal is an assistant professor of Sport Administration. He received his Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico in Sport Administration, his MBA from Colorado Technical University and his B.A. in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His research interests encompass several facets of sport administration, including analytics in sports, the effect of handedness in sports and risk management issues in sport.
Prior to joining the faculty at Simpson, Jon was an assistant women's softball coach at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges and taught sport administration at the University of New Mexico.
Meet Your SC Leader
Logan Jensen
Hello everyone! I am Logan Jensen and I will be a junior in the 2019-2020 school year. I am majoring in Sports Administration with a minor in Management Information Systems. After graduation, I hope to find work in the accounting field and eventually work my way into a sports team’s finance department! Here at Simpson, I am involved with intramurals and attend many CAB events, as well as working as an intern for the softball team and working in the Financial Aid department on campus. Aside from school, I enjoy binge-watching all of the great Netflix series like Greys Anatomy and The Office and spending time with my friends and family!
I am excited to be the SC Leader for Jon Nachtigal’s Baseball: The National Pastime? class and to get to know all of you! Your first year is fun and exciting, but it can also be challenging. My job will be to help you adjust to the college life and find your home on campus, as well as being a student-resource for anything you may need!
I can’t wait to help you make this thrilling transition! If you have any questions, feel free to email me at logan.jensen@my.simpson.edu!
Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other (John F. Kennedy). What is leadership? What leadership opportunities are available for me? How can I develop my leadership skills? In this course we will investigate these questions, and critically examine theoretical and popular approaches to leadership. We will also explore issues of power, gender, culture, and ethics in leadership. Course materials will have great range from theoretical perspectives to what we can learn from Santa Claus about leadership. Readings, experiential exercises and self-reflection will aid students in understanding and articulating their personal values, practical definition, and philosophy of leadership. Students will apply their refined leadership skills in leading themselves, others, and their communities.
Meet your instructor
Barb Ramos
Professor of Education, Chair of the Teacher Education Department
Barb Ramos brings her experiences as an elementary teacher and elementary counselor to her work with students. She believes that teaching and learning should be a fun, collaborative, and engaging experience.
Meet Your SC Leader
Beth Stolte
Hey there! I'm Beth Stolte and I will be a junior for the 2019-2020 school year. I'm majoring in K-12 Health & Physical Education with a coaching minor. My dream job is to teach elementary PE and work with the athletic department! Here at Simpson I am involved in my sorority, Delta Delta Delta. I'm a two-time SC leader, I am the Undergraduate Assistant for Athletics, and I'm also involved in intramurals, CAB, and serve as a mentor for the education department.
Here's what you need to know about me! I have a passion for helping others and am a people person, my favorite foods are pretzels, chicken wings, and avocado. My favorite show is the best thing brought to TV - Friends! My favorite movie is Bridesmaids or The Sandlot. I'm a really open person and I love getting to know others - so I'm pumped to get to know you all!
Your first year is so fun, but also can be a challenge. My job as your SC leader is to help you navigate what it's like to be a college student, help you find your home on campus, and be a resource for anything you need. Barb is an awesome teacher and I am so excited to be paired with her for this course!
I can't wait to meet you all! If you have any questions feel free to email me at beth.stolte@my.simpson.edu
Go Storm!!
What would happen to the Earth if the Sun suddenly switched off? How high can a human throw something? How many unique English tweets are possible? Using the book “What If?” (by Randall Munroe, the creator of the webcomic xkcd) as a jumping off point, we’ll use some completely ridiculous but very amusing questions to explore what makes a ‘good’ question, how to find useful information to answer those questions, and how we can use mathematical tools to answer questions on all kinds of interesting topics.
Meet your instructor
Katherine Vance
Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Katherine Vance teaches a broad range of mathematics courses, from College Algebra and calculus to senior-level courses for math majors. She also supervises undergraduate research and serves as an academic advisor. She remains active in knot theory research and is actively involved in the Iowa Section of the Mathematical Association of America.
Meet Your SC Leader
Peter Walkwitz
Hi my name is Peter Walkwitz and I will be the SC leader for Great Answers to Bad Questions taught by Prof. Vance. I will be a sophomore during the 2019-2020 academic school year.
Getting to know me:
I have lived in Des Moines, Iowa for the majority of my life and briefly before that I lived in Oklahoma, and before that overseas in a few different countries. I love playing sports, I continually played soccer, and tennis from elementary through high school and loved it. I have also played many other sports for a year or two, just so I could understand the basics when I played different pick-up games with my friends. I also was a totally geek who loved to read and would either spend my free time reading or playing video games with my friends. My favorite types of books are Fantasy-Romance, and Literary RPGs.
Here at Simpson:
Currently I am majoring in Mathematics and Computer Science, with a minor in Religion. This could very well change before I graduate as I’m currently finding quite a lot of things that interest me. After college, I’m hoping to get a job that will not be too stressful, but that I can also enjoy at least a little bit. This could be anything, although right now I’m thinking that programming of any kind seems like it would be fun. Beside my studies here at Simpson, I am also on the Tennis team, part of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, Vice-President for Math Club, part of Computer Science Club, and a Wesley Service Scholar. I found my first semester at college to be a very exciting time and I learned a lot more about myself during it. I hope that I will be able to make your first semester at college as exciting and self-discovering as mine was!
If you ever have any questions, or just want to know what's going on around campus feel free to email me at peter.walkwitz@my.simpson.edu. I generally respond pretty fast to my email, however, if you really need to get a hold of someone and I haven't responded you can call me at 515-639-7694
Go Storm!
Financial literacy is essential in meeting the financial challenges of the 21st Century. This course is designed to empower students with knowledge and enable them to analyze their personal financial decisions, evaluate the costs and benefits of their decisions, recognize their rights and responsibilities as consumers, and apply the knowledge learned in school to financial situations encountered later in life.
We will utilize mass media, TV shows, and social media content to explore topics such as how to create and use budgets, to purchase/lease a car, how to rent or buy a home, how to buy major appliances, how to choose and insurance/investment broker, and how to plan/pay for major life events like marriage, education, and retirement. The course is designed to be enjoyable, relatable, and a stepping stone to future financial success.
Meet your instructor
John Walker
Assistant Professor of Management
John Walker serves as a professor, advisor, and business mentor, engaging with students to achieve their business and entrepreneurial goals. He works closely with the Edwards Entrepreneurship Center and the Emerge@Simpson Program, helping students start and develop businesses. He is also the faculty advisor to the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization.
He is an active member of the metro business community and enjoys developing personal business ventures.
Meet Your SC Leader
Brynna Bowman
My name is Brynna Bowman and I will be the SC Leader for John Walker’s SC 101 class, Couch Surf Your Way to Financial Freedom. I will be a junior during the 2019-2020 school year.
A little bit about myself: I am from Fairfield, Iowa, a small town in the southeast corner of Iowa. I live about an hour and a half away from Simpson’s campus. I have two sisters (Baylee and Blair) and one brother (Brittan). I also have two German Shepherds (Bindi and Blaze). While in high school, I was a four-sport athlete. I played softball, basketball, was a part of the swim team, and ran track. Along with sports, I was also involved in the arts programs. I played the trumpet in the band and was a part of three different choirs as well. Here at Simpson, I am a part of the softball team. Beyond being a student and an athlete, I enjoy hanging out with friends, taking naps, and binge-watching Netflix.
At Simpson, I am majoring in business management and am minoring in public relations and coaching. I also participate in intramurals and work in the Admissions Office as part of the S.C.O.U.T.S call team. I am continuing to find all sorts of ways to get involved here on campus. College will be one of the best times of your life but, it also can be quite overwhelming at times and my job is to help assist you in your transition here to Simpson.
If you ever need to reach me, please don’t hesitate to email me at brynna.bowman@my.simpson.edu. Also, please add me as a friend on social media! I am looking forward to becoming your SC Leader and meeting all of you soon.
If you love to argue with your parents, this is the course for you! Students will learn principles of debate, including research, argumentation, cross examination, and refutation. Students will also apply their skills in real-world, spontaneous argumentation, complete with analytical tools to engage in discussion and analysis with friends, co-workers, and colleagues in a variety of disciplines, but with a focus on current events. The course emphasizes civil, reasoned discourse - true persuasion does not occur as a result of shouting, demeaning your opponent, or lying.
Meet your instructor
Spencer Waugh
Director of Speech and Debate
Spencer Waugh started Simpson’s Debate Team in 2011, and added the speech component in 2013. Simpson now has a comprehensive program that includes six different styles of debate and over a dozen individual events. Mock Trial was added in 2016. Spencer spends several weekends a year traveling with Simpson’s speech and debate team. The team practices two evenings each week. Practices start late August and the season wraps up early April. All Simpson students are welcome and encouraged to join the team. Simpson College won the National Pi Kappa Delta Debate Tournament in 2016 and again in 2018.
Meet Your SC Leader
Danielle Blake
Hello everyone! My name is Danielle Blake and I will be a sophomore for the 2019-2020 school year. I plan on majoring in Multimedia Journalism with a double major in Political Science. I’m involved with a few activities on campus, but I focus the most on the speech and debate program here at Simpson. Speech and debate are both a huge part of life, and one of my favorite things about this school!
Outside of school, I have a few hobbies. I love to longboard and spend time outdoors. I’m from Minnesota, so I’m a little Minnesota obsessed. I’m really into movies, my favorites being Fight Club and The Princess Bride. I am also absolutely obsessed with all things Spider-Man. My favorite food is ice cream and my favorite color is yellow just for a couple other fun facts.
Spencer Waugh is an amazing person, and I’m so excited to work with him in this course. I’m also excited to help you guys adjust to college life and make Simpson your new home. I’ll be here to help guide you all through your first semester on campus and be a person for you guys to go to when you need anything.
I’m really looking forward to meeting you all, and if you have any questions go ahead and email me at danielle.blake@my.simpson.edu
Mindfulness is a way of attending to the experience of the present moment in a way that is fully aware and without judgment. This course provides you with an introduction to mindfulness, both through reading, writing, and contemplation practices. You will read and write about the benefits of present-mindfulness to your studies, work, and relationships. You will learn how the study of mindfulness can foster greater resilience, especially during challenging times. You will also learn individual and group practices designed to increase understanding of self and others by identifying and limiting distractions, slowing and concentrating time, and achieving wakefulness and calm. The goal of all of these practices is to reduce stress and distraction by gaining control of one’s breath and one’s thinking with the added results of greater confidence and freedom. We will also explore the historical roots of mindfulness and meditation, contrasting the technique of mindfulness meditation in the past with its more contemporary versions.
Meet your instructor
Ann Woldt
Assistant Professor of Theatre
Ann Woldt is an assistant professor and head of the departments Recruitment and Educational Outreach program. She teaches classes in acting, voice, and arts management. As head of the departments educational outreach, she is in charge of recruitment for the department and our annual High School Theatre Festival. She also direct every year for Theatre Simpsons mainstage season. Recent directing credits include, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, These Shining Lives, and Noises Off. In addition to teaching and directing, she has worked as a professional voiceover artist and actor for the past 20 years where she has been featured in numerous national, regional, and local radio and television commercials as well as documentaries and audiobooks.
Meet Your SC Leader
Maslin Boten
Hello! My name is Maslin Boten, and I will be a junior in the 2019-2020 school year. I grew up in Urbandale, Iowa, which is a suburb of Des Moines. In high school, I was involved in theatre, band, choir, and show choir crew. In the (minimal) free time I had, one of my favorite things to do then, and now, is binge watch shows on Netflix. Stranger Things and The Haunting of Hill House are a few that I've binged with my mom. 😊
At Simpson, I am a Theatre Major and Arts Management Minor. On campus, I am involved in many activities including: Theatre Simpson, On The House Improv, Simpson SARA, feminist club, and PRIDE. I am also the president of the Agents of Change club, and a cast member of Alpha Psi Omega - the honorary theatre fraternity on campus. During the 2018-2019 school year, I was also able to live in the Performing Arts House (one of the theme houses on campus) with five of my friends who are involved in theatre and/or music. You can almost always find me in the Blank Performing Arts Center either taking classes, rehearsing, building sets or costumes, or working in my UGA (undergraduate assistant) position with outreach and recruitment for Theatre Simpson.
I can't wait to meet all of you! Feel free to add me on Facebook or email me at maslin.boten@my.simpson.edu - I'd love to talk if you want to! I know you'll have a great time at Simpson, I'm just here to get the ball rolling.