#ivanallen

[iamliberalartsgt]

June Book Recommendations

One of my favorite hobbies is reading, and of course one of my favorite subjects is history. These are a few books I’ve read recently that I’d recommend.

1. English History

The Plantagenets by Dan Jones

I am an absolute fanatic about the Plantagenets. It’s gotten to the point where my parents won’t buy me anymore English history books for Christmas because they’ve started to take up half a bookcase. (I get around this by buying them for myself and keeping them with me at school but eventually I’ll have to merge the collections and that’ll be intense.) This one stands out to me because it’s a very good overview of the period while still being able to provide details and analysis. For example, he discusses the reign of each king, but also manages to discuss the impact of their various queens, and, in some cases where it’s warranted, deconstruct the surviving propaganda about a ruler and compare it to known historical facts about them to get a more balanced picture. It’s also well written, very accessible and engaging. 

2. Ancient History

SPQR by Mary Beard

This was a very in depth look at exclusively the Roman Republic from its founding to the beginning of the Empire. The analysis of everything from geography, linguistics, pottery, and existing historical and literary records was actually crazy. It was all broken down and presented in a way that made sense and was compelling, which is a big plus. (Because in the past I’ve picked up a lot of books about the Romans because the summary on the back sounded really cool and then the material itself was as dry and moldering as some of those ancient shards of pottery and as a result I have felt pretty baited.) Beard also makes lots of good connections between the early Romans and the current modern day political state. Plus the cover is extremely aesthetically pleasing, and I’m not advising we judge books by their covers but come on if Mary Beard gets it enough to get this nice cover for her book, she gets it enough to write a good book.

3. Other History

Bolshoi Confidential by Simon Morrison

Confession: I’m actually not finished with this one yet. It’s about the history of the Russian Ballet. The subject matter is interesting, but I’ve gotta say the reason I’m not finished with it yet is because it’s a lot about presentation of information without necessarily presenting the information as an ongoing story. There are plenty of moments of unintentional hilarity, in particular the insults people exchange, as well as the stuff people try to get away with. The book is also a little given to overemphasizing the importance of the Bolshoi as a cultural force, but then again maybe it’s completely accurate and I’m just being skeptical.

4. Historical Fiction

The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

So this novel is set in Regency England and was incredibly meticulously researched. The main character, Lady Helen Wrexhall, the daughter of dead condemned traitors, just wants to focus on the upcoming Season in London, her premiere into society. But helped along by a Tall Dark Handsome Social Outcast With a Tortured Backstory™ Who Is Nevertheless Intriguing, Brusque, and Wealthy (I know ok there are a couple of cliches but he’s a lot better than some other YA love interests we could mention) named William, the Earl of Carlston, she discovers that she’s a Reclaimer. Demons walk among us and prey on innocent humans, and Reclaimers fight them off and save possessed humans. Of course, this requires some very unladylike things of Helen, and there are overarching plots in the Reclaimer community. All ensuing drama and angst is appropriately and reasonably handled, and the book as a whole is very entertaining. Another cliche: I could barely put it down.

[iamaliberalartsstudent]

Meet Jackie Howell, IAC Student Ambassador and International Affairs and Modern Languages major! 

Why she loves GT Liberal Arts: 

“I really enjoy the flexibility of [my] major that allows me to direct my field of study into a specific area of International Affairs that interests me, in my case Global Development.”

[iamliberalartsgt]

The third annual Ivan Allen Cup is here!

The Ivan Allen Cup is a competition that includes Ivan Allen students, faculty, IAC organization members, and friends. 

The Cup will have three social events where students can form teams, compete, and get to know each other. All the events are free and are hosted by the Ivan Allen Student Advisory Board! You don't have to be an Ivan Allen student to come, so spread the word! Feel free to form teams as a combination of several majors, schools, organizations, or just friends.

The first event in the 2020 Ivan Allen Cup is karaoke at Under the Couch on Wednesday, February 5th, from 7-9PM. This event will have FREE PIZZA and faculty judges! It is a drop-in at any time event.

The second event is bowling at Tech Rec in the Student Center on February 11th, from 7-9PM. There will be FREE PIZZA and bowling! Drop by whenever you are free.

The third and final event is trivia at the Georgia Tech Barnes and Noble Starbucks on Wednesday, February 19th, at 7PM. The cup winner will be announced at the end of trivia, the winning team being presented with a trophy. The teams will also be competing for Barnes & Noble gift cards!

RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe1XnxwBV-Evi81p47OeTS8VKf5OBcRiJLqG24ubxcW5xnThQ/viewform

[iamliberalartsgt]

Running Around Romania!

Salutari from Romania! Last week, as a part of my travels on the European Union and Transatlantic Affairs study abroad program, I had the privilege of visiting Bucharest, Romania and the surrounding countryside. Dr. Eliza Markley, a professor in the Sam Nunn School, is a Romanian citizen and was in the Romanian Army for eighteen years following the anti-communist Romanian Revolution in 1989- the only Soviet bloc revolution to turn violent. Because of her expertise and connections, we are able to have many unique experiences like briefings at the Ministry of Defense and seminars at the Romanian Academy Sociological Research department. 

Before starting our work, we were treated to a traditional Romanian dinner at a restaurant that was favored by Romania’s communist dictator, Nicolae Ceaucescu. The restaurant featured traditional Romanian architecture, music, and even folk dance performances! 

*Beautiful molding, stained glass, and other details in the historic restaurant. 

*Romania’s donut, the papanasi: donut, sour cream, and berry confit.

That night, we visited Piata Unirii (Union Place), one of the central urban planning projects of the communist regime in the 1980’s. On the Piata, dilapidated bloc apartments were littered with neon signs advertising brands like Coca-Cola and Bayer. I found this acute contrast between isolationist communism and modern capitalism quite interesting. 

We also were lucky enough to stumble upon a massive water and music show in the Piata, to the tune of Michael Jackson and Game of Thrones! 

*Beautiful fountain show at Piata Unirii- a must see.

The next day, we visited the Palatul Parliamentuli (People’s Palace), commissioned by Ceausescu after he was inspired by a state visit to Pyongyang, North Korea. This building was meant to be government center, cultural icon, nuclear bunker, and dictatorial residence all in one. As such, it is a massive building, second in overall interior volume only to the Pentagon in the US. On our one hour tour over multiple floors, we only saw 5% of the interior! 

*State reception room in the Palatul. 

*View down the grand boulevard, towards Piata Unirii.

Later in the day, we visited the Romanian Museum of Modern Art. The Romanian government gave the museum an entire unused wing of the Palatul to occupy. We saw exhibitions from Romanian and international artists, with themes ranging from sexual femininity to the Revolution to graffiti. 

*Installation in the museum- any interpretations??

*Sunset view from the museum, with the new National Church rising in the background. 

The next day was a free day. Myself and other EU study abroad students took the day to travel to central Romania. We visited two castles in the mountainous province of Transylvania. The first castle, Castelul Bran, was quite quaint and inspired the Dracula novels. The second, called Peleś Castle, was the official royal palace since before WWI. Unfortunately, pictures inside of the castle were not allowed but there were multiple different themes from room to room: French, Moroccan, Italian, Bavarian, etc. It was truly a beautiful castle! 

*Exterior of the castle, with the Romanian flag blowing in the wind.

Overall, my trip to Romania allowed me to contextualize its diverse and often tumultuous history, enjoy delicious Romanian cuisine, and explore the historical scenic countryside outside of Bucharest. This leg of the trip was valuable because it formed such a sharp social, political, and historical contrast between the mostly Western European countries on our itinerary this summer. 

-Jack Sheldon, IAML French, European Union study abroad

[iamliberalartsgt]

Meet Nicolette Mehran, Ivan Allen College student and Ambassador!

Nicolette is an International Affairs major and is pursuing a minor in Spanish. She is also involved in the INTA School’s Accelerated BS/MS Program. 

What does she love about liberal arts at Georgia Tech?

“The Ivan Allen College has some of the chillest, most open-minded, culturally-educated students and faculty members I have ever encountered in my life. Our community is tiny, but mighty!”

[iamliberalartsgt]

The Finals Grind at Georgia Tech

Hi everyone! My name is Hana Omar and I am a second year double major in Economics and International Affairs and Business Administration. Additionally, I am the Philanthropy and Interfaith Chair of the GT Muslim Students Association, a brand ambassador for TEDx Georgia Tech, and an Ivan Allen Ambassador. I will be giving you a glimpse of my finals week at Georgia Tech as well as a reflection of the first semester of my Sophomore year! 

On Monday, I had my Information Technology final exam, which satisfied the technical requirement for my EIA degree. Afterwards, I went back to my apartment to grab some lunch and take a short break. After watching some MasterChef, I headed to the student center to study in the finals study rooms reserved by the Muslim Students Association. Studying with friends helps me stay motivated, and the Student Center always provides plenty of healthy snacks for students! After a few hours of reviewing debits and credits, my friends and I attended the Student Center Finals Breakfast in the evening. This is one of my favorite events of the semester..what can get better than free food, friends, and pet therapy? 

This semester has been the most academically challenging for me. Additionally, as the chair of an organization, allocating enough time for academics, extracurricular activities, and my personal life was definitely a valuable skill I learned. However, the support I received from my professors, advisors, and friends allowed me to have the most successful semester yet, and gain unforgettable memories along the way! 

I chose Ivan Allen because it allows students to explore the intricate connection between liberal arts and science. In a technological and globalized world, understanding this connection is becoming increasingly imperative. I look forward to seeing what opportunities Ivan Allen offers me next semester! 

[iamliberalartsgt]

Emily Bunker, 4th year LMC major, talks about her NYC summer internship!

"I’m in my fourth year in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Tech (WOW can’t believe I just wrote that). This summer I’m interning in Manhattan at Anheuser-Busch, which you might better recognize as Budweiser, Bud Light, Stella Artois, and another 50 (or so) beverage brands. I’m interning with the Marketing, Culture, and Learning team, which works to bring creative thinking, innovative ideas, and risk-taking into our marketing programs. It’s a fun team to be on because I’m constantly learning both inside and outside of the company!

Liberal arts at Georgia Tech has prepared me to quickly, effectively learn and evolve. Having a technical background and also a creative mindset has given me distinctive skills in problem solving and absorbing information. I’m frequently assigned projects with limited guidelines or vague objectives and expected to simply figure it out. Ironically, this set up mirrors many of my LMC projects over the years. The Ivan Allen College has given me the confidence to work in this type of abstract space. My professors have continually pushed me to think past just making a good grade, and to instead actually think about the problem, the potential solutions, and how I can express them. I’ve learned to love the challenge of creating solutions, not just finding absolutes. In short, the last three years at the Ivan Allen College have taught me to think differently.

Oh, and to answer your question: yes, I do get free beer at work.”

Emily Bunker- 4th year LMC

[iamliberalartsgt]

An Ivan Allen Spring Break: Most people go to the beach, or go to the mountains, or go to the lake for a Spring Break. But for me, I found a way to weave my passions for history into what I see as a lifelong adventure. You see, last year, after finding Button Gwinnett’s epitaph in Savannah while on a Spring Break service trip, I had this idea for a project: to travel across America and find all of the nation’s early founders, from Presidents and Vice Presidents, to Declaration and Constitution signers. So for the last year, on any break that I’ve gotten I’ve made a point to go and find the grave sites of one of these shakers of history. Having visited over 10 grave sites since last Spring Break (the most recent one being John C. Calhoun’s grave from this past weekend), I can say that it is very rewarding to be able to take a passion and turn it into an adventure, to know that my history minor doesn’t have to solely be confined to books or to the classroom. And I would encourage anyone who finds that they really LOVE what they are learning to find a way to make it a part of your free time, to expand your knowledge and experiences, so that by the time you get back to the classroom, or by the time that you get to that interview chair, so have some great stories to share.

[iamliberalartsgt]

Meet ECON’s Brittani Braswell

We are excited to spotlight Brittani Braswell, Engagement and Communications Coordinator at the school of Economics!

The Story Begins…

Ms. Braswell is from Conyers, Georgia and went to Liberty University in Virginia for her Bachelor’s degree in English. She enjoys writing creative nonfiction, poetry and satire. If she had to choose a program of study at Tech, it would be a Master’s degree in Digital Communications.

As a kid, Ms. Braswell wanted to be one of 3 things: a Chemist, a Power Ranger, or a ballerina; but her career goals changed entering university.

“There was a time when I couldn’t have been more certain I would BE a comedy writer. In undergrad, I was submitting comedy articles to Collegehumor.com, Funny or Die and the Onion instead of studying!”

Then perspectives took an alternate course in her undergraduate studies. Ms. Braswell took a few semesters off, changed majors and transferred to different institutions. Like many students, she was trying to find her way. She was guided by higher administration on her educational and career path. It is because of the encouragement that she received as an undergraduate that she developed a passion for advising and especially supporting students that may feel like there is nobody available to help them.

Fulfilling a Community Need

Ms. Braswell has held advisory roles at Liberty University, Ashworth College, and Georgia Tech. It is at Ashworth that she had one of her most fulfilling experiences with a student. There she was required to advise and tutor students when they expressed need.

“One dual enrollment student really struggled in Algebra, and I would tutor her every single day. One day, I was reviewing her account, preparing for another tutoring session and I realized there was nothing left to tutor. She was done. It was so fulfilling when I called her to tell her that she’d passed Algebra. When I told her, she was so thankful! She said, ‘hold up, can you say it again? I’m with my whole family’. I repeated the announcement, and I could hear the whole lot celebrating in the background. Those are the days that make me feel working in education is an investment in people and I’m most proud of what we get to do”.

Ms. Braswell, as a first generation college student, takes great pride in mentoring her younger siblings and cousins as they begin their own college journeys. She says it can also be a lot of pressure to be the only one that others look up to for advice on higher education.

All About Laughs

As stated before, Ms. Braswell is really into comedy. She spends a great deal of free time at stand up shows, improv shows, or listening to comedy podcasts. I asked her if there were any performances or venues around Atlanta that she would recommend, and she gave me quite the list. The number one place, in her opinion, was The Improv in Buckhead (It’s now closed for renovation). Other options are The Laughing Skull, Worldwide Comedy, and Dad’s Garage.

The Future is Bright

At 26, Ms. Braswell still hopes to be in higher education in the next decade. In the near future she hopes to ultimately pursue a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction. She hopes to preferably settle in Atlanta but she is also considering Denver, CO and Portland, OR.

“Transitioning to adulthood from being a college student was really hard….That’s why I think people choose to go into higher ed professions. You get to cheat the system a little bit and still get to be affiliated with the university. There’s something comforting about clinging to a collegiate identity. I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t a component of why I chose to work in higher ed”

Advice for Students

Ms. Braswell says that the biggest thing she has learned so far is to let go of the specific plans we hold ourselves to and be open/fluid to course correction. “You start off as a freshman, and if you fall short of those things, then you begin to fear people are judging you. It took me more then the standard 4 years to get through college. I was really disappointed in myself. But I believe everything happens for a reason. I had an untraditional trek towards matriculation but I am working in a position I’d never dreamed I’d be.”

She urges students to follow their dreams and look for meaning in their college experiences, regardless of whether they go as planned or not.

She also stresses the importance of student involvement on campus.

“I was in so many clubs, marching band, symphonic band, Young Democrats, Natural High Student Government… I joined also a lot of campus ministries as well. If they had free food and free t-shirts, I was in it! I say get active, there is so much to do. So many people to meet.”

Some More Wisdom?

“Just a shame less plug. Remember, The School of Economics exists. I want to get the word out that we, this department, exists and we’re a viable option. We want encourage students to come over. The faculty are great, the staff is great, give the School of Economics a thought!”

[iamliberalartsgt]

Meet Aradhana Chandra, Ivan Allen College Student Ambassador!

Aradhana is an International Affairs major with a minor in Computer Science. This summer, she’s been interning at the Truman Center for National Policy / Truman National Security Project in Washington D.C. As the Communications Intern, I manage the non-profit's social media accounts, write op-eds, conduct fast-paced research projects, have gotten experience in digital marketing, photography, and much more. 

During the school year, Aradhana works on-campus at the Ferst Center for the Arts, and is also involved in undergraduate research, with work specifically related to counterterrorism policy under Dr. Alasdair Young, the Co-Director of Transatlantic Studies.

[iamliberalartsgt]

In the week leading up to the Fourth of July, Atlanta boasts some great events lined up for you to get out and get involved.

Want to win some cool IAC swag? Send us some snapshots of yourself at any of these events to gtliberalarts@iac.gatech.edu to be entered.

Happy wandering!

Georgia Tech

1. Open Mic Night at Under the Couch

Have a talent in music, stand up, or poetry that you’d like to show off? Open Mic is the night for you!

Location: Student Center 2nd Floor

Date: Every Thursday. Doors at 7:30, show at 8

Cost: Free

Event link: http://www.gtmn.org/underthecouch/info/open-mic-night/

2. DramaTech Presents: A Number and Far Away

DramaTech is a great place to see quality theatre at a convenient location and affordable price. Join them at the DramaTech Theatre this Thursday for Caryl Churchill’s thrilling dystopian play.

Location: DramaTech Theatre, in the back corner of the Ferst Center.

Date: 6/29

Cost: $8-$15

Event link: http://arts.gatech.edu/hg/item/538201

Atlanta

3. Basket Art Exhibit

This exhibit of Native American artistic heritage is beautiful and educational. Trek through the ages of basket weaving development at the Carlos Museum.

When: through January 2018

Where: Michael C Carlos Museum

Cost: Students $6

Link: http://carlos.emory.edu/content/coiling-culture-basketry-art-native-north-america

4. Andy Warhol

The High Museum recently reduced their entrance fees, which makes it all the more worthwhile to check out these paintings by the American cultural icon.

When: Through 9/3

Where: High Museum of Art

Cost: $14.50

Link: http://www.high.org/Art/Exhibitions/Warhol

5. Atlanta History Center - Author Programs Series

Local Atlanta authors share their books at this speaker series continuing on throughout the year. Topics covered include women heroes of WWI, the history of modern terrorism, and fiction novels.

When: Varies, see link

Where: Atlanta History Center and Margaret Mitchell House

Cost: Varies, see link

Link: http://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/programs/category/author-programs

6. Legally Blonde

Ever wanted to see this classic story come to life, theatre style? Now is your chance! Tickets are available for shows this week and next.

When: 6/29-7/9

Where: Performer’s Warehouse

Cost: $25 - $35

Link: http://www.performerswh.com/

7. Vans Warped Tour

Warped Tour is the largest traveling music festival in the US, and it’s here in Atlanta every summer. Enjoy your favorite rock, metal, EDM, and ska bands at the Lakewood Amphitheatre.

When: 6/29

Where: Lakewood Amphitheatre

Cost: General Admission $42

Link: https://www.livenation.com/venues/14086/lakewood-amphitheatre