Seminar 100 Courses
Seminar 100 is a foundational course taken by all first-year students. Your orientation group will be your SEM 100 classmates, and classwork begins during orientation. Led by a highly engaged professor, you will address common concepts — the purpose of a liberal arts education; critical reading and thinking; and civil discourse — through the lens of topic that interests you.
An upperclass student will join you in class and serve as a peer mentor through your first term at Wartburg. They will be able to help you with important skills like time management, note taking, studying, and test taking, as well as serve as an additional resource on campus.
All SEM 100 students will participate in two common assignments — a research project and a reflective exercise. The last two weeks of the course will be used to facilitate a common experience among all SEM 100 sections.Please review these options carefully so you are ready to make a SEM 100 selection during your Summer Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) Day.
SEM 100 First-Year Seminar Courses
Course topics vary. Please find one that fits your schedule and your interests!
Monday, Wednesday, Friday – 12-1:05 p.m.
The Musicals that Moved Us (SEM 100 01)
Kylie Gougler
Why do we sing our stories? This seminar explores the rich world of American musical theater as both popular entertainment and a powerful cultural force. From Show Boat to Hamilton, we’ll analyze how musicals entertain, challenge, and inspire. You will investigate how musicals reflect and shape evolving conversations about identity, community, race, gender, sexuality, power, and protest.
Embracing Change (SEM 100 02)
Casey Reints
In this engaging course, you will learn strategies to navigate personal, academic, and professional transitions effectively. Through interactive discussions, self-reflection, and hands-on activities, you will develop resilience and adaptability, equipping you to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
Baseball: The National Pastime (SEM 100 03)
William Buss
Baseball has long been known as the national pastime, but beyond the legendary players and their athletic feats, there are also other accomplishments worthy of celebrating. Aside from the hitting, pitching, and fielding records that have become as identified with the game’s 150-year history in this country, some of the 22,000 athletes who have made big league rosters since Major League Baseball’s founding in 1876 have also achieved other distinctions of social importance. This class will discuss and examine these players and their contributions to both sport and society.
Access to Nature: Research and Application (SEM 100 04)
Paul Mugan
Invigorate your spirit with nature and the outdoors. Waverly and the Cedar Valley have a multitude of avenues through which to experience nature. You will investigate the mental and physical benefits of getting grass under your feet. Through experiential learning opportunities, we will intentionally engage with the natural world to foster an informed and lasting relationship with the Earth.
Intro to Rock and Blues (SEM 100 05)
Duane Bierman
A survey of the musical styles of rock and blues from the 1800s to the 1990s through lecture, readings, recordings, concerts, and audiovisual presentations. These multicultural art forms that developed in the United States are examined from both a musical and cultural vantage point.
Stories You Should Know (SEM 100 06)
Penni Pier
Understanding our present depends on knowledge of the past; but why do some stories get told and others are lost to time? Uncover and explore stories forgotten to many and be inspired by people you might be meeting for the very first time. You will have the opportunity to research someone that is new to you and as a class you will explore some momentous events in our country’s past that shape us today in ways you may not have expected. In addition to looking back, we will look forward in this class to understand what it takes to be successful in your college journey.
Play and Games (SEM 100 07)
Ashley Jones
Play, in its varied forms, has been an integral factor in the formation of human culture around the world. Play allows for a range of human behaviors to be manifested in distinct spaces where the rules and norms of the space change with each individual act of play. These acts reflect the cultures and societies they take place in, and while play is universal, the shape it takes is not. Play experiences are an innate part of the human existence that we learn to structure into ways that serve us. In this course, you will define and examine instances of play, stretching from organized sports to analog and digital games. Using a combination of game studies, play theories, and a critical cultural lens, you will work toward understanding how play impacts the development and structures of a culture you participate in. After critically examining how you use play in your daily life to navigate the pressures, labels, and expectations, you will be able to design a play experience to reflect on your own culture.
The Picture Book Guide to College (SEM 100 36)
Jen Dickey
Your first year of college is a massive transition, but you might already have the instruction manual for it on your childhood bookshelf. This seminar takes a deep dive into high-quality picture books to explore how they handle life’s complexities. By analyzing the art and text of children’s books, you’ll build a toolbox for managing your time, your stress, and your studies. We’re going to prove that the most powerful lessons on how to think critically and talk through tough issues are actually nestled between the covers of a picture book.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday – 1:15-2:30 p.m.
Vocation for the World’s Welfare (SEM 100 08)
Ronald Johnson
As a mentor from my college days asks, “Is it possible to know the world and still love the world?”. A college education helps us to see the world more clearly, to notice the joys and sorrows mingled together. It also prepares us for leadership and service in a world that delights and frustrates us. We will consider how the choices we make during our college years help us to weave together belief and behavior.
The Good Life (SEM 100 09)
Justin Jeffcoat Schedtler
This course will explore one of the enduring questions of human existence: What makes for a “good life”? By exploring various philosophical traditions — both ancient and modern — you will begin to discern how you might flourish in this world.
Cultivating the Curious Mind (SEM 100 30)
Kyle Fleming
Innovation and creativity begin by being curious, and developing a curious mindset requires intentional practice. This course will explore the idea of curiosity, how being curious allows us to explore situations from multiple angles, and how exploring the natural and artistic world helps us understand big problems on a deeper level. You will intentionally practice being curious through lectures, games, exploring the outdoors, and creative arts activities.
From Argument to Understanding (SEM 100 32)
Christine DeVries
How can civil discourse help build strong, inclusive communities? You will engage in the exploration of civil discourse as a tool for constructive dialogue across differences and practice active listening, respectful disagreement, and thoughtful communication while engaging with contemporary campus, community, and global issues.
From Argument to Understanding (SEM 100 33)
Madeline Schwarz
How can civil discourse help build strong, inclusive communities? You will engage in the exploration of civil discourse as a tool for constructive dialogue across differences and practice active listening, respectful disagreement, and thoughtful communication while engaging with contemporary campus, community, and global issues.
Creating Connections and Joy (SEM 100 34)
Sarah Montgomery
How can building connections with classmates, faculty, and staff support your success? Learn practical ways to develop important relationships, cultivate your own joy as you discover your path, and engage in well-being practices that fuel your body and mind throughout college and beyond.
Origins of Western Classical Music (SEM 100 35)
Scott Muntefering
Music reflects the spirit of our human condition and to understand music, we need to distinguish and identify how music affects various societies and cultures throughout history. This course will provide an aesthetic and historical perspective of music, covering musical styles and developments from the Middle Ages/Baroque/Classical/Romantic Eras through the Twentieth First Century. Students will acquire basic musical vocabulary and listening skills to help build a solid foundation for future musical studies and attendance at musical events.
Life, the Universe, and Everything (SEM 100 37)
Michael Bechtel
Add 9 and we have the answer. What is the question? In this section, we will look at the meaning of life and understanding the amazing wonders around us. We will use Douglas Adam’s book, “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” to take a whimsical look at human beings and our presumed importance. Science fiction meets science. The course will consist of overarching discussions, media, and assignments that revolve around “being human” and our responsibilities as such. Don’t panic, but active engagement and deep thought are mandatory.