Loyola University Maryland

Messina

The Visionary Course Pairing

Envisioning Worlds Beyond Our Own: Global Perspectives on Heroes and Heroism (ML 110D)

Who is your hero? What makes a hero? Are heroes born or are they made? These fundamental questions will guide students as they explore heroes and heroic traditions from across the globe, gain fresh perspectives on what heroism “looks” like, and consider how their own self-image, beliefs, or experiences reflect and are reflected in course topics. Positioning heroes as visionaries that shape the world around us, this course will also invite critical consideration of broader matters in cultural diversity and difference (race, gender, politics, religion, history, etc.). Additionally, students will be encouraged to interrogate the connections or divergences existing between our topics of study and the realities defining their own lives and worldview. Examples of the stories to be surveyed in this course may include those of epic heroes like Gilgamesh (ancient Mesopotamia) or Orpheus (ancient Greece/Rome), comic book heroes like El Santo (Mexico) or La Borinqueña (Puerto Rico/USA), and dystopian heroes like V (UK) or Shuya Nanahara (Japan). Comprising a transnational corpus of materials spanning poetry, film, comics, video games, and more, this course fosters a multi-perspectival and multicultural understanding of heroes and by extension the world around us.

Faculty Biography

Dr. Stacey Mitchell is a Lecturer of Spanish in the Department of Modern Languages & Literatures and joined the Loyola community in 2019. She earned her Ph.D. in Spanish literature from Penn State University, and specializes in modern Spanish narrative and art, painter-authors, artistic representations of movement and modernity, and popular culture.

Heroes from Fiction to the Real World (EN 101)

For centuries, literary heroes have reflected the morals and values of the cultures that created them. This course exposes students to various types of literary heroes, each with their own characteristics, in fiction. From these examples, students develop their own ideas of what it means to be a hero and apply it to local, national, and international auto/biographical literature as well as their own lives.

Faculty Biography

Dr. Brett Butler received his Ph.D. from Morgan State University, researching gender discourse in mid-20th century American literature. Prior to his career as an educator, he was a professional biographer, boxing journalist, and technical writer. He became a part of Loyola University's teaching community in 2020.

Mentor Biographies

Steph Diaz

Steph Diaz is the Assistant Director of Student Life that oversees Newman Towers, which is a great place you can choose to call home starting you Sophomore year. Stepf is originally from Queens, NY and while they have lived in NY, PA, and MD, they will always be a Mets fan. Stepf received their Bachelor's and Master's degree in Social Work from Shippensburg University and is currently working towards a second masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction for Social Justice here at Loyola. Outside of work Stepf is a member of the Mayors Commission on LGBT Affairs in Baltimore and they love exploring the many options Baltimore has to offer for local food and art.

Rhona Little

Rhona Little has been with Loyola since September 2021 and is the Diversity and Inclusion Specialist for the Office of Equity and Inclusion. She received her bachelor's degree in Health Administration and Policy, with a minor in Sociology, from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and her master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Maryland College Park (UMD). Rhona has over 8 years of experience in higher education and has a passion for helping students to feel seen, heard, and valued. Originally from Uganda, Rhona has lived in Maryland for the past 23 years and enjoys trying new food places throughout the DMV.

Virtual Advisor

 

ML110D satisfies the diversity requirement for all students.  EN 101 satisfies the English core requirement for all students. 
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Your first year

What, exactly, is Messina?

A closer look at Loyola University Maryland's first-year experience.

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