Ideas That Matter

Those who major and minor in Humanities at ����ר�� focus on questions of meaning and value in human life:

Is what I want good and real? How do my studies connect to my relationships, career and beyond? How can I know myself to know others, God and the natural world? What other questions must I ask?

The curriculum centers on four key areas: God, world, society and the human person. In reading scores of philosophy, literature and theology texts from the ancient to the contemporary world, students explore complex questions that spark engaging and meaningful discussions. They acquire the skills to read and think critically, communicate effectively in writing and speech, and develop habits of inquiry for the lifelong pursuit of wisdom. They contemplate what matters most for living a deeply human life, just in time for the full demands of adulthood to begin.

“I was undecided with what I wanted to do with my life,” recalls Bernard Jacobson ’16 CLAS. “Humanities was a great reflection point—it allows you to listen to what other people throughout history have thought about big questions and develop a balanced perspective.” Now as a client manager in the insurance industry, Jacobson credits the Humanities program with helping his career flourish. “I learned to see the whole picture,” he explains. “There’s a tendency in insurance to be reactive, but that puts you in a bad spot. I take an empathetic approach, have the patience to absorb what my clients are saying, and then create an effective plan of action.”

MaryKate Winter ’19 CLAS attributes her love of learning to the Department of Humanities—it’s a passion that has led her to two master’s degrees in Theology and her current pursuit of a doctoral degree in Strategic Communication from George Mason University. “The Humanities course of study is rigorous, but the faculty gives you the tools to succeed in that environment,” says Winter. “Writing my senior essay–on the subject of home as a sacred space–gave me confidence in my ideas and analysis, which I have taken with me throughout my studies.” Currently, her research focus is on the dynamics of religious authority on social media, a topic she became fascinated with eight years ago in Dr. Grubiak’s Architecture and Religion in America course.

While the scope of skills and insights that students will need in a rapidly evolving workforce is certainly unpredictable, the great value of a Humanities education is that it comes with competencies that are always in demand. “The ability to work on a team, think through a problem, achieve a goal, set the next goal, imagine new possibilities and the challenges that are on the horizon—those are the kind of things that we do in our seminars and that our students write about in their senior theses, and those are the kind of skills that our graduates bring to their careers, communities and families,” says Dr. Michael Tomko.

Kyra (Malamood) Koons ’15 CLAS, ’18 MS can attest to how adaptable and flexible the major can be. One of four siblings with Humanities degrees from ����ר��, Koons has an older brother who went on to law school, another who is a practicing physician, and a twin sister who completed her Master of Divinity.

As for Koons, she earned a master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is currently serving as the program director for the Capuchin Franciscan Volunteer Corps. “I’m a helper in spirit and naturally drawn to the human person, so my whole lens is very relational,” says Koons. “Humanities helped me name my passion and purpose and see that it was good.” Having previously worked as a therapist and clinical supervisor, she’s now leading young adults and managing a program devoted to serving others. “As a supervisor, asking questions to understand—not just to sound smart—but to engage and to make decisions from a place of understanding is important,” she says. “We all have different thoughts, ideas and opinions, and to navigate that gracefully is essential for anything you do.” Koons credits her experience in Humanities for giving her a foundation in these critical skills.

Fostering Fellowship

The quest to uncover the meaning of existence and develop the skills that can lead to a happy and successful life is by no means solitary. The Department of Humanities takes a group-centered approach to learning, carrying out St. Augustine’s vision of education as a community activity of scholars searching for truth in open discussion.

Each year, about 20 students graduate with majors in Humanities. The relatively small size makes for a closely knit cohort of students with diverse backgrounds and goals.

“The common denominator among the students is they have a great care and concern for their learning,” says Dr. Michael Tomko. “They want to hear and understand what their professors and fellow students think—those conversations transform them.” It’s what the department refers to as conviviality, or intellectual fellowship. Students argue and debate in a way that allows for different perspectives and points of view to be brought to the table. “This intellectual exchange is truly nourishing,” says Helena Tomko, DPhil, associate professor of Literature. “It’s a meeting of the mind and heart that you need to continue after graduation.”

A desire to keep these discussions going beyond Commencement has prompted the department to help coordinate Humanities for Good gatherings around the country. Started in 2015, these informal meetups are most active in larger cities, including Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, but have also sprung up in Alaska and England. They encourage Humanities alumni who might not know each other to get together over coffee or dinner and talk over a text suggested by someone in the department.

Gabriella Berman Elhallal ’17 CLAS, a PhD student in Theology at the University of Notre Dame, has participated in and hosted Humanities for Good groups in South Bend, Ind., where she lives with her husband, Paul Elhallal ’18 CLAS, also a PhD student, and their three small children. “Conviviality is deeply ingrained in my soul,” she says. “I love continuing my Humanities friendships, growing new ones and returning to my experience in my memory with gratitude and hope for the future.”

With the success of these smaller get-togethers, the idea for a large-scale reunion took hold. Fittingly dubbed Convivium, the department celebrated its 20th anniversary with more than 100 Humanities alumni returning to campus—and the classroom. Atypical for most reunions, there was “homework”— short stories, poems, articles and essays to read—in anticipation of 15 seminars, which took place in Falvey Library and the St. Augustine Center for the Liberal Arts over a mid-September weekend in 2023. There were also memorable meals, including an anniversary banquet and a Mass in Corr Chapel. Based on the enthusiasm shown for the first Convivium, a second one is already in the works for the department’s 25th anniversary.

For Dr. Michael Tomko, knowing that his former students continue the path of learning after they leave campus brings him great joy. “We’re proud of the type of people they become and the contributions they make,” he says. “Seeing the gift ����ר�� gave them and how they give it back to the world is a real privilege.”��■