Students in Seton Hall's Honors program were interviewed for and included in a local nonprofit organization video campaign promoting the highlights of the importance of humanities.
"This project shows the value of discussing humanities for both students' personal and professional life and development, especially how (the humanities) promote civic engagement and thoughtful citizens," Associate Director for the University Honors Program Dr. Judith Stark said.
The film was organized by the New Jersey Arts Center, whose mission is to "produce lively human interest segments that connect viewers to arts and humanities activity in New Jersey and beyond," according to their website.
"With my experience in the film, my relationship with the humanities has only grown," senior history and museum studies major Ashley Scotto said. "I was able to articulate its importance and hopefully inspire fellow students to do the same."
Sophomore biology major Mohamed El-Sayed, one of the students in the film said that humanities help complete him as a person
"Humanities are important to me because I think they complete half of what I think it takes to be a wholly intellectual person," El-Sayed said. "Scientific and analytical aspect is one and the reflective side of the humanities is another."
"The humanities give life to the world," Founder and Creative Director of NJAN Susan Haig said.
Haig, who also produced the short film, said there is a great emphasis on humanities in college campuses; however humanities are rarely discussed on television, news, etc. NJAN aims to change that with short film segments like these, and have many more in the series, according to Haig.
"The dynamic activities in humanities in college are amazing," Haig said. "We're excited to show that through these films."
Scotto went on to say that the humanities are essential to students.
"The humanities emphasize creativity and the very connection that we, as humans, have for being humans," Scotto said. "Studying the humanities enhances a student's educational studies, regardless of their major; for it encompasses all elements of the human existence - history, philosophy, art, religion, linguistics, law, etc. We can learn about each other and even what we can do for the future through the humanities."
The participants in the video were either requested by Stark or were students in the Colloquium on Contemporary World course that she teaches with associate professor of anthropology Dr. Cherubim Quizon. The honors course is a six-credit interdisciplinary humanities program, with an emphasis on texts that raise larger questions, Stark said.
To view the video, visit http://www.njartsnews.org/.
Victoria Plate can be reached at victoria.plate@student.shu.edu.
