Want to design your own interdisciplinary honors major? With Humanities, you can put together a major that reflects your specific research interests.  Topics encompass much more than traditional Humanities fields, like the fine arts and literature.  Current Humanities majors are completing contracts in Women’s Health in the Middle East, Language and Social Change, Human Rights in the Francophone World, and Game Theory,  among many others.

Humanities is a small community of students that will receive individualized advising from the Humanities adviser (Linda).  Humanities is a major by application only. There are not any specific application deadlines, but now is an excellent time to come speak to me about your interests and start building your Humanities contract.

Please call the LAH office at 471-3458 to make an appointment.

Thank you to everyone who submitted an essay for the Pinto Carver Essay contest.  We received many well written essays and after careful consideration selected the following winners:

First Prize: Ayesha Akbar  “A Reminder”

Second Prize: Andrew McMahon “Writing (is an Attempt to always be a Child)”

Third Prize: Kalyan Venkatraj “(Re) Inventing the Wheel”

1) Mortar Board Membership Application Deadline Extended to 3/12

Mortar Board is a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for distinguished ability and achievement in scholarship, leadership, and service. The national network includes over 200 chapters and 180,000 inductees since its founding in 1918. Membership is a nationally recognized distinction earned by outstanding students across the country.

The Visor Chapter of Mortar Board exists as a network of outstanding campus leaders who have achieved senior status at The University of Texas at Austin.  We come from diverse backgrounds and exemplify a record of demonstrated leadership and accomplishment within the UT and Austin communities.  Our chapter strives to uphold the national Mortar Board’s ideals of scholarship, leadership, and service by developing relationships between influential student leaders and serving as the capstone leadership and service experience for UT seniors.

To apply to be a Mortar Board Member for the 2010-2011 term, please visit https://surveystation.austin.utexas.edu//TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=7lK0l5m6. All applications must be completed no later than Friday, March 12, 2010. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status no later than Monday, March 31, 2010.  If you have any questions please email texasmortarboard@gmail.com

2) Mortar Board Last Lecture Nominations Accepted Until 3/12

Since its founding in 1923, The Visor Chapter of Mortar Board at the University of Texas hosts an annual Last Lecture with a professor nominated by students all across campus. The selected professor will give a lecture outside of class hours to students, staff, and faculty as if it were his or her last lecture as a professor. In recent years, this event has taken the structure of the Last Lecture given by terminally-ill Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch in September 2007 (http://www.thelastlecture.com/). Mortar Board chapters nationwide have recognized professors through the Last Lecture Series.

Please nominate a professor who you feel would be engaging and interesting to listen to as last lecturer. As an example, Dr. Brent Iverson, Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, presented his “last lecture” last Spring and was a delightful speaker. This year, The University Co-op’s generosity has allowed Mortar Board to successfully host the Last Lecture.

To nominate a faculty member, please visit https://surveystation.austin.utexas.edu//TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=7lK23lm6.  Nominations will be accepted through Friday, March 12th, and the Last Lecture will be given on Thursday, April 8th at 8:00pm at the The Tejas House at 2600 Rio Grande St. (on the NW corner of 26th St. and Rio Grande St.).   If you have any questions please email texasmortarboard@gmail.com