A Week to Learn About Liberty

Every summer the Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) sponsors college students, graduate students, and recent college graduates to come to various week-long seminars to explore the concept of liberty. The different seminars accent the concept of liberty in different contexts. I was chosen to attend “Journalism & the Free Society” held from June 6th-12th at Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia.

The following is my summary of the week, an explanation of the seminar, and a testimony of my experience:

My first steps onto the Bryn Mawr campus revealed an agreeable and inviting charm. From the classic stonework, heavy wooden doors, and plush grounds, I knew this a place to nurture important conversation and intellectual curiosity. Philadelphia, the home of journalism pioneer Benjamin Franklin and Independence Hall, the location the Declaration of Independence was adopted, is perhaps the perfect city to host this seminar.

I came into the week hoping to gain insight into liberty, writing, and their relationship. I was also hoping this week would help me decide where and how I should/could direct my writing career. Both these goals were met, and in addition, I attained other unexpected academic and personal fulfillments.

Here’s a quick run-down of some details of how the seminar operated:

All expenses are covered except travel to and from the seminar location. Lodging was provided by the campus dorms; meals by the campus cafeteria. Most days followed a similar agenda, though lecture topics differed daily. Lectures started at 9:00AM. Four were typically given throughout the day. “Breakout” groups followed-smaller groups convening to ask questions and discuss the lecture. One day provided for an entire afternoon and evening for free time that most chose to visit Philadelphia. Attendees to the seminar were chosen by applying online at www.theihs.org.

This year, the IHS seminars were popular. With the number of applicants much increased, the participants who did get picked were noteworthy. I was first able to meet them at our welcome session. There, we met the captain of this ship, director John Elliott. He introduced himself by showing us his multi-lingual journalistic work−on-the-scene coverage on 9/11 for Dutch television.

We got to know one another through an ice-breaker of writing down and sharing with the others our “#1 influence”. Some influences chosen were T.S. Elliott, Ayn Rand, and George Orwell. From this exercise I knew I had amongst me a group that would provide rich expression and share with me new, insightful ways of thinking.