February 2009 Stories

Willamette Celebrates Africa

Joseph Conrad’s 1902 novella Heart of Darkness is considered a cornerstone of the Western literary canon and is widely studied in high school and college classrooms. But do its reflections of racism, sexism and imperialism perpetuate negative stereotypes toward Africans?

This was one of many questions addressed recently during Willamette University’s Africa Week. Professors from multiple disciplines — art, anthropology, history, French, English and film studies — discussed the challenges of the book, its place in history and its continued effects on today’s culture.

“Most of the critique of the novella is not about the style, it’s about the treatment of the indigenous people,” said Amadou Fofana, assistant professor of French and film studies. “Presenting them as cannibals and savages is dehumanizing of a civilization.”

Those are some of the stereotypes that students and professors wanted to address when they created Willamette’s annual celebration of Africa four years ago. Growing student interest in the continent — fueled by multiple faculty members who are from Africa or do research there — led them to host the event to educate others about the true nature of the continent and its diversity.

“We want people to celebrate the diversity of Africa’s nations, and not just think of the continent as one country,” said Kelsey Walsh ’09, one of the organizers. “We’re lucky to have professors who care about teaching what is good about Africa.”

The theme of this year’s celebration was “Africa Around Us: Recognizing the Contributions of Africa and the African Diaspora throughout the Globe.”

Keynote speaker Sylvester Ogbechie, a renowned art historian and professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, discussed African art’s impact on the arts and cultures of the West. Other events included a film screening, a panel of community members discussing their advocacy work related to African issues, and an open mic night. The week culminated in a community celebration of Africa with a market, food, performances by marimba bands, an African dance workshop and a display of a giant puzzle map of the continent.

At the Heart of Darkness panel, the professors discussed ways the book’s negative stereotypes were a reflection of the time when it was written and its intended audience. They noted that all these issues made it essential for teachers using the book in the classroom to provide historical and cultural context for the story. “For some students, this book is the only view they have of Africa, and that’s problematic when they don’t get any context to go with it,” said Joyce Millen, associate professor of anthropology.

The discussion raised many interesting questions as each professor brought his or her own expertise to the table. As Andries Fourie, the assistant professor of art who led the panel, noted: “This is the greatest value of a liberal arts education, that we can have this type of discussion with people of very different disciplines.”

Connecting with the Land

Almost from the moment Kimberlee Chambers arrived on campus two years ago, students have been knocking on her office door, looking for her assistance on research and campus projects.

That’s what happens when your area of expertise is something close to everyone’s hearts: food. Chambers, an assistant professor of environmental science and Latin American studies, has researched everything from Mexican peppers to Willamette Valley farms.

Chambers is an ethnoecologist who studies the ways people manage and interact with their landscape, and the relationship between cultural diversity and biodiversity. Much of her research has focused on agriculture in Mexico. She traveled there to study the harvesting and commercialization of a native wild chili pepper, and to interview Mexican farmers who continue to grow traditional varieties of corn instead of switching to something more modern that produces a higher yield.

When she came to Willamette, located in a valley known for its long growing season and rich soil, students began approaching her with another food interest: local and sustainable agriculture. The local food movement has grown so quickly in popularity in recent years that the word “locavore” was New Oxford American Dictionary’s 2007 word of the year.

“The amount of attention to this topic has been endless, and much of the attention has been focused on Oregon,” Chambers says. “The sustainable ag interest on campus is hugely student driven.”

Chambers and her students received immediate support from the University’s food service provider, Bon Appétit Management Company, which is recognized nationally for working with area farmers to provide the campus with local and sustainably produced foods.

Two faculty grants from Willamette — one through the Hewlett Grant program and the other from the Center for Sustainable Communities — helped Chambers develop curriculum and create opportunities for students to study agriculture in the area. Students also were finding their own ways explore the issue. One group who had organized a Take a Break (TaB) service trip to visit local farms and learn about sustainable agriculture asked Chambers to be a faculty advisor.

Chambers also created a College Colloquium class called “Geography of Food” to help first-year students explore their connection with the landscape. She brings in popular Willamette Valley produce to illustrate her lessons and introduce the students to crops many have never seen. For their final paper, the students analyzed the possibility of eating an all-local diet in their hometowns.

“One of my end goals would be to get the students to think more critically about what they’re eating,” Chambers says.

People are attracted to the local food movement for numerous reasons, including a desire for more flavorful food, worries about the environmental impact of conventional agriculture and concerns about food safety.

But the largest draw for many locavores seems to be the sense of community they feel from becoming involved in a network of people who care about food, Chambers says. They enjoy learning about what’s growing in their area and feeling connected to the land.

“A lot of theoretical papers have been written about how we are simultaneously becoming a more global society as well as a more local society. People want to feel like they belong somewhere. They want to feel at home. Going to the farmers market to buy your food, and talking with the farmer while you buy it, fulfills that need.”

Business at the Crossroads

Marketing Professor Elliot Maltz remembers an old Chinese proverb — or curse — that says, “May you live in interesting times.” The times, he says, could not be more interesting.

The economy is experiencing meltdown, says the Atkinson Graduate School of Management professor, but there’s another current at work as well. “Our way of doing business has come to a crossroads.

“A few years ago I got to thinking about how corporations, government and nonprofits can jointly add value,” says Maltz, who was attracted to Willamette because of the business school’s emphasis on nonprofit and government sectors. “How do you maximize the value to society? How do you achieve corporate social responsibility?

“Traditionally,” Maltz says, “the focus has been for corporations to enhance value for shareholders, but times have changed. Since 2003 more than 400 books and 900 articles have been written about corporate social responsibility. The idea has gone mainstream.”

Unfortunately, Maltz says, few companies do it well. “Companies find themselves caught between public demands for more corporate social responsibility and shareholder demands to maximize short-term profits, but I believe there is a way for both companies and societies to prosper.

“A lot of literature about sustainability and corporate social responsibility has been focused on pushing corporations to do ‘good things.’ However, much of the literature has a hole in it. It assumes that if corporations do good things for society, it is the best use of their resources. This is a pretty big assumption. What if an organization does what society wants but goes out of business? What happens to the workers? Their jobs are lost. Is that good for society? What happens to the tax revenues? They’re gone. Is that good for society? What about the value of goods delivered to customers?”

Maltz’s aim is to help managers understand how to be market driven while adding value for their employees, customers and communities. “Many companies already contribute services and products that enhance life both directly and indirectly. I try to help determine what customers really value and what companies have that can give value. Corporate responsibility can be market driven.”

Maltz cites Wal-Mart as an example. A corporate giant, its superior purchasing power and operational efficiency allowed it to reduce prices on generic prescription drugs. Lower prices brought in new customers and increased market penetration. It was good for business, but it was also good for people on fixed incomes with limited or no health insurance, and the move forced other retailers to lower drug prices, spreading the benefits further and helping society lower healthcare costs.

“Wal-Mart is also moving toward sustainable practices and green marketing in their supply chain,” Maltz says. “They envision themselves as creators of change, and they are big enough to effect change. But they wouldn’t go this direction if it were not good for the bottom line.

“A lot of companies are figuring out that sustainability makes good financial sense. They won’t grow because corporations are necessarily interested in saving the world, but because reducing waste is cost efficient for the firm and the broader community. They find that creating sustainable supply chains actually reduces costs.

“As the market for green products grows, economies of scale kick in, costs go down, and markets grow even more. In five years you won’t be able to buy a traditional light bulb in this country; they’ll all be energy efficient. Green buildings are still a high-end market, but they’re going to show more and more payback.

“In short, things we took for granted until two or three years ago, won’t be taken for granted anymore. And there will be a need for change agents to help managers implement this new philosophy of business efficiently and effectively.”

The Atkinson school plans to offer an area of interest in sustainability management in the near future. “We want to bring in all perspectives — politics, environment, economics, the private sector, government and science,” Maltz says. “Many of our students are socially conscious and interested in a societal perspective. If I’m right and firms are going to look for change agents to help them rethink the way they do business, this area of interest is likely to be very popular.”

Consulting the Divine — and Monty Python

He’s one of the first administrators students encounter when they arrive on campus, and one of the last they hear from when they leave.

The Rev. Charlie Wallace, University chaplain, welcomes the new class every fall during matriculation with inspiring thoughts about Willamette’s history and what the students will discover during their years here. And as they cross the commencement stage at the end of their journey, Wallace is there again to offer words of encouragement and send them on their next adventure.

Some rarely encounter Wallace in the interim years, while others look to him and associate chaplain, the Rev. Karen Wood, as their spiritual advisors, teachers, confidantes. Faculty, staff and administrators often frequent the chaplains’ office as well, looking for guidance on everything from personal dilemmas to how to address social justice on campus.

“I wear many hats,” Wallace says. “I teach a few classes in religious studies. I try to connect the institutional church with the campus, I try to be a good colleague in Campus Life, I’m a liaison for the various student religious groups, and I’m available for liturgical and pastoral work.

“It’s no easy balance. You’re working with people who are strongly religious, people who are vaguely religious and people who are anti-religious. You have to learn how to work with people on all those levels and encourage them on their own paths while maintaining a sense of community in the process. We try to offer a welcoming space at the University that encompasses all the students, faculty and staff.”

Founded in 1842 by missionary Jason Lee, who came to the Oregon Territory to establish a Methodist mission for Native Americans, Willamette University still maintains a relationship with The United Methodist Church. However, that relationship is more historical, one that is evident today in the University’s chaplains’ office and religious studies department.

“We try to connect people with their spiritual growth, whether or not they’re Methodist,” Wallace says. “We don’t demand any faith statements. That’s the difference between a Christian college and a church-related college. As a church-related college, we don’t say you have to follow the Methodist faith to attend.”

The Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church still appoints several of Willamette’s trustees and holds its annual summer meeting on campus three years out of every four. Wallace is Willamette’s fourth chaplain; before that, the university’s presidents often were ministers. “After the mid-20th century, universities and colleges began to appoint chaplains because the president became more of the administrative front of the university,” Wallace says. “When Willamette started having non-ordained, non-Methodist presidents, the church naturally wanted someone to represent the ministry.

“Oregon is much less religiously oriented than other states in the union. We try to represent religious tradition at some level, but also to engage others and help them move forward on their own path.”

In 2001 Willamette received a grant to start the Lilly Project for Theological, Spiritual and Ethical Exploration of Vocation. The program allows people across campus to engage in research, service and discussion to help students discover their vocation or calling in life — whether that’s a calling to faith, to service or to some other end.

“With the Lilly Project, we engage people with what their talents are,” Wallace says. “We help students ‘make a life’ as well as ‘make a living.’”

Today’s students tend to be “spiritual, but not religious,” Wallace says. But that doesn’t mean religious groups are absent from campus. About six religion-affiliated student organizations are currently active, including several evangelical Christian groups, the Newman Club for Catholics and the Jewish Student Union.

Wallace, who has been a United Methodist minister since 1973, has worked on campuses for nearly 25 years. Among the qualities that students find endearing is his easy humor. Visitors to his office will find Monty Python posters — “They have an odd and interesting view of religion, among other things. The ministry of silly walks is my favorite,” he says — and he often peppers his prayers and speeches with pop culture references and jokes about the campus. He once even tried to rap during an invocation. “The rapping isn’t really working out. But I got some props for trying anyway,” he says.

“Using humor is a good way to represent things that are different than they ought to be. Humor — when it’s not putting people down — can be healing and redeeming, and it can wake people up.”

‘Get Paid to Do What You Love’

If Monique Bourque could have it her way, every Willamette student would come through her office at some point before graduation.

“I’ve met so many interesting and talented students on this campus, but there are also a lot of wonderful people who never make it into my office,” says Bourque, director of Student Academic Grants and Awards. “My goals are to reach more students and to reach them earlier in their time here.”

Why does she want to talk with them? “The core of my job is helping students apply for awards that need a university nomination,” she says. “I work with people who have ideas for projects they’d like to pursue but need help getting funding. I think I have the best job. I spend most of my day meeting interesting students and listening to them talk about their passions.”

If you ask those students, they’ll tell you she does much more than listen — although that’s important. She is a significant source of information about scholarship and fellowship opportunities for any discipline. She helps students prepare and edit their applications, connects them with faculty for recommendations, prepares them for interviews and mentors them throughout the process.

“Just talking to her is a great idea for anyone because she can help coax out of the recesses of your mind what it is you love,” says Nick Woolsey ’09, who worked with Bourque on several grant applications. “Then, if you love it enough, she can help you find people who will pay you to do it. Monique offers one of the rarest opportunities in the world to our campus: Get paid to do what you love.”

Many universities have a faculty member or staff person who assists students in applying for external grants and scholarships; only a small but growing number have someone like Bourque, who does it full time.

“I tell prospective students and parents they should consider the fact that my position exists,” Bourque says. “It’s a concrete representation of Willamette’s support for helping students figure out what they want to do outside the classroom and after college.”

Many of those who have made it into Bourque’s office have found great success. Willamette students and alumni continually receive some of the most prestigious awards in the country, including Carnegie, Fulbright, Goldwater, Kellogg, Truman, Udall and Watson fellowships and scholarships.

For the past two years, the Fulbright Program recognized Willamette as one of the top producers of U.S. Fulbright Fellows — four students and alumni won the award in 2008–09, and 15 have received the grants in the past five years. When Bourque arrived on campus in 2004, Willamette had only four Fulbright applicants. This fall, 20 applied through Willamette, including seven alumni.

“I think Willamette students are naturally a good fit for a lot of fellowship programs,” Bourque says. “Our students have a sense of social responsibility, solid intellectual training, curiosity about the world and an understanding that they can make things happen. These are qualities that these programs like.”

In addition to the national programs, Bourque also guides students to three internal grant opportunities: Carson Summer Undergraduate Research Grants, which allow students of any discipline to undertake a summer research or creative project; the Presidential Scholarship, which provides one full semester’s tuition or a graduate fellowship as well as money for summer research; and the College Colloquium Student Research Grants, available to first-year students interested in pursuing summer research relating to their College Colloquium class.

Despite their many successes, students can’t always have winning applications. But just taking the time to apply is a learning experience, Bourque says.

“I try to encourage everyone to think about what I’m doing with the students as a process, and that process is important regardless of the outcome. It gets them thinking about their future, they’re practicing writing that is useful for future job applications or grant writing, and they get interview experience while enhancing their critical thinking.”

“The incentive to work hard with Monique is different from taking a normal class,” Woolsey says. “With Monique you are working hard for yourself, your field of study, your school, your community, your nation and your world. Even if the grant doesn’t go through, the process of working hard to open the door to higher learning provides a valuable experience for future situations when it will be necessary to express an idea you are passionate about.”