The Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives has a strong commitment to student outreach and instruction, teaching up to 120 instructional sessions per year. SCUA’s class sessions often incorporate a PowerPoint presentation, a “pop-up” display of related archival material, and a hands-on primary source analysis. This exercise integrates a variety of items from across SCUA collections, using an evaluation worksheet to assess students understanding of how to distinguish between primary and secondary sources, identify basic information about the item, recognize the significance of perspective and bias, and contextualize resources for research and writing.
The following are some of the many creative sessions developed by the SCUA archivists:
ART 344: Imaging I (Formerly called Digital Darkroom)
We were happy to welcome the Imaging I class to the archives where the students worked with Suzanne Helms and Carolyn Shankle to challenge their understanding of what truth is through images.
ART 487: Variable Topics in Photography
Students from this advanced photographic studio visited the archives to study early cameras and related devices. They also had a hands-on experience with some of the archives’ extensive photograph collection. Kathelene Smith and Sean Mulligan provided guidance on the activities.
THR 145: Stagecraft: Costume
Kathelene McCarty Smith and Patrick Dollar welcomed students from THR 145 for a program featuring textiles and artifacts from University Archives Collections. Students had the opportunity to view clothing and historical photographs that reflected the history of the college from its beginnings in 1892 until the 1970s. This information was incorporated into a class project about creating historical costumes.
ART 326: Printmaking I
Students from ART 326 spent their studio time exploring examples of printmaking from Rare Books with Carolyn Shankle and completed a broadside using the wood type on SCUA’s 19th century iron handpress with Suzanne Helms.
ART 140: Foundations in New Media and Design 1
Professor Topher Alexander brought students from his ART 140 Foundations in New Media and Design class to the Hodges Reading Room for two pop-up exhibits curated by Carolyn Shankle, “Timeline of Zines” and “What is a Zine, Anyway?” The class session exposed students to new ideas about how zines have changed over time and what formats they can choose when creating their own work.
