Evelyn Bateman

Professor Adam Haley

Overview

English 137H is a freshman honors writing and speaking course designed to explore the relationship between rhetoric and civic engagement. A significant component of this course involves keeping three weekly blogs to practice writing and effective communication. The RCL blog includes reflections on relevant class topics and other rhetorical and civic material. The Works in Progress blog focuses on the development and discussion of concurrent course assignments. The subject of the passion blog is chosen by the student. I chose to keep my first semester passion blog on outdoor recreation, hiking in particular, and my second semester passion blog on philanthropy at Penn State.

Beyond writing blogs, students are expected to read and comment on other classmates’ blogs once a week. This exercise not only encourages discussion of important issues, but also allows students to practice written dialogue, a primary objective of Engl 137H.

The blogs offer a rhetorical space for both personal thought and community-wide engagement.