By: Michael Hodges
Staff Writer
Wingate students are taking notice of a significant change to the
university’s Lyceum program this semester, as the number of events being
offered has dropped by more than 60 percent—from 101 last spring to just
40 this fall.
However, while the percentage of Lyceums has dropped dramatically, the
amount required for graduation—24—is staying the same.
Students want to know why.
Lyceum Director Keyua McElveen said the change was made for two
reasons: students waiting until their senior year to attend most of their
required Lyceums, and a greater emphasis on the quality of the events.
She said the quality of the Lyceums in recent years has been lacking, with
too much dependence on faculty to volunteer their services to present
programs and a limited staff with which to work in putting on the events.
“I have a Lyceum Committee and when I first addressed them with this
idea, they rejected it,” McElveen said. “But I was able to convince them last
year to back and support this decision, along with my supervisor and the
provost.”
So from now on there will be 40 Lyceum events per semester—10 each in
the areas of Faith, Growth, Arts and Lecture. Wingate students are required
to complete four events in each of those areas plus eight “electives”
selected from all of them. Transfers require half that number.
Wingate is unique in its use of the Lyceum, which was inspired by the
teachings of Greek philosopher Aristotle.
According to the program’s page on the main Wingate website, Lyceums “provide a unique co-curricular enrichment program that aims to assemble, educate and support students in their pursuit of discovery and causation learning. Through engaging public lectures, concerts and entertainment, students can expand their observation of the world around them…”
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