Stanford Continuing Studies Classes

This past year, a friend and I have been taking classes through Stanford University's continuing studies program. I have loved driving up to the beautiful campus in Palo Alto each week.

Fall semester, we took a course on the Arab Spring; it was interesting to realize how much I do not know about the Arab world. Our instructor was a reporter for the New York Times, and was in Egypt when the Mubarak regime fell. His first-hand account of his experience was harrowing and unbelievable. And to think, he was available to teach at Stanford! I felt very blessed to be receiving such an authentic instruction.

Winter semester, we took a class called Architecture and Archaeology of Ancient Rome. I absolutely loved  it. As a humanities major, Rome seemed more or less familiar to me, but I was amazed at the amount I learned from the professor. It was wonderful to narrow my focus and learn about the detailed chronology of one place. I feel like it really strengthened my humanities foundation, and I will never forget how engaging the professor was. He had us laughing at his colloquial explanations of history, and his fervent hand gestures as he was trying to explain things were very memorable. Loved this class.

We are currently enrolled in a class about the Catholic church after the Vatican II council of the 1960s. Each lecture is taught by a different visiting professor, priest, or nun, and handles topics such as the ordination of women, the involvement of the laypeople, the liturgy being changed to native languages, missionary work vs. tolerance, etc.  My friend and I have even had the opportunity to attend mass at Stanford and talk to the priests afterward. It's a very respectful, non-threatening conversation about what our religions have in common, plus some of the common challenges both our churches are facing in today's world.

I have loved being a part of the learning and discussions and discoveries going on at Stanford, and I have enjoyed the 25-minute commute with my friend. We have great discussions, and it has definitely strengthened my already wonderful friendship with her. I'm hoping that CSU classes remain a part of my life here for a long, long time.