HIST 179: Rochester and Western New York is a course offered each spring at UR. The course affords students the chance to explore the beginnings, then, and nows of our community — from the booming flour mills along the Genesee of the Industrial Revolution to the rise and subsequent fall of Eastman Kodak. Through four essay assignments, students participate in a mix of historical research and personal immersion in local culture.
While UR classes are hallmarked by their rigorous content and renowned instructors, the institution’s motto, Meliora or “Ever Better,” suggests there is always room for growth. Across all disciplines, immersive, real-world learning is often the answer. Steeped in a milieu of rich economic, technological, and social history, our city offers boundless opportunities for learning beyond the textbook. This utilization of “city as classroom,” is both accessible and intriguing for University students. It is exactly the type of class that the University should implement to uniquely enhance the UR education.
Although Rochester and Western New York are home to many pivotal social justice movements, there is room for all students to learn first-hand from the city, regardless of major. Microbiology or ecology students may study samples of water from the Genesee River or Lake Ontario. Engineering majors can observe and learn from monumental feats, such as the Erie Canal or the former Lackawanna Railroad. English majors can immerse themselves in the works of acclaimed Rochester-native authors like Francis Bellamy or Beatrice Kaufman. And this is only the beginning. A breadth of opportunities for educational enhancement exist, should professors choose to incorporate facets of our community — past, present, and even future — into their curricula.
Notably, the Department of Public Health at UR joins neighboring departments as one that allows undergraduates to pursue community engagement for credits. For years, the department has offered PHLT 394E (Emergency Department Internship), a highly competitive program enabling exceptional students to learn from leaders in the medical field while concurrently conducting clinical research within the Strong Memorial Emergency Department. With research shifts available from 8 a.m.-12 a.m., seven days per week, students gain exposure to a wide variety of patients — many of whom live within Rochester, and hail from a myriad of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
When students can apply their knowledge — of scientific concepts, social theory, or literature — to real-world examples, learning assumes an entirely new meaning. Community-engaged learning jumps off the lecture slide into reality. Such an education becomes infused with a personal component that strengthens students’ understanding of and appreciation for the world beyond our UR bubble.
