Harshman to lead First-Year Odyssey program

The First-Year Odyssey program has been an important innovation in teaching but also in introducing freshman to the university setting. The FYO now has a new director:

Melissa Harshman, an associate professor in the University of Georgia's Lamar Dodd School of Art, has been named faculty director of the First-Year Odyssey Seminar program. Through the program, small-group academic seminars taught by tenured and tenure-track faculty are offered to all incoming freshmen. Harshman follows Tim Foutz, who served as director in the founding year of the program from 2011-12.

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"The First Year Odyssey program not only allows freshmen to work with some of the most distinguished faculty on campus, but also introduces them to the myriad of exciting opportunities at the University of Georgia," said Harshman. "I'm delighted to be leading such an auspicious program."

My own bias aside(!), it's important to have an art professor and artist rotate into this position. A lot of what we do at the university is preparing people to be active citizens, critical thinkers and leaders, if they are so inclined. The arts are a crucial aspect of the university experience as preparation for an engaged citizenry - what one contributes to them as well as what one receives. 

Congratulations to the program and to Harshman.