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The University of Oklahoma • Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Comunication

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MULTICULTURAL MARKETING: Dream Course speaker Marie Quintana (center), vice president for PepsiCo, visits with Gaylord students about inclusion practices in corporate America. Photo by Cat Bark

Dream Course Awakens Students
Five distinguished professionals talked to students about media and minorities

By Kelli Villarreal

The University of Oklahoma has classes on many subjects and of many sizes, but only a few of them can be described as “dreamy.”

Each semester since 2004, OU President David L. Boren has chosen a few courses from various academic areas as Presidential Dream Courses. The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication offered its first dream course in spring 2006: Associate Dean Meta G. Carstarphen’s Race, Gender and the Media class.

“Dream courses make a very important contribution to the intellectual vitality of the university,” Boren says. “They allow our students to interact with top scholars and professionals from around the world in the context of their course of study. In addition, they give faculty members an incentive to think creatively in designing their courses and to raise their sights about the potential role played by guest lecturers.”

Singley

McKosato

J Carstarphen

Meyers

Quintana

M Carstarphen

Boren provides a budget of up to $20,000 for each Dream Course. The funds are to cover the costs of bringing illustrious individuals to the campus to speak to students in the course and to interact with others in the OU and Norman communities through public lectures and receptions. Students in African and African-American Studies, business, law and other fields met with Carstarphen’s speakers.

Carstarphen brought to campus Harlan McKosato, former host of National Public Radio’s “Native America Calling”; John Carstarphen Jr., an award-winning independent filmmaker and her brother; Marian J. Meyers, associate professor of communication at Georgia State University; Bernestine Singley, Harvard Law School graduate and author of “When Race Becomes Real”; and Marie Quintana, vice president, ethnic sales development, PepsiCo Sales.

“I wanted to choose a wide variety of guests who had dealt with the issues of race and gender in many fields and in many ways,” Carstarphen says. “From filmmaking to sales strategies, we heard from experts about these very important issues.”

The process for being named a Dream Course takes months of effort, Carstarphen says. Professors must submit a written proposal to the dean of their college for first approval. Then the proposal goes to the provost’s office. Boren, of course, has ultimate approval.

“The dream course experience and opportunity itself is exciting,” Carstarphen says. “It’s an inventive and creative idea. Boren’s vision provides an opportunity for faculty members to do something different and really creative with a course. We all fantasize about what we would do with a course ‘If only’ we had enough money, time, etc. The Dream Course program provides the money to take that first step.”

Singley says that even in her two days here, she saw the benefits of the course.

CULTURAL RADIO: OU alumnus Harlan McKosato speaks to students about broadcasting for minority audiences during the Race, Gender and the Media Dream Course. Photo by Cat Bark

“I think this course is an opportunity for students to be challenged, to think beyond what their normal parameters are,” she said. “It creates an opportunity for students to go beyond just being formally educated to be really engaged with major issues.”

Carstarphen, who has worked as a public relations professional as well as in academia, says that bringing in people with enough experience to have strong opinions and the facts to back up what they say provides students with the kind of intellectual and emotional stimulation that even the best lecture and PowerPoint presentation can’t do.

“This kind of course offers the possibility of exposing students to unique learning experiences, and that is what college is about,” she says. “You should really be able as a college student to get exposed to people of different views, hear exciting lecturers, participate in discussions and exchange ideas with people who don’t necessarily agree with you but offer some passion to their views. That’s really the good stuff of the college experience.”

The students say they appreciate an opportunity to experience some of that “good stuff.”

“Through this course, I have had wonderful one-on-one experiences with people who I would never have met in my lifetime, no less five in one semester,” journalism junior Emily Ruggs says. “Bernestine Singley, along with the others, communicated valuable knowledge that could not have been disseminated as effectively any other way.”

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					The University of Oklahoma • Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Comunication
					Features MULTICULTURAL MARKETING: Dream Course speaker Marie Quintana (center), vice president for PepsiCo, visits with Gaylord students about inclusion practices in corporate America. Photo by Cat Bark Dream Course Awakens Students Five distinguished professionals talked to students about media and minorities By Kelli Villarreal The University of Oklahoma has classes on many subjects and of many sizes, but only a few of them can be described as “dreamy.” Each semester since 2004, OU President David L. Boren has chosen a few courses from various academic areas as Presidential Dream Courses. The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication offered its first dream course in spring 2006: Associate Dean Meta G. Carstarphen’s Race, Gender and the Media class. “Dream courses make a very important contribution to the intellectual vitality of the university,” Boren says. “They allow our students to interact with top scholars and professionals from around the world in the context of their course of study. In addition, they give faculty members an incentive to think creatively in designing their courses and to raise their sights about the potential role played by guest lecturers.” Singley McKosato J Carstarphen Meyers Quintana M Carstarphen Boren provides a budget of up to $20,000 for each Dream Course. The funds are to cover the costs of bringing illustrious individuals to the campus to speak to students in the course and to interact with others in the OU and Norman communities through public lectures and receptions. Students in African and African-American Studies, business, law and other fields met with Carstarphen’s speakers. Carstarphen brought to campus Harlan McKosato, former host of National Public Radio’s “Native America Calling”; John Carstarphen Jr., an award-winning independent filmmaker and her brother; Marian J. Meyers, associate professor of communication at Georgia State University; Bernestine Singley, Harvard Law School graduate and author of “When Race Becomes Real”; and Marie Quintana, vice president, ethnic sales development, PepsiCo Sales. “I wanted to choose a wide variety of guests who had dealt with the issues of race and gender in many fields and in many ways,” Carstarphen says. “From filmmaking to sales strategies, we heard from experts about these very important issues.” The process for being named a Dream Course takes months of effort, Carstarphen says. Professors must submit a written proposal to the dean of their college for first approval. Then the proposal goes to the provost’s office. Boren, of course, has ultimate approval. “The dream course experience and opportunity itself is exciting,” Carstarphen says. “It’s an inventive and creative idea. Boren’s vision provides an opportunity for faculty members to do something different and really creative with a course. We all fantasize about what we would do with a course ‘If only’ we had enough money, time, etc. The Dream Course program provides the money to take that first step.” Singley says that even in her two days here, she saw the benefits of the course. CULTURAL RADIO: OU alumnus Harlan McKosato speaks to students about broadcasting for minority audiences during the Race, Gender and the Media Dream Course. Photo by Cat Bark “I think this course is an opportunity for students to be challenged, to think beyond what their normal parameters are,” she said. “It creates an opportunity for students to go beyond just being formally educated to be really engaged with major issues.” Carstarphen, who has worked as a public relations professional as well as in academia, says that bringing in people with enough experience to have strong opinions and the facts to back up what they say provides students with the kind of intellectual and emotional stimulation that even the best lecture and PowerPoint presentation can’t do. “This kind of course offers the possibility of exposing students to unique learning experiences, and that is what college is about,” she says. “You should really be able as a college student to get exposed to people of different views, hear exciting lecturers, participate in discussions and exchange ideas with people who don’t necessarily agree with you but offer some passion to their views. That’s really the good stuff of the college experience.” The students say they appreciate an opportunity to experience some of that “good stuff.” “Through this course, I have had wonderful one-on-one experiences with people who I would never have met in my lifetime, no less five in one semester,” journalism junior Emily Ruggs says. “Bernestine Singley, along with the others, communicated valuable knowledge that could not have been disseminated as effectively any other way.” Back to Top











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