Themester

Themester guests such as Takei brought students together to learn from all across the College. “In my experience, people are really focused on their major. It felt like there was a lot of siloing of majors,” said Syd Tomlinson, 2021 IU graduate and former Themester intern. “Themester was such a great way to bridge those divides and bring students in the College of Arts and Sciences and outside the college together.”

"Themester normalized curiosity across the boundaries we impose upon ourselves," said Dr. Halloran. “It made it okay for people who are interested in a topic to attend things that they would normally prevent themselves from trying out.” 

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Themester and its campus partners adapted to ensure the Bloomington community could still participate in Themester 2020 Democracy. Program organizers adapted in person events to Zoom. “I remember having to sit down to test the Zoom links repeatedly in order to figure out how we could do a panel where you can’t see the other participants,” said Zach Fischer, 2021 IU graduate and former Themester intern.  

Fischer’s most favorite moments from Themester includes the discussion on the film Election and weekly Themester staff meetings. He enjoyed seeing the administrative side of the university and learning about all of the Themester events happening on campus. “Themester did a great job of getting me out of my comfort zone,” said Fischer. “The most fun part about Themester was going into something that I knew nothing about and coming out as a big fan of it.” 

Another big fan of Themester is alum Ryan Myers. For Themester 2011 Making War, Making Peace, Themester brought the late Madeleine Albright to campus. Myers was one of several students who had the opportunity to talk with the former United States Secretary of State before her lecture. Albright mentioned her discussion with Myers during her talk at IU Auditorium.

Before graduating in 2015, Myers interned for Themester 2012 Good Behavior, Bad Behavior and Themester 2013 Connectedness. Now, he works in the United States Senate as a speechwriter. His Themester internship required him to conduct an informational interview. Initially he thought the task was strange, but Myers learned how helpful these interviews can be and continued to conduct them after graduation. “That is the reason I connected with my mentor, and the reason, really, that I have the job I have today,” said Myers. 

In addition to providing professional experiences for students, Themester impacted faculty. “Themester has helped the faculty get to know their colleagues across campus,” said Jim Capshew, IU Historian and Professor of History and Philosophy of Science. Capshew served on the Themester 2010 sustain•ability advisory committee. After that semester, the advisory committee continued to work together on sustainability efforts. 

Themester ended with the theme Lux et Veritas | Light and Truth, the Indiana University motto. “Fifteen years was a good stopping point as the University and the College move in new directions,” said Tracy Bee, who coordinated the Themester program for over 13 years as the College’s Director of Academic Initiatives. 

“Professor Colin Johnson from Gender Studies suggested the theme of Light and Truth several years ago when the College was looking for a theme to complement the celebration of the University’s Bicentennial [in 2019],” said Bee.  

The College went with Remember and Forgetting that year. “It was good that we did, because I can’t think of a more fitting final theme than the motto that you see on the University seal,” said Bee. “It pays homage to both the institution’s history, but also our goals and ideals. The motto is about inquiry and the creation of knowledge. Every Themester was really an exploration and celebration of knowledge.”