Departments blendnew additions with traditional methods ofstudy History and Social Science Being at Harding is not a new experience for the latest addition to Harding's History and Social Science Department, Andy Olree, a 1989 graduate. Olree had always planned on teaching, even while an undergraduate at Harding and while attending law school at the University of Chicago. In law school, Olree kept in touch with the teachers at Harding and began applying to schools for teaching positions. When Harding offered him a job, he accepted. "Coming to Hardingwas agreat fit for me because I was already familiar with the campus. I knew that the student body was wonderful. It was a place that I could really be of service," Olree said. "Going to chapel for the first time in many years felt just the same. It was like being in a time warp. The same smells, the same school jerseys, the same slide shows, and all that stuff." Olree teaches political science courses. He has found his law degree to be very helpful in the classroom. "It especially comes into use when discussing American legal issues," he said. When in college, Olree tried to give himself a solid and diverse background of knowledge. That process involved learning "anything that I could get my hands on that offered another disciplinary approach . I think that has probably stood me in good stead in coming back here. It gives me some information to draw on for social science courses. " Olree says his teaching experience has been fun and rewarding. He found that his second day he was more nervous than the first because he was actually talking about subject matter instead of passing out syllabi . The nervousness Olree felt his first few days is still not gone, but it is getting better, he said. - Alyne Hoover Behavioral Sciences While much can be learned at Harding, the Behavioral Science Department's focus is a unique and personal one - the human experience. A simple definition for the behavioral sciences would describe them as studies in human actions. However, the subject matter is anything but simple.Lessons come from the emotions that everyone feels, the surrounding environment and interaction with each other. "What makes behavioral science so interesting, " department chair Dr.Jack Thomas said, "is also what makes it somewhat frustrating. Humans can be among the most unpredictable of God 's creations. There are things we never see which account for what other people do or what they feel." Searching for the roots of individual behavior ties in heavilywith classes in psychology. Studying the individual, students find that the mysteries of the individual are abundant, ranging from why one person thinks a certain way to what makes another person remember particular information. For sociology students, much of what their counterparts learn in psychology is presented on a larger scale. "Looking at the behavior of groups," Thomas said, "is really awhole other ball game. When one studies the individual , social class structures are rarely a part of the conversation, just as memory retention isn't the first thing examined with a group of 4,000." In learning about what brings people together, whether in a marriage or nationwide organization, students develop insights into what it takes to maintain bonds and address the problems that society shares. Overall, the Behavioral Sciences Department continued its stride toward a goal of better understanding life and all that contributes to it. Through this learning came an idea ofwhat to do and where to go in the future. - Eric Rodgers Ken Cameron, Ph.D., Asso. Prof., Psychology Mark Elrod, Ph.D., Ass't. Prof., Political Science Debbie Ford, M.S.W., Ass 't. Prof. , Social Work Jan Fortner, M.S., Lecturer, History, Bible Paul Haynie, Ph.D., Asso. Professor, History Ken Hobby, Ph.D. , Professor, Psychology Kathy Howard, Ed.D., Asso. Prof. , Psychology Tom Howard, Ed.D., Prof., Chair History, Social Science Dwight Ireland, Ed.D., Asso. Prof. , Psychology Fred Jewell , Ed.D., Professor, History JoAnne King, M.S.W., Instructor, Social Work Andy Olree, J.D. , Ass't. Prof., History, Pol. Science Walter Porter , Ph.D., Professor, Psychology Joe Segraves, Ph.D., Professor, History Terry Smith, M.S.W., Ass't. Prof., Dir. Social Work Tom Statom, Ph.D., Professor, History Jack Thomas, Ph.D., Prof. Psychology, Dept. Chair Bill Verkler, Ph.D., Professor, Sociology Behavioral Sciences ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ct ~~_.-,. 75 Aca emics .......
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