From whooping cranes to criminal justice: UW-Oshkosh mini-lecture showcase sparks curiosity

Misty McPhee, right, professor of environmental studies at UW-Oshkosh, conducts field research with a student, near the Student Recreation and Wellness Center to study foraging behavior of small mammals. McPhee's work focuses on conservation biology and endangered species, including whooping crane reintroduction in Wisconsin, a topic she will highlight in her PAGE Showcase mini-lecture, Saving the Endangered Whooping Crane. (Photo taken in 2022)

UW-Oshkosh will throw open the doors of Sage Hall Thursday, April 29, inviting students and community members alike to step inside, explore and experience the university in a new way.

The showcase, hosted by UW-Oshkosh's School of Public Affairs and Global Engagement (PAGE), transforms classrooms into quick-hit learning spaces where visitors can sample a wide range of disciplines through fast-paced, 10-minute mini-lectures.

From criminal justice to environmental studies, philosophy to global languages, the event is designed to spark curiosity and offer a glimpse of what learning at UW-Oshkosh can look like.

"We are inviting current students, prospective students, community members, high school students and their parents, anyone curious, to have a night at the university," said Michelle Kuhl, professor of history and chair of the PAGE Vision and Planning Committee.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. with student organization tables, food and live music in the Sage Hall lobby, including a performance by a gospel choir. At 6:30 p.m., attendees will fan out across the building for a series of mini-lectures, rotating between classrooms every 15 minutes.

Sessions will take place throughout Sage Hall classrooms, with attendees free to move between topics every 15 minutes.

The concept is simple but intentional: give people a taste of different academic fields in a way that is engaging and memorable.

"People can take some little classes, get to know professors and get a little taste of it," Kuhl said.

A window into PAGE

The showcase also serves a broader purpose, introducing students and the community to PAGE itself, one of six schools at UWO.

Formed as part of UW-Oshkosh's recent program restructuring, PAGE brings together a wide range of disciplines connected to public life and global understanding, including history, political science, philosophy, environmental studies, languages and more.

"We have some really big disciplines people have heard of, but also smaller disciplines that students may not know much about or don't really know what that course would be like," Kuhl said.

That mix is part of what makes the showcase compelling. In a single evening, attendees can move from a discussion on the death penalty to a hands-on look at archaeology and 3D models, explore environmental challenges through endangered whooping cranes or even learn how to introduce themselves in four different languages. Other sessions dive into topics like Native American food, virtue ethics and the role of women and work, offering a wide-ranging glimpse into the ideas shaping public life and global understanding.

For undecided students or those considering a new major, the event offers something a course catalog cannot.

"It's one thing to look at a course description," Kuhl said. "It's another thing to see a professor bring that topic to life."

Bite-sized learning, lasting impact

The mini-lecture format, developed by the PAGE Vision and Planning Committee, is at the heart of the event's appeal.

Evan Williams, associate professor of philosophy and a member of the committee, said the goal is not to compress an entire subject into a short time, but to highlight one compelling idea.

"I'm not really thinking of it as condensing. I'm thinking of it as extracting," Williams said. "Take some single bite-sized idea… and if you want to hear the other 100 important concepts, you'll have to take my course."

The approach allows faculty to showcase both their subject matter and their teaching style, while giving attendees an experience that feels closer to being in a real classroom.

"I thought it would be interesting for the public to see the kinds of things that happen in university classrooms," Williams said.

That glimpse into the classroom experience is key, not only for prospective students, but also for community members who may not have stepped inside a university lecture hall in years.

Showcasing what UW-Oshkosh does best

The PAGE Showcase also reflects a larger effort to highlight the strengths of UW-Oshkosh and its faculty.

"At its heart, we're a very good university," Kuhl said. "We have great professors who give their all to their students and they're great in the classroom. And so we wanted to showcase that."

Faculty response has been strong, with more than a dozen instructors volunteering to participate, many eager to share their passion for their disciplines in a new format.

"Our faculty love their disciplines and they love their classes," Kuhl said. "They're willing to volunteer their time to do more."

The range of topics, from politics and public policy to culture, ethics and environmental science, reflects the breadth of PAGE and its focus on helping students understand the world around them.

"There's a lot of different things here that can help you think about the world and understand it a little better," Kuhl said.

Faculty share passion for teaching and research

Faculty participating in the showcase see it as an opportunity to connect with students in a different way and highlight the relevance of their fields.

For Misty McPhee, who will present "Saving the Endangered Whooping Crane," the goal is to give attendees both a realistic and hopeful view of conservation work.

"I hope people take away the challenges of conservation but also the hope embedded in that work," McPhee said.

She also sees the showcase as a chance to highlight the depth of work happening across PAGE and the university.

"I love the idea of exposing people to the breadth of amazing research and thinking that we do in PAGE and at UW-Oshkosh," she said. "I don't think most folks realize how much UW-Oshkosh faculty do outside of the classroom and how diverse and important that work is."

An invitation to explore

Ultimately, the PAGE Showcase is about discovery, giving people a chance to explore subjects they may not have considered and to see the university in a new light.

Whether it's learning about ethics, environmental challenges or global languages, the event invites attendees to step into the classroom, if only for a few minutes at a time.

For Evan Williams, that means introducing audiences to "Virtue Ethics: The Moral Importance of Practicing Good Habits," his mini-lecture focused on how everyday actions shape character.

And, as Williams suggests, those few minutes may be just enough to spark something more.

"If you want to hear the other 100 important concepts," he said with a grin, "you'll have to take my course."

Learn more:

PAGE Showcase Schedule

School of Public Affairs and Global Engagement at UWO

College of Public Affairs and Education at UWO