Through a unique combination of bioethics and literature, two courses leverage each other’s perspectives and strengths, creating a dynamic collaboration that enriches students’ academic skills.
Now in their fourth collaborative iteration, Bioethics (BIOL 103), taught by McGavacks Professor of Biology and Director of Undergraduate Research Michael Wolyniak, and Literature and Medicine (ENGL 195), taught by Johns Professor of English Sarah Hardy, have been offered every other year since 2019. The courses explore a wide range of topics through the lenses of biology and literature, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, enriching student learning, and strengthening overall academic skills.
In previous years, the two courses were offered in separate semesters, with Hardy’s class in the fall and Wolyniak’s in the spring. Students who took one course often ended up enrolling in the other, giving both professors a reason to bring the courses into a single semester as a collaborative effort. In 2019, during the first joint iteration, the courses functioned as a living-learning community, with only freshmen enrolled in both courses, all living together in one dorm—half of whom were Hardy’s advisees and half Wolyniak’s. Today, these courses continue to primarily serve freshmen who are advisees of both Hardy and Wolyniak—all of whom take both courses—while fostering and expanding the essential skills needed for success in college and beyond.
“Dr. Wolyniak and I made a list over the summer of essential skills all freshmen should develop in their first semester, such as using planners, managing schedules, understanding the value of group work, and more,” Hardy says. “These courses help develop these skills and help students set expectations for themselves and their peers, while strengthening reading skills and integrating them with academic material.”
While seamlessly integrating essential skills and advising material, the courses focus on combining a humanities perspective with scientific thinking. Students attend one of the two classes each day throughout the week, allowing them to become fully immersed in the material over the semester. In Bioethics, which Hardy attends once a week, students examine the ethical dimensions of science and its relationship to society and everyday life, completing weekly reflective writing assignments that encourage them to synthesize ideas from both courses. Meanwhile, Literature and Medicine, attended by Wolyniak once a week, invites students to analyze narratives about medicine from multiple perspectives, engage with the health humanities by exploring how storytelling, reading, and writing shape our understanding of illness and patient care, and draw real-world connections to the scientific and ethical issues discussed in Bioethics.
“This type of course model is what makes Hampden-Sydney truly distinctive,” Wolyniak says. “Few institutions offer this level of intentional interdisciplinary learning.
“It’s also a compelling way for students to engage with science and think scientifically without diving deeply into the technical side. Think of it as exploring the intersection of science and society. Even if you don’t plan to become a scientist, I want you to consider how scientific issues will impact your life.”
Building on Wolyniak’s perspective, Hardy adds: “Narrative medicine is a big movement that's sweeping a lot of medical schools at the moment, where students enrolled are being invited to take a humanities class—often a literature class—in order to learn about how to see illness and disease and what they are treating in their patients. This is part of a wave in terms of a new way to think about medical education.”
As an exciting addition, the final capstone project combines both courses and has students collaborating intentionally throughout the semester. Each group selects a public health topic and creates a chapter for an academic zine—a creative, research-based publication that integrates text and graphics to engage a general audience. Each group’s chapter raises awareness about key issues within their chosen topic and presents arguments for how society and individuals should address them. Students conduct research, cite sources, and present information that is both informative and compelling. In addition, the project helps students develop skills in communication, teamwork, and scholarship, showcasing the knowledge learned throughout the courses.
“I believe the two courses complement each other very well,” Spencer Wingfield ’29 says. “Dr. Wolyniak’s class focuses on specific bioethical issues, such as the case of Henrietta Lacks, raising questions about when her cells cease to belong to her, or the case of Terri Schiavo, who was brain-dead while her husband wished to remove her life support and her parents wanted to keep her alive, prompting discussion of who holds power of attorney. In Dr. Hardy’s class, we examine these topics through a literary lens, studying short stories by William Carlos Williams and Franz Kafka. The conversations in Dr. Wolyniak’s class provide concrete examples that enrich the discussions in Dr. Hardy’s class.”
These courses exemplify the collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that makes a Hampden-Sydney education a one-of-a-kind and truly distinctive experience. As our devoted faculty continue to join forces, they offer unique and engaging courses that seamlessly blend engaging academic material with essential skills, helping students think critically, make meaningful connections across disciplines, and prepare for success in college and life beyond.