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First-year CCNY students can take an exciting new course, Worldmaking: Introduction to Global Humanities and Arts. Worldmaking is a dynamic sampling of the humanities and arts where students learn about many subjects, such as music, writing, philosophy, art, and history. Each week, faculty members from the humanities and the arts (H&A) departments share highlights from their field, along with personal insights from their scholarship. This process gives students a chance to see the range of intellectual activities explored in H&A. They also discover the importance of stories—how they contribute to our understanding of the world and finding our place in it. Dean Renata Miller envisioned this class as not only an introduction to the breadth of H&A but also a place for students to establish connections with each other and faculty members. The course, developed and led by Professor Marit Dewhurst, is designed to bring students together, improve critical thinking, and spark students' curiosity about different cultures, histories, and creative expressions.

Worldmaking is unique for various reasons. Every week, there is a large group lecture followed by a smaller seminar session. Dewhurst says, "There's no quiet in this class. We start every class with an action, such as a drawing activity or a brief discussion, to get everyone involved, even when there are two-hundred and seventy of us. The students should be able to relate to both the subject and each other." During the smaller seminars, graduate student instructors lead small groups of students in activities and discussions connected to the lecture. There, students can experiment with various forms of writing and creative expression, such as a dramatic reading of a one-act play, analyzing a historical text, or conducting a character study. One of the recurring media of communication is the zine. Constructing zines, which are based on the do-it-yourself spirit of punk culture, makes it easy for students to share their thoughts on cultural experiences in a way that is personal and open to everyone (and off electronic devices).

A student once told Dewhurst after a lecture by Kedon Willis, an assistant professor of English, "I've never had a speaker who articulates so much of what I'm feeling in the world." Their response certainly is not one of a kind. “These kinds of discoveries constantly happen,” Dewhurst notes. "Every week, a new group of students lights up at a different subject and realizes they are passionate about a subject they hadn't thought about or prepped for. The class also helps students get to know each other well; many say it's one of the few times they get to know their classmates." At the end of the term, students gave each other their contact information, hoping they could stay connected as they continued their CCNY journeys. 

A major goal of the Worldmaking course is to help students understand why learning the humanities and arts is important. Students often hear that the humanities and arts don't lead to actual jobs. "But the truth," Dewhurst says, "is that people who study the arts and humanities learn some of the most useful skills in the modern world: how to think critically, write elegantly, and look at things from different points of view.” Students engage in activities throughout the term to enhance their observation, critical thinking, and creativity. Along with teaching these academic skills, Worldmaking acquaints students with how stories can change identities, memories, and social structures. The team of instructors encourages students to reflect on the stories they carry, the ones they need to tell, and those that shape their belief systems. Ultimately, the goal is for students to consider what kind of world they are creating together.

With its emphasis on intellectual inquiry, creative engagement, and community building, Worldmaking offers more than just a classroom experience—it encourages students to see their humanities and arts education as a transformative journey. For those exploring CCNY’s Humanities and Arts programs, this course provides an opportunity to expand their perspectives and deepen their creative practice.