CYF Day of Defense

Yesterday was the Children, Youth, and Family thesis defense day. Twelve of us presented our theses, which were part of the last of the CYF trilogy of classes. In the Roy Harrisville Dance Hall (can a dance hall be carpeted?) on campus we shared our thesis arguments and fielded questions from faculty, classmates, and observers at the event. There were many fascinating, relevant, and exciting ideas being shared. There were also many high-fives, hugs, and lots of nervous sweating. In addition to being a great day of articulating rousing academic thoughts - it was a great day of community. I was proud to be presenting alongside the insightful and challenging work of colleagues. We ended up the Day-of-Defense with a CYF community banquet honoring graduating seniors, blessing interns leaving for the next year, and announcing whose theses were selected as finalists in a competition.

I feel like I've been letting out a sigh of relief for the past day. Big whew! It is wonderful to be a part of the first CYF class to write and publicly defend a thesis here at Luther.