How J-Term Transforms Students
January Term is one of the most intentionally designed opportunities in Hollins’ academic calendar for student transformation.
The one-month term between fall and spring semesters offers students opportunities to stay on campus or venture away; to take up independent research or participate in a faculty-led seminar; to pick up a briefcase and go to work or pack a suitcase and fly to worlds unknown.
This past January was no exception.
Longstanding seminars such as Roanoke Circuit Court Judge David Carson’s “Trial and Error” course challenge students across majors, from psychology to elementary education, through hands-on engagement with the legal system. In “Survival in the Modern World,” taught by Mountain Shepherd Adventure School owner Dina Imbriani and Hollins Outdoor Program Director Jon Guy Owens, students pushed through a series of firsts — from rock-climbing to shelter-building.
At the heart of this year’s on-campus J-Term experience was “Conflict & Collaboration,” a newer seminar introduced as part of Hollins’ redesigned core curriculum. The course, which is for first-year students, focuses on developing skills that shape both academic success and life beyond college.
“Our previous curriculum had a strong emphasis on developing effective communication skills,” says Rachel Nuñez, associate professor and chair, history; Batten Chair in Leadership; director of core curriculum and first-year foundations. “We wanted to build on that while also helping students strengthen their collaboration and leadership skills, which we know are highly sought after by employers.”
Nuñez, who also directs the “First-Year Foundations” program, sees “Conflict & Collaboration” as a natural progression for new students. While “First-Year Foundations” centers on “telling your story,” this course shifts the focus outward.
“Conflict is something we all experience in our lives, and it can feel scary and overwhelming,” she said. “This course tries to reorient our attitude to conflict.”
This year, the course featured “special topics” sessions that allowed students to explore specific themes and faculty to introduce their areas of expertise and interests. From a game of “capture the flag” to demonstrate teamwork skills, to roleplaying games to practice debate tactics, students explored the foundations of leadership.
Other students ventured off campus into Hollins’ surrounding jurisdictions. According to Associate Director of Career and Life Design Amber Becke, of the 80 students who interned in the Roanoke Valley, about half participated in programming through Hollins’ Career and Life Design (CLD). The rest secured internships on their own.
For Taryn Shover ’26, a creative writing major with film and business minors, that initiative led to an internship with Boyd-Pearman Photography, a photo and video production company based in Roanoke.
“I applied to so many other internships that I didn’t get, but you always end up where you’re supposed to be,” she said. “Don’t close the doors just because you think they won’t open.”
Kenidee Rabenstein ’26 interned with CLD under Becke and CLD Director Blair Celli. T he experience opened the psychology major’s eyes to other potential post-grad paths.
“There’s a lot of pressure to go into high-stakes psychology fields, like therapy or psychiatry. I never really felt like I fit into one of those things,” Rabenstein said. “But this internship has shown me that I can go into something like career counseling and still help people without it being a life-or-death scenario.”
Anna Woods ’26 interned with Roanoke Public Libraries, digitizing and indexing a collection of about 700 artistic works by Dave Ramsey that documented Roanoke’s historic Gainsboro neighborhood before urban renewal.
“This was my first time working with libraries,” the art history major said. “I’ve done past internships in museums, and as much as I love them, I’ve decided to consider other career paths, broaden my horizons, and see if I can work with libraries or archives.”
J-Term experiences encourage discovery. Students studying abroad, through global partner programs or faculty-led trips, reported increased self-confidence and pride in newfound knowledge.
Holly Hylton ’26, an environmental science major, traveled with Director and Professor of Environmental Studies Renee Godard to Ecuador to explore the biodiversity of the Andes and the Amazon.
“We constantly found new species previous Hollins J-terms didn’t find,” she said. “This study abroad experience has made me more confident in conducting research and collecting data, and overall, more comfortable with independent travel.”
Natalia Chapel ’28 studied French language and culture in Tours, France through l’Institut de Touraine. The English and vocal performance Anna Woods ’26 Jessy Herrera ’28 major said she had studied the language for about seven years, and her time in Tours was just the challenge she needed to improve.
“I had always undermined my own French skills out of self-consciousness, but I actively navigated French cities and had conversations in French on my own,” she said.
President Mary Dana Hinton joined students in Kenya for shared learning and meaningful connection.
In Nairobi, Kenya, Chair and Assistant Professor of Public Health Abubakarr Jalloh and Professor and Chair of Gender & Women’s Studies Lindsey Breitwieser led students through discussions about healthcare needs, access, and medical practice as they explored social, scientific, and juridical influences on sexual and reproductive life.
On the third day of their trip, President Mary Dana Hinton surprised students on their way to the market. She accompanied them for three days, joining them in the classroom and visiting with administrators of Kenyatta University, Hollins’ partner institution in Nairobi.
“To be a part of the class was to be a part of a family,” Hinton shared in a blog post. To the students, she said, “In our brief time together, I observed your growth, your deep humanity and care, and your leadership. … For 72 hours, we laughed together, danced together, and gasped together. You were the midwives to my rebirth and African naming, Nalika. But most of all, we allowed ourselves to love one another.”