Meet the Instructors: The CGS Sophomore-Year Experience
The CGS experience is unlike any other at Boston University. To celebrate the uniqueness of our program, we created a course that gives sophomores further insight into this experience while also equipping them with the tools and resources they need to continue their success at Boston University.
CGS SY201 is a 1-unit, Pass/Fail course offered to CGS sophomores during their fall semester that will help you take advantage of all that BU has to offer. Below, you’ll find more information about the instructors for CGS SY201 and what makes each of them unique in their approach to teaching this course.
I hope you consider adding CGS SY201 to your fall schedule, and encourage you to reach out to me at mbae@bu.edu if you have further questions.
— Matt Bae, Director of Student Services and Academic Advising at the College of General Studies
Melissa Feuerstein
Pronouns: She/Her
Section: CGS SY201 F1
Email: mfeuerst@bu.edu
What excites you most about teaching SY201?
I came to Academic Advising after more than twenty years teaching at the college level. I have a genuine passion for classroom experience and the deep learning that can happen when students come together in shared inquiry. I love figuring out, with each new class, how to create an environment in which students learn not only from me, but from each other. SY201 excites me because it brings what we think of as the one-on-one work of advising into a close-knit and collaborative classroom community. I’m excited to introduce students to practices, resources, and mindsets that will enhance their time at BU, and I’m equally excited to see what questions, insights, and strategies emerge as we explore these tools in the context of our diverse interests and experiences.
What is one of your favorite spots in or around BU?
As part of my daily commute to work, I walk across the BU Bridge. From the industrial beauty of the rail bridge and its vibrant graffiti, to the sails and sculls dotting the Charles River, to Boston’s skyline and the outline of BU’s own urban landscape, the view just never gets old. I love the morning’s transition from the (relative) quiet of the bridge to the sea of people I join as I take a right on Comm Ave and head to CGS.
What is one thing you think all CGS sophomores should know?
Sophomore year is a special point in your college journey. For the first time, you are returning to a familiar campus to begin a new semester, and with that familiarity comes an opportunity to settle in, reflect on the experiences of your first year, and really think about what you want– in a holistic sense– from your BU experience and how to make it happen. Don’t be afraid to make changes to a path that you imagined would feel right when you got to BU but, after a year of study, no longer does. Figuring out what interests you and what you “want to do” is a learning process– let yourself trust it at the same time as you commit to pausing, at key moments in your journey, to take stock of where it has taken you so far. Sophomore fall is one of those moments!
Heather McCarthy
Pronouns: She/Her
Section: CGS SY201 M1
Email: hcm@bu.edu
What excites you most about teaching SY201?
Sophomore fall is an exciting time for CGS students. They have already been on campus, they’ve made connections and adjusted to the rigor of college. But, they haven’t experienced BU in the fall. There is an excitement that comes with the beginning of the academic year. It is a great time to start fresh, set goals and explore Boston. I love the energy and the promise of the fall semester. BU is a big place with a lot of opportunities and resources. It’s a great time for students to learn about all BU has to offer.
What is one of your favorite spots in or around BU?
I love Comm Ave between classes. It is crowded with people going every which direction. I love this space and time because in the sea of people there are future world leaders, entertainers, inventors, explorers, physicians,activists, educators and everything in between. It is a community of people going to practice an art, learn a new skill, invent, reflect, make a difference. I am always in awe of the potential of the mile of Comm Ave we call BU.
What is one thing you think all CGS sophomores should know?
BU is YOUR campus. You are welcome in all the buildings and you are welcome to use all the resources. You have 3 more years of all that BU has to offer. Try it all!