| Currently, ours is one of only two Great Books programs in California’s 110 community colleges which serve nearly 3,000,000 students. Our Great Books faculty include four Ph.Ds in English, History, and Philosophy. Our shared vision is to expose students to central imaginative, philosophical, and historical texts of Western Civilization. More to the point, the MPC-GBP equips students with the concepts, terminology, and vocabulary that will allow them to participate in what Robert Hutchins called “The Great Conversation.” The MPC-GBP rejects the notion that Great Books are reserved for private schools and Ivy League universities. Our courses are for anyone drawn to depth and complexity rather than superficiality and ideology, to perennial questions rather than aprioristic answers, to reflection and "shared inquiry" rather than reactive or formulaic polemics, to permanent learning rather than terminal degrees.
Upon completion of English 5, Introduction to Great Books, and any four other designated Great Books courses, the MPC-GBP awards a certificate recognizing the student as a "Great Books Scholar." This designation will aid in transfer and scholarship applications, enhance one's resume or curriculum vitae for future employers, and signify to others such highly-prized qualities as verbal fluency and cultural literacy.
In addition, enough of our courses are online so that the student may complete the MPC-GBP from anywhere in the world.
The MPC Great Books Program Colloquium (April 21-May 5), funded by a generous grant from the Apgar Foundation, was a huge success with around 175 students and community members attending each of the three lectures by Robert Pinsky, Victor Davis Hanson, and Dana Gioia. A brief summary resides on the National Association of Scholars blog, www.nasblog.org, click on David Clemens. A set of DVDs of the colloquium have been donated to the MPC Library. The series was recorded by Access Monterey Peninsula and will be shown periodically on their TV channel 24. For playtimes email Lindsey Bishop, Bishop@ampmedia.org or check www.ampmedia.org
In other news, the MPC Great Books Program has received a second grant from the Apgar Foundation to fund a second colloquium and a writing contest for high school students. The colloquium topic will be "Imaginative Freedom and Political Freedom." Our speakers will be Mark Bauerlein (The Dumbest Generation), Mark Edmundson (Why Read?), and Clare Cavanagh (Lyric Poetry and Modern Politics). Professor Cavanagh is also the translator of the poetry of Nobel Laureate Wislawa Szymborska.
English 5, Introduction to Great Books, will be offered this fall.
Register now online at www.mpc.edu/TakeAClass/Pages/default.aspx
NEW! MPC Great Books Club VP Aaron Birk has designed some cool Great Books gear. Check it out at www.zazzle.com/Nordse
Interview on YouTube 
Chronicle of Higher Ed story 
Named NAS "Excellent Program" 
For IHE's story about us, visit 
Podcast with Donald Hall, click 
MPC Great Books Club discussion 
Radio Interview, 4.5 minutes in 
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