Revitalizing Downtown
The first Honors Praxis Lab convened at Ensign Peak in the fall of 2004 to explore and assess the nature of urban America, with a particular focus on Salt Lake City’s downtown. This group of 14 Honors students and two faculty advisors selected a two-block area located between 500 and 600 West and 200 and 300 South as the focus of their community-based research.
The students formed subcommittees to become experts in history, diversity, housing, and business issues. They created a brief documentary film featuring personal interviews with residents of the area. Additionally, they established relationships with key downtown agencies, including the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, Envision Utah, the Downtown Alliance, the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office, the RDA, and the LDS Church.
Through these partnerships, the team received expert advice and gained diverse perspectives on the challenges facing Salt Lake City, enriching their understanding of urban development and community engagement.
Instructors:
Keith Bartholomew
Ann Darling
Vicky Newman
More Praxis Labs
Infectious Disease on the Run
Margaret P. Battin, PhD
Wendy Hobson-Rohrer, MD
This Praxis Lab examined the history, science, and ethical implications of pandemics, from the Black Plague to COVID-19. Students analyzed how diseases spread, the social and political responses to outbreaks, and the ethical considerations of public health interventions.
How We Die
Margaret P. Battin, PhD
This Praxis Lab explored the evolving landscape of death and dying in the modern world, examining the shift from infectious disease mortality to prolonged battles with degenerative illnesses like cancer, heart failure, and dementia.
Education, Incarceration & Justice: Punishment and Opportunity in an Era of Mass Imprisonment
Erin Castro
Roberto Garcia
This Praxis Lab examined the deep connections between education, incarceration, and justice in the United States, a country with the highest incarceration rate in the world. Students explored the historical and systemic forces that have expanded the carceral state, disproportionately affecting low-income communities and communities of color.