Executive Summary of the Program Assessments
College Park Scholars
COLLEGE PARK SCHOLARS is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary learning experience for select freshmen and sophomores at the University of Maryland. Students are invited to participate based on their high school academic performance, active engagement in their communities and an appreciation for the contribution of diversity to their learning. The comprehensive nature of the Scholars experience translates what is explored in the classroom and residence halls into field experiences in Montgomery and Prince George's County neighborhoods, Annapolis, Washington, D.C., even global points of interest, through community service, exposure to the arts, civic engagement and internships. Upon successful completion of the program, students receive an academic citation and are well positioned for competitive, upper-level internships and research opportunities while completing their undergraduate degrees.
Assessment
In 2002, College Park Scholars began a multi-year assessment of its 12 programs. Each year a subset of faculty program directors prepared self studies based on criteria developed by the Scholars Faculty Advisory Council. Council members participated on program assessment teams; they reviewed directors' reports, gathered and analyzed additional data from appropriate stakeholders such as sponsoring college and department representatives, staff from the Department of Resident Life and program alumni. Teams paid special attention to surveying and interviewing current students. Final program assessments were compiled, distributed and discussed by the Scholars faculty and the Faculty Advisory Council.
Steps
The Executive Director and Dean for Undergraduate Studies met with deans and program directors to discuss individual program findings and the program-wide best practices that emerged from these assessments:
Intentional Community Building
Qualitatively Unique and Strong Academic Rigor
Active Learning
Reflective Learning
Diversity
Strong Web Presence
Advisory Councils
Full-Time Staff Presence
Leadership Stability and Effective Transition
Support and Clarity of Responsibilities
Intentional Community Building
First and foremost, College Park Scholars intentionally builds community, beginning on the students' first full day on campus. College Park Scholars organizes its annual Service Day for all incoming freshmen. Service Day builds students' identity as College Park Scholars - a community that values serving others. Service Day also builds community within each of the 12 programs as they work on one, or a set of service projects. Scholars-wide community is furthered through events such as the Academic Showcase, Scholars in New York and the annual Step-to-Bat-for-Kids Charity Softball Tournament.
Program faculty are intentional, early on, in building shared community expectations. Many programs engage students in the "Ropes" course, available through Campus Recreation Services. Each fall, Life Sciences takes its freshmen to western Maryland for an overnight camping trip. Engaging in these activities develops participants' cooperation, communication and trust.
Other programs such as Earth, Life and Time and Science, Technology and Society, send summer mailings and pre-arrival reading packets to set program expectations. International Studies uses ritual effectively; one of its initial colloquia serves as a first-year convocation with guest faculty and department chairs in attendance. Students are asked to recite the Scholars mission statement and each student is individually welcomed. Science, Discovery and the Universe hires a ten-hour graduate assistant in charge of community building; she coordinates activities, generates a newsletter and holds office hours on the residence hall floors. Business, Society and the Economy spends a significant portion of its fall, freshman colloquium on "teaching students how to be students." Students learn the standards and expectations set by the program's host college -- The Robert H. Smith School of Business -- such as respectful and effective discourse.
Even smaller concentric circles of community develop in the residence halls by floor, as study groups form around common assignments and exams. Such community is fostered through close relationships with the Department of Resident Life by the Scholars central staff and individual program directors.
College Park Scholars is also intentional about its greater community responsibilities with Prince George's and Montgomery Counties, through efforts such as Lakeland STARS, a tutoring program for students enrolled in Paint Branch Elementary School. Sophomores enrolled in the Scholars community-based research course have conducted research for Joe's Movement Emporium (Mt. Rainier), Langley Park's CARing Project, American Reads/America Counts, and Kids to College. There are also program-specific community partnerships. Scholars in Science, Discovery and the Universe mentor students from Northwestern High School, hosts them at the UM Observatory and assists them in developing science fair projects. Sophomores in American Cultures participate in service-learning projects at Langley Park Community Center, Greenbelt Cares, and mentors at-risk youth through the CARing Project. Public Leadership students work as tutors with Hyattsville's Nicholas Orem Elementary School. Students in Advocates for Children and American Cultures serve as volunteers with the Langley Park Hispanic Festival and Kinderfest, sponsored by Maryland's National Capital Parks and Planning Commission. Environmental Studies opens its field experiences to students enrolled in Silver Spring's Northwood High School's environmental science academy. College Park Scholars also builds community in a global context, through a Scholars-in-London Winterterm, Life Sciences field studies in Belize and Australia, and the Earth, Life and Time bi-annual exploration of the Galapagos Archipelago.
An unintended consequence of College Park Scholars has been the emergence of a learning community for Scholars faculty and staff. The heightened sense of community among students presents unique classroom challenges. Additionally, given that Maryland faculty have focused their career examining their disciplines, for many interdisciplinary learning is new territory. Being able to come together with others who share similar experiences where they can talk about teaching and learning, has resulted in a valued community of campus colleagues and friends.
Qualitatively Unique and Strong Academic Rigor
College Park Scholars attracts students capable of rising to the academic rigor that the University of Maryland has to offer. Program directors were initially challenged by establishing academic standards in active-learning environments limited to one credit. Familiar with three-credit course offerings, instructors found themselves creating three-credit courses, but shoe-horning them into one-credit experiences. Not surprisingly, students resisted. Faculty have successfully adapted without compromising academic rigor. Programs such as Earth, Life and Time and American Cultures minimize out-of-class preparation to the essential elements needed for engaged and active, in-class discourse. Rigor lies in the lively exchange of ideas and discussion among students that often continues outside of class into the residence or dining halls. Students are challenged to bring to class discussions and reflection papers the concepts they are learning in their general education (CORE) curriculum. Academic rigor is also evident in the Environmental Studies' semester devoted to writing, complete with in-depth, faculty editing, feedback and coaching.
From the onset, active learning has been a hallmark of Scholars through field experiences and internships that reinforce classroom content. As examples, the Kennedy Center and the Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts are essential components of the Arts program. Science, Discovery and the Universe makes use of the University's Observatory both for the curriculum and as a Service-Learning initiative. Earth, Life and Time offers spring-break field study opportunities to pertinent venues such as the Grand Canyon. New York is an annual destination for many Scholars programs. While there, International Studies visits the United Nations; Media, Self and Society tour the NBC and CNN studios. Closer to home programs encourage students to partake in learning enrichment opportunities, accessible by Metro, such as visits to embassies, tours of the Capitol building and Library of Congress and various non-governmental organizations. Environmental Studies requires internships, which students select based upon their career goals. Both Science, Discovery and the Universe and Science, Technology and Society have 'Web-ships' for students in which they develop Web-sites for area non-profit agencies. Science, Technology and Society students work with area, at-risk middle school students, using the School of Music's Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) lab, creating electronic music.
Critical thinking skills are developed through problem solving, resulting from active learning. Advocates for Children has integrated into its curriculum a lobbying course with a strong experiential component. Students practice what they have learned by lobbying Annapolis legislators about issues and initiatives affecting the State's children and families. Business, Society and the Economy engage in first-semester marketing-strategy team presentations, complete with visual displays. Area professionals critique the presentations, providing feedback to student teams. Life Sciences has adopted the Earth, Life and Time practice of requiring students to demonstrate visual-presentation skills, displaying their sophomore projects at the annual Scholars Academic Showcase. Discovery projects -- a model of student research developed by Scholars through a FIPSE grant -- is an opportunity available to all sophomores. Participants engage in individual or team research projects. The Arts program has generated a comprehensive peer- interaction model, providing opportunities for sophomores, even juniors and seniors who have earned their citations, to train, teach and lead teams of students in the Arts. These problem-solving and peer-teaching experiences serve students well in their junior and senior years.
Directors are encouraged to monitor and enrich the learning that goes on within the residence community. Effective programs foster relationships with residence hall directors and floor resident advisors, inviting hall directors to come to first-of-the-year colloquia. Seeing faculty and Resident Life staff working together promotes holistic learning; students are encouraged to think of their living environment as a learning environment by forming study groups and seeking out peers to review drafts of papers.
From the first day, students are asked to think critically about their Scholars experiences. It begins with Service Day. After providing their hours of service, students are asked to discuss their service, their observations about the communities benefiting from the service, the linkages of the service to the interdisciplinary theme of their Scholars program, and their learning from the experience. Similar reflective exercises are repeated throughout the Scholars program, both for in-class and out-of-class activities. In Environmental Studies, students' research papers on their internships also address the relationship of their research experience to environmental issues.
College Park Scholars recently developed a learning outcomes assessment, requiring each student to reflect on his or her learning in the context of an over-arching question posed by his or her Scholars program. Reflective thinking, when shaped by faculty, helps students to build critical thinking and problem-solving skills, key learning outcomes of College Park Scholars and the University of Maryland.
Given the interactive and interdisciplinary natures of College Park Scholars, programs thrive from a diversity of student backgrounds, academic interests and life experiences. International Studies spotlights the diversity of its students at its annual Cultural Extravaganza; food, talent, dress and other customs typifying students' family backgrounds, are shared. This sharing of culture is often revisited outside the classroom.
Early on, students in Advocates for Children share their prior experiences working with developmental or environmental challenges, such as autism or foster care, as well as their experiences working with children, e.g. as camp counselors or Big Buddies, and related issues, such as developmental challenges, autism and foster care. The class then identifies one topic to focus its research efforts on and promote campus awareness. Students learn from each other, often following up individually or in groups around shared or divergent experiences. In the Arts, students share their particular talents, prompting curiosity to learn more about a particular form of artistic expression. Environmental Studies offers field trips reflecting the diversity of students' interests and past outdoor experiences. The April, 2005 "Policy on Diversity in Educational Programs," affirms Scholars diversity initiatives and efforts in its recruitment process, curriculum and field experiences.
Having an informative, accurate and visually attractive Website is essential for College Park Scholars programs. Prospective students and their parents use the Web to make decisions about whether or not to accept an invitation to Scholars. Prospective students seek opportunities to picture themselves on the campus, and in a particular program. Personal testimony of current and former Scholars, together with strong visuals, attracts talented students to Scholars programs. Equally important is the presentation of accurate program goals and requirements. Current Scholars use the Web to inform their course selections and learn more about co-curricular opportunities. In particular, Environmental Studies has an effective Web page devoted to the internship experience.
The Life Sciences Faculty Advisory Council is worthy of emulation; it spreads the awareness of the Scholars program among the faculty in the College of Chemical and Life Sciences, fostering opportunities for students to engage in faculty-mentored research and independent study. Student councils are also a growing phenomenon among programs, such as those in Advocates for Children and Cultures of the Americas .
Life Sciences; Media, Self and Society; Science, Discovery and the Universe; and Science, Technology and Society, all have full-time presence of associate/assistant directors. Though staff time is split with other responsibilities, their physical office space is within the Scholars community. That presence facilitates mentoring; students are more apt to drop by to discuss their research and professional interests if they know someone will be there. To achieve this, colleges have bundled combinations of college/department assignments and Scholars responsibilities. Using the College of Chemical and Life Sciences model as an example, in addition to her Scholars responsibilities, the assistant director teaches a section of UNIV 100, participates in summer orientations for the College, and serves on the College's undergraduate recruiting committee.
Leadership Stability and Effective Transition
Program directors have often commented on how it takes at least three years to become grounded in the director role. Given that the Scholars faculty experience is quite different from that in their departments, new faculty move cautiously: The first year is spent observing; the second year experimenting; by the third year, program directors begin to feel grounded and confident in their role. Individual program effectiveness is compromised by frequent changes in leadership. As Scholars enters its second decade, it is maturing as an organization. Ideally, leadership transitions should occur far enough in advance for the incoming class to meet its new program director. These meetings occur at Visit Maryland Days in March and April, and during summer orientations. Consequently decisions regarding director changes ideally should be made by the end of the fall semester.
An example of such a transition is currently in progress. Subsequent to a faculty member expressing her interest in stepping down from her directorship, the Scholars Executive Director met with the dean of the sponsoring college to discuss the ideal qualities of Scholars directors, expectations of those directors, and events affecting the timing of the decision. The dean announced a replacement by the end of the fall semester, allowing for a semester-long transition. The new director attended spring-semester, monthly directors meetings, received all Scholars-related communications, meet with central staff members and worked with the outgoing director and her staff.
Support and Clarity of Responsibilities
Given that College Park Scholars is housed in the Cambridge Residence Community, timely and effective communication between Scholars and Resident Life staff is essential. Such communication generates clarity around roles. It also builds trust among those who share responsibilities for students' learning and development. As an example, in Media, Self and Society, faculty meet regularly with the resident director and resident advisors who staff the Media floors. These regular meetings result in lines of communication that prove helpful when problems with individual students have arisen. For students, the Scholars experience is holistic - a blend of people and experiences. Collaboration, when possible, across traditional Student and Academic Affairs boundaries, is encouraged.
Programs thrive when sponsoring college deans and department chairs provide support through resources, staffing, event attendance and public recognition for the achievements of program directors and their staffs. Directors function best when their Scholars and home-department responsibilities and authority are clearly articulated by their deans and department chairs. Equally essential is the clarity provided by Scholars program directors of the roles assumed by their support staff, graduate assistants and course instructors. Given the unique, decentralized nature of College Park Scholars, sponsoring colleges and department chairs should factor into their relationship with program faculty the role of the Executive Director of College Park Scholars.
Special Thanks To:
Patricia Alvarez, Jo-Ann Amadeo, Viki Annand, Arjang Assad, Duncan Barry, Kevin Baxter, Ralph Bennett, Ira Berlin, Kalyani Chadha, Mike Colson, John Cordes, Michele Dudash, James Duncan, Ruth Fassinger, Al Gardner, Jordan Goodman, Dorith Grant-Wisdom, James Greenberg, Donna Hamilton, Nina Harris, Lee Hellman, John Hillman, Tom Holtz, Bruce James, Lacretia Johnson, Ken Joseph, Tom Kunkel, Roxanne Lefkoff, Katherine McAdams, John Merck, Timothy Ng, Jo Paoletti, Beth Pattison, Katherine Beardsley, Phyllis Peres, Lillie Ransom, Stacy Richardson, Laura Rosenthal, David Solomon, Greig Stewart, Mahlon Straszheim, Wendy Whittemore, Martha Baer Wilmes, Josephine Withers, Peggy Wolf
