Evidence of a Decade of Success
Greig Stewart, Executive Director July 26, 2006
I. Introduction | II. Intentional Community Building | III. Unique Academic Rigor | IV. A Program that Really Works | V. Conclusion
• Intentional community building • academic rigor through active and reflective learning • These and other findings comprise the 10 "Best Practices" that emerged from a three-year assessment of the 12 College Park Scholars programs.
In 1994, The University of Maryland embarked upon a bold experiment, establishing four interdisciplinary living-learning programs under the umbrella of College Park Scholars. Five years later, enrollment had quadrupled and the number of programs tripled. Recognizing growth as an insufficient measure of success, the faculty designed and implemented an ambitious assessment effort of each of the 12 programs. This effort was also supported by the members of the Scholars Faculty Advisory Council, who provided leadership to each program assessment team.
Over 50 of our faculty and staff engaged students, alumni and campus colleagues in focus groups and one-on-one interviews. We designed surveys and analyzed data. In addition, we reviewed enrollment, retention and program-completion rates. What did we find? College Park Scholars is a living-learning program worthy of emulation.
That conclusion is affirmed by the numerous inquiries and visitors to Scholars annually, from colleges and universities nation-wide. College Park Scholars has even been replicated. In 1998, then University of Maryland President, William E. (Brit) Kirwan, left College Park to become the President of The Ohio State University. With him went the blueprint for College Park Scholars. (We are pleased to have Dr. Kirwan back as Chancellor of the University System of Maryland, and as a member of the Scholars Founders' Circle.)
So, as our first decade concludes, what does the data say about, SCHOLARS? First and foremost, College Park Scholars is about intentional community building. Beginning on the students' first full day on campus, new Scholars engage in a day of service. Service Day builds students' collective identity as College Park Scholars - a community that values serving others. This past fall, our 10th annual Service Day was recognized by a proclamation from Maryland's Governor Robert L. Ehrlich and a citation from the Maryland House of Delegates sponsored by the Prince George's County delegation, for "more than 8,000 College Park Scholars completing approximately 30,000 hours of service at more than 100 organizations in Prince George's County, Montgomery County, and the District of Columbia." College Park Scholars also received an honor from the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), recognizing us as a Charter Member of the M-NCPPC Partners 'n Parks program.
College Park Scholars is also intentional about building community with its immediate neighbors through efforts such as Lakeland STARS, a service-learning partnership with Paint Branch Elementary School and the City of College Park. This year, a growing interest among Scholars matched the increased needs of the school, resulting in the program's expansion from one to two afternoons a week; 98 Scholars from eleven of the Scholars Programs were involved, providing 5,145 mentoring hours to Paint Branch Elementary School children.
Individual Scholars Programs undertake their own community-building initiatives through neighborhood outreach. 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. Examples include:
- Sophomores in American Cultures participate in service-learning projects at Langley Park Community Center, Greenbelt Cares, and mentor at-risk youth through the CARing Project.
- Environmental Studies opens its field experiences to students enrolled in Silver Spring's Northwood High School's environmental science academy.
- Public Leadership students tutor students enrolled in Hyattsville's Nicholas Orem Middle School.
- Science, Discovery and the Universe hosts a mentoring program with students in Northwestern High School; SDU students host the high school students at the UM Observatory and assist them in the development of their science fair projects.
- 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.
College Park Scholars also builds community beyond our local neighborhoods. Inaugurated three years ago was Scholars in New York, where each participating program engages their students in a weekend of experiential learning, cultural appreciation, and community-building. On 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. These intense field experiences provide unique opportunities for students to learn from their program faculty, host-country nationals, and with and among each other.
An unintended -- though highly valued -- consequence of College Park Scholars is the emergence of a learning community for Scholars faculty and staff. The heightened sense of community among students presents unique classroom challenges. Joining together with others who share similar experiences to talk about teaching and learning, has resulted in a valued community of campus colleagues and friends.
Second, College Park Scholars provides unique academic rigor through active and reflective learning.
Fueled with the talent and expertise of campus faculty, College Park Scholars delivers an exceptional undergraduate educational experience to its students. Leading the Faculty Advisory Council is Professor Ira Berlin, Distinguished University Professor, from the Department of History. Four programs are chaired by Distinguished Scholar-Teachers: From the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures in the College of Arts and Humanities, Professor Peter Beicken co-directs the Arts program; from the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the A. James Clark School of Engineering, Professor James Duncan leads the Science, Technology and Society program; from the Department of Government and Politics, Scholars welcomes Professor James Glass as the new director of the International Studies program; and from the Department of Natural Resource Sciences and Landscape Architecture in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Professor Bruce James leads the Environmental Studies program.
By reviewing the items posted on the Scholars Newsdesk, readers will witness that many program directors are often tapped for their disciplinary expertise for local and national commentary. In addition to faculty expertise, talent is found among Scholars' administrative ranks. This past year, Associate Director Mike Colson received the President's Outstanding Service Award, recognized for his decade of service to College Park Scholars and to the University of Maryland.
In 1994, Scholars began with a curriculum of 34 courses, offering 750 seats. This past year, 3,158 seats were filled in 93 courses. One new offering highlights the scholarly innovation of our faculty. Students enrolled in the Library of Congress section of Discovery Research, were introduced to one of the premier research venues of the world. Scholars in this three-credit course met twice a week, including more than five, on-site research sessions with LOC librarians. Some of the students' research topics follow: Shamanism in the Andes: Quechua, Aymara and Kallawayas; The Filmmaker as Poet: Stan Brakhege; The History of Gunpowder in Warfare; and Exploring Music as a Theme in Toni Morrison's Jazz and William Attaway's Blood on the Forge.
In addition to critical thinking skills being developed through the hands-on experiences of the Discovery research courses, they are also enriched through problem solving resulting from active learning in the Scholars colloquia.
- 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.
- The Arts program has crafted a comprehensive peer-learning 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.
- 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 develop visual-presentation skills, displaying their sophomore projects at the annual Scholars Academic Showcase with electronically generated, information posters.
- International Studies requires its freshman class to organize a diversity forum at the beginning of its second semester. Students engage in open dialogue, share their views and set the tone for openness and tolerance in the classroom.
Yet the true value of these hands-on learning experiences rests on the students' ability to reflect on them in meaningful ways. Faculty work diligently with students, challenging them to make connections between their co-curricular experiences and the theories, concepts and ideas presented in their Scholars supporting courses and colloquia. 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, and practiced in class discussions and out-of-class conversations, helps students to build critical thinking and problem-solving skills, key assets found in life-long learners.
Media, Self and Society has piloted a summative essay project with their graduating sophomores. A telling excerpt from a student's essay follows:
. . . as an engineering student, I think practically. I found myself awestruck at how students in my colloquium immediately formulated opinions, backing them up with excellent points. It often took me the entire length of the discussion to come up with the slightest bit of opinion. As my freshman and sophomore years went on, I could better follow what other students were saying. I began to be able to agree or disagree, and come up with a reason why, most of the time. In this sense, I definitely improved my critical thinking skills through the Scholars program.
EVIDENCE of a 'Program that Really Works'1
Data and reports reveal only part of the story. Though Scholars alumni are still young, a legacy of evidence is building. Each year, recent Scholars prove competitive for national Scholarships. This past year, Scholars was particularly proud to have a young alumna receive one of 81 national Udall Undergraduate Scholarships.
During the fall and spring commencement seasons, Scholars fill the stages as speakers and recipients of honors and awards. Upon graduation, some are affirming their commitment to public service by joining Teach for America. Enhancing community is a skill clearly evident in many of our alumni. Some examples follow:
- Rishi Barran, a Media, Self and Society Citation recipient in 2001, contributes to the Harrisburg, PA, community as a sports reporter and anchor on WHP/CBS21. His blog, Rishi's Pieces is gaining in popularity, forming a community of its own.
- Adia Moore also received her Scholars citation in 2001, having successfully completed the requirements in the Advocates for Children program. Currently studying at the Louisiana State Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Adia claims that her Scholars experience fueled her interest in legal issues affecting children. She hopes to return to the east coast and practice public-interest law.
- Reaching back to the Scholars inaugural class, Stefanie Fogleman, a 1995 citation recipient from the Science, Technology and Society (STS) program, is currently finishing a certificate program in School Administration at Loyola College in Maryland. After earning her degree in Art Studio, Stefanie completed a Master's in Teaching. Currently an art teacher in Baltimore County, Stefanie plans to pursue her Ph.D. in School Leadership. (We hope she considers College Park.) Stefanie serves as the STS program representative on the Alumni Council of the College Park Scholars Alumni Association.
Though each of our alumni has a unique and wonderful personal story, there is a collective story emerging as well. Not surprisingly, Scholars in the Washington/Baltimore area have found a way to build on their Scholars friendships and experiences. About two years ago, the College Park Scholars Alumni Association was officially incorporated. Though professional networking and social gatherings are key to their affiliation, they also contribute back to each of the 12 programs through their speakers' bureau, by fielding teams to participate in the Scholars annual Service Day and Charity Softball tournament, and sponsoring the outstanding alumni award presented at our annual Citation Ceremony. Faculty and administrators of College Park Scholars are extremely proud of individual alumni accomplishments and their collective efforts. They truly embody the Program's premier goal of cultivating life-long learners.
Recently commenting on his best-seller, The World is Flat, Tom Friedman urged educators to focus less on training students for specific occupations, more on developing the skills necessary to succeed in the world of tomorrow. His message was not news to us. 12 years ago, Scholars faculty set out to help students develop their skills as "synthesizers, explainers, and adaptors," doing so in an interdisciplinary context, with a strong value in community.
Making connections between ideas, people and opportunities is what we practice. Scholars alumni -- products of a model undergraduate program in a modern research university -- will be well served and acutely prepared for the world ahead.
1Each year since 2002, U.S. News and World Report has included the University of Maryland in this category of their annual ranking of colleges and universities, identifying programs that have been shown to enhance learning. College Park Scholars is proud to support the University in continuing to be a national leader in living-learning and programs that work.
Image Credits
(From left) PGCPB Commissioner William Eley, Jr., Director of Parks and Recreation Marye Wells-Harley, PGCPB Commissioner John Squires, University of Maryland College Park Scholars (UMCPS) representative Duncan Barry, PGCPB Chairman Elizabeth Hewlett, PGCPB Commissioner Sylvester Vaughns, and UMCP's representatives from College Park Scholars, Martha Baer Wilmes and Greig Stewart, PhD., December 2005.
(From left) College Park Scholars Faculty Advisory Council member Dr. Jordan Goodman; Scholars Founder & Chair of Scholars Faculty Advisory Council, Dr. Ira Berlin; Faculty Director of Science, Technology & Society, Dr. Jim Duncan; Faculty Director of Environmental Studies, Dr. Bruce James; and former Scholars Faculty Advisory Council member, Dr. Katherine Pedro Beardsley.
Officers of College Park Scholars Alumni Association, Inc. at 10th Annual Citation Ceremony, October 2005.
