Colson Recieves President's Distinguished Service Award
For Immediate Release September 25, 2005
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Michael (Mike) Colson, Associate Director for College Park Scholars was one of four administrators to receive the President's Distinguished Service Award, at the 22 nd Annual Faculty & Staff Convocation, held in the Memorial Chapel at the University of Maryland on Wednesday, September 21, 2005. At the ceremony, the following testimony was provided on Mike's behalf:
Michael D. Colson has been referred to as the "master craftsman" of the College Park Scholars Program. He joined it in 1994, having been hired away from the Freshman Writing Program, and has since risen to become its Associate Director for Admissions and Registrations. While in the Program, he has assisted in the creation of a new living-learning community on campus. One of his initial assignments was to identify potential students, find places for them to live, and entice them to an experience that had no track record or history. It was a significant challenge. Mike Colson rose to it. As a result, 500 "Scholars" showed up for move-in day at the beginning of the fall semester, 1994.
Over the past 10 years, Mike has applied his analytical eye and reflective heart to each and every admissions application. His advice and guidance to Scholars faculty have eased and facilitated the overwhelming task of crafting curricula that complements students' majors. Professor Ruth Fassinger, a Distinguished Scholar-Teacher and co-director of the Advocates for Children program in Scholars made the following comments: "Mike knows every little thing there is to know about the campus but he does not judge others when they fail to possess his same endless font of wisdom. She adds that he makes the faculty look good too, even when they have no idea what they are doing!"
As one of two original members remaining within the Scholars community today, Mike Colson is the resident historian, always five steps ahead to ensure that it learns from its past, but never shies away from innovation.
Mike's contribution to the University is not isolated within the Scholar's program. Today, ten years later, College Park Scholars matriculates 25 percent of the entering freshman class into 12 interdisciplinary living-learning programs. Each year, the cohort of the College Park Scholars leads the campus' retention figures; last year's Scholars' entering class recorded the highest ever first-to-second year retention rate: 94.7 percent. Mike, as much as anyone else, is responsible for the successful launching and growth of the College Park Scholars Program. It would be difficult to find a person more indispensable to it.
The President's Distinguished Service Awards recognize exceptional performance, leadership and service by members of the university staff. Recipients have a record of exemplary performance and distinctive contributions to the operation of an administrative, academic, research or service unit on campus.
For more information contact Greig Stewart, 301-405-0531
