Impact
Evaluation Affirms HECUA’s
Value for Students, Faculty,
Colleges and Community
-
Included surveys, focus groups
and interviews to obtain input
from 195 individuals –
alumni, college and community
partners.
- Overwhelming findings show
that HECUA significantly affects
faculty teaching content and
method, improves relationships
with institution, and dramatically
influences career and life
choices.
- Community partners are energized
by work with HECUA and interns
enable them to do more and
achieve more in their organizations.
- College deans and presidents
recognize HECUA for enhancing
the campus with quality, relevant
programs that achieve interdisciplinarity.
They appreciate HECUA’s
responsiveness to emerging
needs that help the college
achieve the liberal arts mission
in today’s higher education
environment.
- HECUA extends thanks to
all who participated and especially
to the alumni, community and
member partners who served
on the Task Force: Scott Chazdon,
Kari Denisson, Jim Scheibel,
Lisa Heldke, Mary Wagner.
Member
Colleges and HECUA Partner for
Innovative Programs and Seminars
-The
University of St. Thomas,
using funds from their Lily
grant supporting learning
around vocation, piloted a
new one-day training program
led by HECUA. The program
will immerse student leaders
in simulations and panel discussions
on community partnerships
and service.
-Williams
College faculty took part
in a half-day seminar on experiential
education/curriculum design
led by Phil Sandro, HECUA’s
Senior Program Director and
Jacquelyn Geier, Director
of Programs.
-The
College of St. Catherine
sent a group of students in
March to HECUA’s Ecuador
site. The ten-day immersion
focused on “Women and
Work” and is embedded
in a course that meets the
Global Search for Justice
capstone requirement. The
program will run again in
January and March 2004.
-St.
Olaf College’s Diversity
Initiative included campus-based
January Term courses with
a Twin Cities immersion that
was successfully hosted by
HECUA for the second year
of a three-year project.
-Carleton
College embedded a HECUA
experience abroad as part
of an anthropology course.
Students spent two intensive
weeks in HECUA’s Guatemala
site meeting with community
leaders and engaging in a
number of field exercises.
-Macalester
College partnered with
HECUA for an Intensive Spanish
January-term program at HECUA’s
Ecuador site. Based on success,
this program will be repeated.
The program met intermediate
Spanish language requirement
and explored contemporary
issues of globalization and
social change.
Fellows
get taste of HECUA programs
in U.S., Northern Ireland
and Guatemala
–
Minneapolis/St. Paul programs
Spring Fellows Programs familiarized
faculty and staff at member
campuses with HECUA’s
programs and teaching style
and helped identify resources
HECUA can offer.
– Northern
Ireland Program Advisory Group
members, Kelly Kraemer, College
of St. Benedict, and Cris
Toffolo, University of St.
Thomas, and HECUA Executive
Director Amy Sunderland visited
the Northern Ireland program
in April. Trip included visits
with students at their internship
sites and discussions with
program personnel and the
UNESCO center staff to further
develop the collaborative
learning partnership.
– Chris
Chiappari, St. Olaf College,
and HECUA Director of Programs,
Jackie Geier, visited the
Environment, Economy, and
Community in Latin America
program in Guatemala in March.
Highlights included participation
in a Maya ceremony, as well
as a tour with the mayor of
Panajachel, where they learned
about citizen involvement
in the wastewater treatment
system which has led to a
more engaged citizenry.
“Service-Learning
for Social Justice,”
experiential hands-on model,
developed by HECUA & Gustavus
staff.
–
Faculty and
administrators from Gustavus
Adolphus College and Macalester
College along with HECUA program
directors Bill Reichard (City
Arts) and Lorraine Heffernan,
visited Northern Ireland for
a week in August to develop
service-learning courses for
January 2003.
–
The program will explore ways
to connect students and courses
to social justice themes,
and use service-learning as
a tool for social justice.
Follow-on seminars will be
held in the Twin Cities this
fall.
St.
Olaf J-Term Partnership with
HECUA Introduces Students
to Cities’ Rich Diversity
52
St. Olaf College students
spent two weeks living and
learning in the Twin Cities.
Some students lived in Minneapolis
and engaged in numerous site
visits, field speakers, theater
events; others stayed on the
West Side of St. Paul with
Mexican and Hmong families
and studied the experience
of new immigrants in Minnesota.
The partnership is part of
a three-year project to infuse
curriculum with diversity
and experience. It is focused
on freshmen seminars and includes
faculty/course development.
Carnegie
Foundation Political Engagement
Project selects Metro Urban
Studies Term for research
project.
– Project will address
the decline in student political
engagement. The program was
selected because of its commitment
and accomplishments in sustaining
student political involvement.
–
Results will be disseminated
by Carnegie through conferences,
web and other means.
