Friday November 9, 2007--The Other Outcomes

For the last few years, we’ve had a great deal of conversation about “outcomes,” particularly focusing on the learning outcomes of our curriculum (the knowledge and skills our students should develop in their four years with us) and on graduate outcomes—the kinds of jobs, graduate schools, and post-graduate service we help students to enter.

Even as we continue our discussions about academic challenge and about Stonehill's course and credit model, I think we’ve made a good first effort of reviewing each academic program and articulating the goals of the curriculum. At the end of this academic year, we will have completed a full cycle of the new academic program reviews. I know we still have work ahead to better capture the graduate outcomes of our students, and this task will require a great deal of collaborative work among the faculty, career services, and alumni affairs—first to articulate what graduate outcomes we want for students, then to refine the systems to assist students in their efforts, and finally to capture and record information about what they actually go on to do.

There is, however, another set of outcomes that I hope we never lose sight of, and these outcomes are related not to what our students become, but to who they become. I know that faculty members and many others on campus work toward educating “the whole person so that each Stonehill graduate thinks, acts, and leads with courage toward the creation of a more just and compassionate world.” This noble statement from our mission should always remain a central part of our focus.

Over the last week or so, a number of campus events and activities have promoted these “other outcomes.” The Department of Sociology and Criminology, for example, hosted the 2007 meeting of the New England Sociological Association. The conference topic, “Civic Engagement: Linking Campus and Community,” seemed made for our campus, where community-based learning has become a feature of many courses and Learning Communities. And the conference did much more than bring major speakers and other academics to campus; it also provided opportunities for our faculty and students to contribute in meaningful ways—moderating panels, presenting papers, and participating in poster sessions. Six Stonehill students presented their original research, one alumna currently in the Ph.D. program at UConn presented a co-authored paper, five Stonehill faculty members attended (three of them moderated panels), and at least eight additional Stonehill students attended the sessions.

For students who intend to earn an advanced degree, inclusion in this kind of professional activity provides a preview of the professional world they seek to enter. It also reminds them that professors have responsibilities beyond those they see in the classroom—responsibilities to their scholarly disciplines and to far-flung collegial networks. And for those who intend to enter the job market, the skills they gain in effective communication and public presentation and are invaluable. The students all remarked on how important it was to have this opportunity.

In the case of this particular conference, the topic also lent itself to considering post-graduate service. The keynote speaker, Dr. Jonathan White of Bridgewater State College, specializes in the critical examination of inequality, poverty, globalization, human rights, and public sociology—all topics of compelling interest for students interested in sociology and criminology and all topics that engage students to get outside their limited experiences and make a difference in the world. Congratulations to the department for bringing this event to Stonehill and for so meaningfully involving your students and alumni!

Two other events highlighted the responsibilities we invite students to accept as members of our community and, when they leave us, as members of the the communities they create and sustain. Dr. Celeste Lay, Assistant Professor of Political Science, spoke in the Martin Institute’s Public Policy and Social Justice Series. Focusing on the re-election of C. Ray Nagin after Hurricane Katrina, Lay explored how voting behavior is influenced by natural disaster. While the specific subject of her research matters to all of us, her presentation also reminded students—in a more general way—that voter behavior matters, and that they should take seriously their responsibility to participate in the political process.

Last week’s Common Sense Lecture—sponsored by the Office of Student Activities—featured Assistant Professor of Mathematics Eugene Quinn on the topic of "Living Green." Gene spoke about the kinds of choices his family has made to become more “green” and about the quantifiable results of their practices. He also challenged students to develop habits that reduce the use of non-renewable resources, to re-use materials that can be reused, and to recycle whatever materials that they can. Again, this event featured an adult mentor who showed—by example—how a single individual can make choices that actually make a difference. This week Prof. Cheryl Schnitzer of the Chemistry Department will reinforce what Gene spoke about last week when she discusses global warming in the Common Sense Lecture Series.

Of course, our curriculum goes a long way in promoting the connection between knowledge and practice, and many faculty members have sought ways to encourage civic engagement within the curriculum. But these co-curricular events (and others like them) also send messages to students about what our community values and about why they should work—with us—to preserve the values we share. When they do, the “other outcomes” of social responsibility that we’ve promoted become part of the fabric of their lives—and these are outcomes worth celebrating.

Best regards,
Katie