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Annual Report 2003-04 - CEL
The Center for Experiential Learning (CEL) is a busy place under normal circumstances. It was this and more during 2003-04 as the Lilly Grant Program, "Lives of Worth and Service," moved into full swing. As this report documents, ongoing CEL activities continued, new initiatives were implemented, and the additional Lilly vocational discernment program was launched. By the end of the 2003-04 academic year most would see experiential learning and vocational discernment as fully integrated. The CEL continues to encourage students to "live their learning" by providing a seamless, integrated, comprehensive approach to experiential learning that bridges classroom-based liberal arts education and hands-on "real world" experiences. There was little problem meshing the programs of "Lives of Worth and Service" with the ongoing and expanded programs of the CEL. As this report reflects, there is considerable synergy between experiential learning and vocational exploration, attesting to the wisdom of the college in placing the Lilly Program within the CEL. One of the best indications of the connection between experiential learning and vocational discernment was the Week One "Dialogue on the Liberal Arts and Vocation." This program involved the entire class of incoming students as well as scores of alumni and faculty in a daylong exploration of vocation and how the experience of the liberal arts can inform a students search for meaning in life. The goal of the CEL is to provide every interested student with experiential learning opportunities that relate to and complement the liberal arts curriculum. This requires a close working relationship with faculty and the academic program, a dedicated and hard-working professional staff, a systematic outreach to the students to develop awareness and understanding of CEL programs and services, and a wide-ranging array of activities and initiatives to meet the needs of the St. Olaf community. This report documents the advances the CEL has made in fulfilling its mission. DEEPENING THE ACADEMIC CONNECTION Since its inception one of the CEL's goals has been a closer connection with the college's academic program. This was enhanced in 2003-04 with the administrative realignment that brought the CEL directly under the supervision of the Office of the Dean of the College. As part of that realignment, the CEL's Faculty Advisory Committee was expanded from its original five members to ten members and its advisory responsibilities were more clearly enumerated. Members of the CEL Faculty Advisory Committee are: · Susan Bauer, Interdisciplinary Fine Arts · David Booth, Religion and CIS · Mary Carlsen, Social Work · Mary Cisar, Romance Languages and Registrar · Dana Gross, Psychology · Peter Hamlin, Music · Steve McKelvey, Mathematics and Associate Dean of Students · Steve Soderlind, Economics and Associate Dean for Social Sciences · Bill Sonnega, Theater and Media Studies · Mary Titus, English The Faculty Advisory Committee met as a group once each semester and individual members participated in numerous CEL functions. The Advisory Committee is helping the CEL formulate its self-study and external review and its long-range strategic plan. STAFFING Incorporating the Lilly Program necessitated some staffing adjustments. In most instances, the expanded Lilly Program activities were handled by regular CEL staff as part of their ongoing experiential learning activities. Executive Director Bruce Dalgaard assumed the leadership of the Lilly Program, moving out of classroom teaching and into full-time administration (.5FTE directing the CEL and .5FTE directing Lilly). Budgetary responsibilities were incorporated into Program Coordinator Eileen Shimota's duties. Career Connections Director Patricia Smith and Servant Leadership Director Brad Kmoch assumed co-directorship of the Vocational Mentoring component of the Lilly Program. Their CEL release time combined with designated funds from the Lilly Program allowed the CEL to hire a part-time Vocational Program Assistant. Julia Newell Iverson joined the CEL and supervised the Larson-James House, the site of numerous Lilly Program retreats, and coordinated a variety of Lilly-related activities. In addition, career counselor Colleen Nugent moved from part-time to full-time to absorb some of the counseling work of Pat Smith and Brad Kmoch. Rhonda Rekstad continued in her position as Finstad Entrepreneurial Studies Director, Tracy Modory continued as Internship Director, Eileen Shimota as Program Coordinator, and Andrea Becker as Administrative Assistant/Technology Specialist. For the third year in a row the CEL welcomed an unpaid, career-counseling intern from MSU, Mankato. Philip Skretvedt maintained a regular schedule of student counseling. As the 2003-04 academic year began, the CEL staff was in place. For the most part there was continuity from the previous academic year so roles were generally clear and working relationships well established. Stability has never been a characteristic of the CEL and this early continuity did not last very long. Late in the fall, Tracy Modory took an extended maternity/family leave to welcome her first child. April Femrite was hired on a part-time basis to assume some of Tracy's responsibilities. April's temporary appointment became a regular part-time appointment when Tracy chose to leave the CEL to become a full-time mother. With the beginning of the new fiscal year April will concentrate on counseling. Eileen Shimota has become Associate Director of Internships. Julia Iverson has departed for graduate study. Laura Kreider will assume some of Julia's responsibilities and many of Eileen's in the new position of Program Assistant. More changes will soon take place since Rhonda Rekstad resigned in June as Entrepreneurial Studies Director. MARKETING INITIATIVESAn essential component of CEL activities for 2003-04 was outreach into the St. Olaf community, raising awareness of the experiential learning opportunities offered through the CEL, so we begin this report with a focus on marketing. ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS Strong ties exist between many academic departments on campus and the CEL. The goal in 2003-04 was to reach out to even more. Currently CEL services are part of the required coursework for concentrations in Bio-Medical Studies, Management Studies, and Media Studies, involving the CEL in support for faculty and students. The offices of Internships, Career Connections, Servant Leadership and Entrepreneurial Studies have all implemented new initiatives to connect them with the academic curriculum. In hopes of connecting with more departments the following took place: · Servant Leadership Director served on Global Conference committee · Staff member served on College Council · Internship Director served on Bio-Medical Studies Advisory Board · Finstad Office Director taught entrepreneurship courses required for management studies concentration · Career Connections Director was actively involved in First Year Experience Committee · Lilly Grant Programs required involvement from many CEL staff · CEL sponsored speakers for academic programs · Executive Director coordinated various post graduate scholarships · Casual informational meetings with faculty and CEL took place · Faculty were involved in campus recruiter visits/lunches ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS The campus does not only serve the students and faculty. The administrative departments hold an important presence on campus. The following initiatives took place in the past two years connecting with select people on campus in hopes of spreading CEL's message campus wide. · "Informational Coffees" to describe CEL and its purpose took place with the following individuals: o President Thomforde o Dean May o Gordon Soekenson o Alan Norton o Barb Lundberg o Jan McDaniel · CEL staff member serves on the Student Affairs Committee · CEL staff member presented at a TRIO/Gear Up program · CEL presented at the Spring Admissions Open House · CEL presented at St. Olaf Community Day · Fall and spring faculty/staff newsletters were distributed ALUMNI While CEL has always had strong connections with alumni, the goal was to increase alumni involvement and strengthen current relationships. The CEL was mentioned several times in St. Olaf Magazine and in the Alumni E-Newsletter creating awareness of the Center to St. Olaf alumni. The following events involved alumni giving them an opportunity to connect with current students: · Business and Liberal Arts Forum · Dialogue on Liberal Arts and Vocation · Career Panels · Corporate Partners · Law Forum · Mock Interview Clinic Students were also encouraged continuously to use the on-line Alumni database to network with alumni for information from anything from grad school to finding employment. Perhaps the biggest reward in marketing the CEL is that students and faculty who have strong connections with CEL provide very positive feedback on its services, staff, and the opportunities for students. The challenge continues to overcome obstacles such as a poor location and lack of knowledge and understanding of CEL's programs within the St. Olaf community. The Center for Experiential Learning provides high quality programs designed to enhance and enrich a St. Olaf student's education. Even as the CEL expands its program outreach and becomes better known on campus, the importance of marketing will remain. With each new incoming class of students there is a new group to education about the CEL and its programs. OFFICE FOR CAREER CONNECTIONSThe Office for Career Connections works with students to help them develop and implement career and life plans. Career Connections serves as a catalyst, encouraging students to actively prepare for their futures and providing the tools necessary for a thoughtful career planning process. Through workshops, seminars and individual counseling staff members assist students in recognizing their strengths, developing transferable skills, gaining experiences to complement their academic programs and setting short and long-term career goals. Career Connections Program Student Clients and Appointments: Colleen: Appointments: 214 Clients: Males : 42; Females : 116; Total - 158 First-Years : 8; Sophomores : 21; Juniors : 25; Seniors : 104 Philip: Appointments: 215 Clients: Males : 43; Females : 109; Total - 152 First-Years : 25; Sophomores : 32; Juniors : 22; Seniors : 73 Eileen: Appointments: 80 Clients: Males : 10; Females : 36; Total - 46 First-Years : 0; Sophomores : 1; Juniors : 9; Seniors : 36 Pat: Appointments: 37 Clients: Males : 6; Females : 13; Total - 19 First-Years : 0; Sophomores : 0; Juniors : 2; Seniors : 17 Assessment Inventories Interpreted: (Colleen, Philip, April and Pat) Strong Interest Inventory : 52 Campbell Skills and Interest Survey : 16 Myers-Briggs Type Inventory : 32 Walk-In Student Traffic: (Details included in appendix) 339 student contacts by peer advisors from Nov. 10, 2003 - May 17, 2004. Alumni Clients and Appointments: Clients: 63 Class of 2003, 2002, 2001 : 31; over three years post graduation : 32 Male : 28; Female : 35 Individual Contacts : 101 Class of 2003, 2002, 2001 : 46; over three years post graduation : 55 Male : 51; Female : 50 Phone : 23; Email : 18; Appointment : 60 Pat : 52; Colleen : 40; Brad : 5; Eileen : 2; Philip - 2 Classroom Presentations · Senior Dance Seminar - Planning and Implementing Life-long Career Goals; Fall (Pat & Colleen) · Methods & Skills in Social Work I - MBTI: Understanding Your Strengths as a Social Worker; Fall (Pat & Colleen) · Developmental Psychology - Career Development: Theories and Realities; 2 sections Fall (Pat & Colleen) · Psychology of Counseling and the Helping Professions - Career Counseling as a Profession; Fall & Spring (Colleen) · Student Teaching Seminar - Tools and Skills of the Education Job Search; Fall & Spring (Pat) · Personal Finance - Career Search Resources; Interim (Pat, Colleen, Phillip) · Knowing, Caring, & Communicating - MBTI and Communication Style; Interim (Pat & Colleen) · Psychology of Personality - MBTI: Jung's Theory and the MBTI; 2 sections Spring (Pat & Colleen) · Methods & Skills in Social Work II Tools and Skills for the Practicum Search; Spring (Pat & Colleen) · Nursing In Complex Systems - Resumes and Interview Skills for Nurses; Spring (Eileen) · Principles of Entrepreneurship - The MBTI and the Entrepreneur; Spring (Pat & Colleen) · Principles of Entrepreneurship - Teamwork and the Entrepreneur; Spring (Pat & Colleen) Events · Senior Countdown - open house for seniors (Eileen coordinated, all staff contributed) · Standardized Test Drive - MCAT, LSAT as practice graduate exams (Colleen) · Mock Interview Clinic - 7 alumni and employers provided mock interviews to 28 students preparing for job or internship search; coordinated with SOAP (Eileen) · Business & the Liberal Arts Forum: Resolving Economic and Moral Dilemmas - 40 from 11 of our corporate partner companies attended and interacted with 50+ students and 30 faculty. (Pat) · Career Panels - Art, Family and Social Services departments · MN Private Colleges Job & Internship Fair - 77 seniors and 39 intern candidates attended (Pat coordinated; all staff attended) · Summer Job & Camp Fair- 21 Lutheran Camps, 13 other camps and 10 businesses participated (Andrea) · Women as Leaders - 9 senior women interviewed and selected to attend alumni event (Pat, Rhonda; Colleen attending) · Law Forum - 6 alumni lawyers provided information to large group of students (Eileen coordinated with SOAP) · MN Education Job Fair - 30 students/alumni certified to teach (Pat & Colleen) · Pathways in the Arts - 12 students attended the MN Private College Consortium event at MCAD (Eileen coordinated; Pat and Colleen attended) Workshops/Training · JC/RA Training - Introducing the CEL as a Resource (Colleen & Tracy) · Academic Assistants Training Workshop - MBTI Preferences: As Learners and as Tutors (Pat) · Strategy Sessions - Strategies for Success presented by Princeton Review: GRE, LSAT, MCAT, GMAT (Colleen) · Finstad Grant Recipients Work shop - MBTI Preferences and the Entrepreneur (Pat & Colleen) · Interview Skills Workshops - Four workshops offered throughout the year (Eileen) · Rise Above the Rest - over 60 students attended 1 of 3 workshops in preparation for the MPC Job & Internship Fair (Pat & Eileen) · Resume Workshops - Two workshops offered to prepare students for MPC Job & Internship Fair (Eileen) · Post Job/Intern Fair Workshop - After the Fair: Effective Follow Up (Eileen) · Residence Hall Programs - Externships, Graduate School, Choosing a Major, Resumes/ Internships (Peer Advisors) · SSS/PEP workshop on resumes (Tracy) · SSS/PEP workshop on graduate school and internships (Colleen & Tracy) Resource Development · Assessing and Exploring Majors interactive website (Colleen) · Assessing and Exploring Careers interactive website (Colleen) · Explore Program - developed program to provide a process for exploring majors in conjunction with director of Academic Advising Center, Jim McKeel (Pat & Colleen) · Development of Job Search Workshop (Pat, Colleen, & Eileen) · Website revisions (Colleen coordinating project; Pat & April assist) On-Campus Recruiting 2003-04 provided many career opportunities for St. Olaf students through on-campus recruiting. The following companies came to campus and provided one-hour information sessions about their organization giving students the opportunity to learn more about them and the employment positions they had available. This list includes: Company Positions Available American Express Financial Advisor Dahlen, Berg & Co. Analyst Epic Systems Project Manager, Technical Services Ernst & Young Auditor Federated Insurance Actuarial Analyst, Claims Representative, Sales/Marketing, Underwriter General Mills Marketing Associate Learning Works Instructor Minnesota Life Assistant Actuarial Analyst, Programmer Analyst, Rotational Management Development Peace Corps Volunteer Target Corporation Business Analyst Target Technology Programmer Trainee Tetrionics Assistant Scientist Thrivent Financial Associate Watson Wyatt Actuarial Analyst, Health Care Analyst Wells Fargo Financial Financial Associate Zurich North America Construction Business Associate Students could apply for the above positions through CEL's on-line recruiting database, OleRecruiting. More than 250 students did. More than half of those were selected to interview on campus and many were given job offers at the above companies. Several other organizations posted job descriptions and collected resumes for available positions on OleRecruiting. They selected students for on-campus, phone, or on-site interviews. Many students reaped the benefits of OleRecruiting. With minimal effort on their part, they had access to many organizations, open positions in all career areas, and CEL staff available to assist them in the job search process. While the primary purpose of the above companies was to hire St. Olaf students to fill positions at their organizations, the relationship between them and CEL was far richer than that. Target Corporation and Federated Insurance each provided two scholarships for St. Olaf students. Target and General Mills provided generous gifts to the CEL to enhance the recruiting efforts. While it was Tetrionics first year on campus, they expressed their commitment to building relationships with the CEL and the science faculty. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans provided a one-half day job shadowing at their corporate headquarters for 10 students. Overall, organizations are impressed with the work ethic of St. Olaf students. Alumni from top-notch companies want to stay connected with St. Olaf and have been influential in getting their respective organizations to recruit at St. Olaf. It was also a productive year for organizations to connect with St. Olaf faculty. Through coordination of the CEL staff, many faculty from all academic areas attended on-campus business lunches with the recruiters to exchange ideas on current academic trends and the latest issues in the corporate sector. Students could get prepared for all areas of the job search process in the CEL. Help with resumes, cover letters, mock interviews, interview skills workshops, and one-on-one counseling was available to each student who was interested. Qualitative data suggests that the students who used the CEL were prepared and competitive in the job search process. Corporate Partners Program In May 2003, Bruce and Pat kicked off the new Corporate Partners Program with a meeting hosted by General Mills of 16 alumni from 9 companies (General Mills, Piper Jaffray, Best Buy, Thrivent Financial, Wells Fargo, RBC Capital Markets, Federated Insurance, Northwest Airlines, Banner Engineering). During that meeting, we acknowledged a need for St. Olaf students to have more exposure to the corporate world and challenged our Corporate Partners to create strategic partnerships with the CEL. Over the summer, Bruce and Pat met with alumni at Target, 3M, Cargill and Medtronic to invite those companies into the new initiative. Many successful activities resulted from collaborations during the first year of the Corporate Partners Program: · Thrivent Financial and Federated created alumni teams within their respective companies and challenged those teams to find innovative ways to partner with the CEL. · The first annual Business and Liberal Arts Forum on October 27 was a great success. Forty alumni from 11 of our corporate partner companies attended and interacted with 50+ students and 30 faculty, sharing insights into the corporate world. · Alumni teams from Thrivent Financial and Federated hosted small groups of students in site visits to their corporate headquarters, introducing students to a variety of careers within their companies. · Representatives from 3M, Federated and Thrivent Financial participated in a Mock Interview Clinic in October. · Oles from General Mills, Target and Medtronic served as mentors to students through MentorNet. · Both Target and Federated offered two scholarships to students through a competitive process. · An alum from Target participated in the Law Forum in April. · An increased number of permanent position and internship postings are being received from alumni in our Corporate Partners Program, providing significant work and internship opportunities for students. Lilly "Vocational" Activities Pat · Week One Symposium: Dialogue on the Liberal Arts and Vocation o Coordinated all aspects of symposium for 776 new students, involving 60 alumni and 120 faculty/staff and 100 upperclass students o Prepared JC's, ASC Academic Assistants, and AAC Peer Advisors o Participated in evaluation and review process · Servant Leader Retreats Participated in team planning and in preparing materials for retreats Led retreats for: o CEL Peer Advisors (16 students) o Hoyme/Melby (16) o Mohn/Thorson (21) o Wellness Center (9) · Regaining the Vision: Career and Life Balance Retreats o Coordinated, prepared materials for and led 2 day-long retreats for alumni and staff o Presented seminar introducing the idea as part of Community Day · Dialogue on Teaching - involved alumni teachers in conversation with students just completing their student teaching about teaching as a vocation (Pat, Elizabeth Hutchins) · Dialogue on Social Service - Involved Social Work alumni in conversation with senior social work majors about social service as a vocation (Pat, Elizabeth) · John Schuster Visit - coordinated variety of activities as part of Schuster's visit to campus · Book Discussion (4 sessions): Answering the Call by John Schuster - participated · Stories of Calling- participated in story circle sharing stories of vocation · Lilly Conference for first-year grant recipients Colleen · Week One Symposium: Dialogue on the Liberal Arts and Vocation o JC Preparation for Symposium o Academic Support Center Academic Assistants and Academic Advising Peer Advisor Preparation for Symposium o Attended and facilitated discussion group with faculty and alumni · Servant Leader Retreats Participated in team planning and in preparing materials for retreats for: o CEL Peer Advisors (16 students) o Academic Advising Peer Advisors (8) o Hoyme/Melby JCs/RAs (16) o Wellness Center Peer Educators (9) o Kildahl/Rand JCs/RAs (25) o Global Semester Participants (12) o Brown Bag Lunch - planning for staff activities o Book Discussion (4 sessions): Answering the Call by John Schuster - participated o Stories of Calling- participated in story circle sharing stories of vocation Assessment Colleen · Survey: Walk-In Student Traffic - Compiled data collected by peer advisor contacts for student walk-in traffic from November through May to determine overall numbers, rates of traffic flow during the week and the year, and class year/major distribution. · Survey: Choice of Major - Collected and compiled data during registration times for current first years/sophomores/seniors to determine factors influencing choice and change of major. Leadership Pat · Counseling Intern from MSU's graduate program - supervise · Lilly Planning Committee/Lilly Program Committee · First-Year Student Experience Committee · MentorNet Advisor · Represented CEL at meeting of TOWN, an alumni group Colleen · Peer Advisor Co-supervisor · MentorNet Advisor · Student Life Division Liaison for CEL · Student Life Division Professional Development Committee - member · Beginning collaboration with Clare Mather on Student Leaning Imperative initiatives Professional Presentations · "Going from Good to Great: Using Your Giftedness Effectively" - half-day workshop for College Relations on MBTI, giftedness, and teamwork (Pat & Colleen) · "Values and Gifts: Finding Vocation" - AAA Staff Development Program (Pat & Julia) · Presentation to Alumni Board - provided comprehensive update on CEL priorities and activities; discussed ideas for involving alumni in CEL programs and activities (Pat) Professional Development Pat · MN Private Colleges Career Consortium - member · MN College & University Career Services Association - member · National Career Development Association - member · MN Career Development Association - member · National Association of Colleges and Employers - member · MidWest Association of Colleges and Employers - member · MN Association of Colleges and Employers - member · American Association for Employment in Education - member · Lilly conference · "Terrific Training Techniques for Career Development Practitioners" - MCDA workshop · "Making Good Connections: The Career Center and the First Year Student" - NACE virtual seminar with Carleton Career Center staff Colleen · American College Personnel Association - member · MN College Personnel Association - member · MN College & University Career Services Association - member, attended summer meeting · National Career Development Association - member · MN Career Development Association - member · MN Private Colleges Career Consortium - member · National Society for Experiential Education - member · "Perspectives on 360º Feedback" MCDA half-day seminar · "The Art of Creating Opportunity: Denise's Top Twelve Employment Tools" MCDA workshop · "Work in the 21st Century" - MCDA spring conference · Student Life Staff Development - participated in meetings and retreats · Attended Career and Life Balance Retreat · "Making Good Connections: The Career Center and the First Year Student" - NACE virtual seminar with Carleton Career Center staff · Attended HECUA Working for Change: Careers in Social Justice day · Attended Careers in Publishing Meeting · Attended Careers in Government Service Session OFFICE FOR INTERNSHIPSThe Office for Internships provides multiple avenues to gain hands-on experience and first-hand knowledge of what life is like beyond textbooks and the classroom. Through internships students are provided with laboratories in wide-ranging organizations where they can test theories and challenge hypotheses in assessing their personal strengths and interests. The internships offered add value to the curriculum, provide useful work experiences with clear learning objectives, and nurture community relations. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT Internships · Academic Internships Total # of Academic Interns for 2003-04 academic year: 134 Number of Academic Interns by term and gender
· Recognition Internships Total # of Recognition Interns for 2003-04 academic year: 32 Number of Recognition Interns by term and gender
Career Experience No official way of tracking students who choose to partake in an internship experience outside the format of the Academic or Recognition option. However, we are aware students continue to seek such opportunities on their own to gain needed experience and build their resumes. Experience Fall/Spring Break Externship Program - Only a handful of students actually participated in the official "programs" this past year. Due to the extenuating circumstances of Tracy's maternity/medical leave, additional attention to facilitate this programs growth and development was put on hold. · Total # of Fall Break Externs: 4 (3 Female/1 Male) · Total # of Spring Break Externs: 2 (2 Female) Federated Insurance Externship Program - On April 22nd, Tracy and April took a group of 10 junior and senior St. Olaf students down to Federated for a day of orientation and job shadowing. Students started the day as a large group hearing from a few key professionals about Federated as a whole. They then broke out to shadow professionals in specific areas that interested them (the students and professionals were matched prior to the visit) - career areas included: HR, IS, Corporate Legal, Advertising, Actuary and "Business" (Underwriting, Claims, Marketing/Sales). The day was incredibly successful. Our primary contact person was Therese Murphy. Faculty/Department Partnerships · Biomedical Studies - Advisory Board Member, created and implemented "Biomedical Studies Contract" which includes a required internship experience. · Media Studies - created and implemented the "Media Studies Portfolio" contract, which includes a required Academic Internship component. · Management Studies - provided informational workshops, has a required internship component. · International and Off-Campus Studies - collaborated to develop guidelines for international internships (Brad Kmoch and Bruce Dalgaard were also a part of this discussion). · Pat Quade & Sherry Saterstrom - met with them to discuss an opportunity in Costa Rica that Sherry was going to lead via a program NOT affiliated with St. Olaf & pending question was the opportunity for students to take part in this experience as an Academic Internship. · Dan Hofrenning & Charles Umbanhower, Sr. - assisted in meeting with Minneapolis City Council members for internships with the Minneapolis. City Administration. Brad Kmoch also participated. · Rita Glazebrook/Nursing Dept. - consulted regarding new guidelines for internships within the nursing program; Brad Kmoch followed up on this conversation as it continued into Tracy's maternity/medical leave. Student Appointments · Total # of One-to-One Student Appointments for 2003/04 for Tracy: 96 o Topic: Academic Internship only -25 o Recognition Internship only - 23 o Internship only - 22 o Externships only - 6 o Other - 20 · Total # of students: 85 o Gender: Female 67; Male 18 o Class Status: Senior 38; Junior 23; Sophomore 13; First Year 6; Alumni 5 *Not all walk-in appointments are accounted for in the numbers presented above. · Total # of One-to-One Student Appointments for 2003/04 for April: 161 o Topic: Academic Internship only -110 o Recognition Internship only - 15 o Internship only -10 o Externships only -7 o Other - 19 · Total # of students: 129 o Gender: Female88; Male 41 o Class Status: Senior 56; Junior 39; Sophomore 26; First Year 8 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Tracy · NSEE Conference (National Society for Experiential Education) - attended national conference in Minneapolis, MN. · MAFEL (MN Association for Experiential Learning) - attended bimonthly professional development programs and Executive Committee (served as Membership Coordinator) meetings through out summer and fall (prior to leaving October 25th for Maternity Leave). · MidWest ACE - attended August 2003 Conference in Minneapolis. · MPCCC (MN Private Colleges Career Consortium) - attended scheduled meetings during fall in preparation for MN Private Colleges Job & Internship Fair · MCUCSA (MN College & University Career Services Association) - attended scheduled meetings and professional development programs. April · MCDA (Minnesota Career Development Association (new member) · PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS · SSS Summer Program - Tracy presented information regarding the CEL and specifically Internships/Externships. · RA/JC Training - Tracy co-presented information with Colleen Nugent for Residence Life Training program. · Resume Skills Workshop - April co-presented resume building workshop with Eileen Shimota to Juniors/Seniors attending the 2003 Job/Internship Fair OFF-CAMPUS PROGRAM LEADERSHIP Tracy · MAFEL - Membership Coordinator · MPCCC - Internship Committee & Student Interest Committee OFFICE FOR SERVANT LEADERSHIPThe Office for Servant Leadership (OSL), within the Center for Experiential Learning, was established two years ago to provide a two-fold mission: (1) integrate service into the academic and intellectual life of the College; and (2) enhance the College's engagement to the community. During the past two years the Office for Servant Leadership has grown from a lofty idea to a well-defined strategic plan for the advancement of servant leadership initiatives based on the development of programs and activities around civic engagement, service-learning, leadership development and the growth of community partners. The primary focus of the OSL is the development and delivery of programs and activities that connect service to the academic work of students. Over the past year, that focus has necessitated the need to build relationships among faculty, staff and students in order to nurture and grow programs that have a strong academic (classroom) base, rooted in experiential learning theory. An exciting, yet continuing challenge, for the OSL is the further integration activities of the Lilly program for the Discernment of Lives of Worth and Service related to servant leadership. Civic Engagement, Service-Learning and Leadership Initiatives Effectiveness of civic engagement is dependent upon students developing leadership capacities to work well with others to accomplish change that benefits the common good. This socially responsible leadership approach includes being ethical, inclusive, and collaborative; knowing one's self; and recognizing one's interdependence with others. Students must also have the ability to think in complex ways about moral and ethical issues, to understand and live by their values, and to help society shape its values. It is important that they realize how their choices impact individuals, communities, and social institutions locally and globally. To accomplish this, the following is a summary of civic engagement/leadership initiatives the OSL developed, coordinated or facilitated during 2003-04: Minnesota Campus Compact Student Fellow · Student Fellows networking with peers from around Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa, develop skills as organizers and leaders, analyze ways to create institutional and social change, award mini-grants, and plan civic dialogues and related activities. Secured one of 35 tri-state Student Fellows- Emily Mooney, 2004. During this academic year, the OSL worked with Emily on a campus civic engagement "mapping" project to establish ways to identify and record civic engagement activities at St. Olaf, assisted in securing a grant supporting 50 St. Olaf students in attending the Nobel Peace Prize Forum (and act as student volunteers during the forum), and help coordinate events for the Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter Partnership Awards at the University of St. Thomas. Student Government Association Retreat · Invited to present a servant leadership workshop at the fall SGA retreat, helping Student Senate reflect on leadership in terms of service to others, rather than a "resume building" activity. Kloeck-Jenson Scholarships and David Minge Scholarship · Managed the application process in Tracy's absence and was member of the selection committee for both scholarships which provide support dollars to students pursuing internships related to peace and justice. Rimbach Teacher Award · Co-Chaired the selection committee for the Rimbach Teacher Award - Martin-Luther-Schule Teaching English program. 2004 award winner: Sarah Steingas. World Wide Service Fair · Coordinated the World Wide Service Fair featuring 37 service-related organizations (an increase of eight organizations from 2003). This year, the WWSF was held in conjunction with the Nobel Peace Prize Forum and SAS Globalization and Social Responsibility Conference and had a special focus on peace and justice related organizations. Member of coordinating committee for both Nobel Peace Prize Forum and SAS Globalization and Social Responsibility Conference Minneapolis City Council · Facilitated a discussion with Political Science faculty and several Olaf alums that have been elected to serve on the Minneapolis City Council. Discussion resulted in two alums (Paul Ostrow, '80 and Barret Lane, '85) teaching a Political Science class (PS 111- American Politics). Leadership Awards · Participated in the first annual Leadership Awards Banquet, recognizing the achievements of emerging and established student leaders on campus. Served in an advisory capacity to selection committee, and nominated to provide staff oversight with Student Activities Office and Office for Community Life and Diversity for 2004-05 academic year. As natural result of the civic engagement movement, service learning is a partnership among faculty, students, and community agencies, where all parties serve, learn, and teach. Service-learning sharpens the sense of the "usefulness" of learning while at the same time reaffirming its importance on its own terms. Service-learning speaks to personal development and leadership qualities- in serving others, students creates the desire of "serving to lead, leading to serve". To facilitate this, the following is a summary of service-learning/leadership initiatives the OSL developed, coordinated or facilitated during 2003-04: Summer Service-Learning Institute (SSLI) · Secured $16,00 grant to fund these one-week institutes June 2004 and June 2005, and are meant to integrate service-learning across the curriculum by providing leadership and guidance to faculty who have an interest in introducing service-learning into their courses and need to expand their expertise and/or access additional resources. · Secured national service-learning expert Edward Zlotkowski to lead the first two days of the SSLI. · Five faculty participated in the 2004 SSLI: Diane Angel (Biology), Susan Bauer (IDFA), James Hanson (Religion), Phil Stoltzfus (Religion) and Mary Titus (English). In addition, Lindsey Braun, student service-learning preceptor, and Community Partners from Northfield Community Action Center, Northfield Area United Way and Nerstrand Elementary School, were full participants alongside faculty. · The result will be over 150 students participating in service-learning courses during 2004-2005 academic year with the OSL providing direction, support and oversight. Sheridan Service-Learning Experience · Provided general support, logistical help, and reflection activities for Susan Bauer's IDFA 274/374 and GE 111, and Naurine Lennox's SW 261 classes, for the service learning experience with Sheridan Global Arts and Communications Elementary School, Minneapolis. · The service-learning component consisted of St. Olaf students mentoring students from Sheridan through letter writing and culminated in Sheridan students and their St. Olaf mentors participating in and planning of a collaborative arts event held at St. Olaf on April 6, 2004. Volunteer Network Development Committee · Provided overview of service-learning initiatives and discussed ways VN and the OSL can collaborate. Stavanger/Dale Social Work Internships · Worked closely with Mary Carlsen, Solvieg Zempel and Pat Quade to develop and grow partnership between St. Olaf College and Stavanger University that will provide student internship experiences and exchanges. Community Partnerships The service-learning and civic engagement initiatives led to the creation or deepening the relationship between St. Olaf College and the following community partners: · Northfield Community Action Center (service-learning, SSLI) · Northfield Area United Way (service-learning, SSLI) · Nerstrand Elementary (service-learning, SSLI) · Sheridan Magnet School for the Arts, Minneapolis (service-learning, SSLI) · Ruth's House of Hope, Faribault (service-learning, civic engagement, grant development) · Minnesota Campus Compact (service-learning, civic engagement initiatives) · Lutheran World Relief (international service-learning development) · Center for the Americas (Noble Peace Prize Forum co-presenter) · Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (civic engagement grant development) · HECUA (co-presenter for 2004 NSEE presentation) Lilly Program on the Discernment of Lives of Worth and Service Lilly Program Committee · Continued as member of committee that assists the Lilly Program Director in the development, implementation and formative evaluation of grant. First-Year Dialogue on Vocation · Member of the planning and organizing team. Coordinated activities and participated as a dialogue recorder. The dialogue was designed to engage first year students in their first week on campus in thoughts about what it truly means to answer God's call to lead "lives of worth and service to others," no matter what job or profession they are ultimately engaged in. In addition, the dialogue was meant to connect advisors and students in a way that encouraged conversation about larger issues than first-semester registration, and placed registration in a larger context of vocational discernment. Vocational Retreats · Co-lead four vocational retreats- one for CEL peer advisors, and three for residence-life staff members. Two other retreats were scheduled with Academic Support Center tutors and the leadership team for Volunteer Network, but were cancelled due to lack of participants. The Student Leader Vocational Retreats have two main goals: to give students a chance to better understand their own vocation by reflecting on their passions, talents, and values; and to consider how the concept of vocation might intersect with their role as a student leader on campus. International Service-Learning · Co-facilitated a pre-trip reflection seminar for students participating the International Service-Learning trip led by Marc Robinson · Provided consultative services (reflection and activity ideas) to participants on the Morocco Service-Learning trip. Summer Vocational Internships · Co-chaired with Director of Church Relations Janet Kringen-Thompson. Recipients of the 2004 Summer Vocational Internships will be hosted at Luther Seminary, provided with a $2000 stipend and receive an academic internship credit. Based the Lutheran Volunteer Corp model of intentional community which emphasizes living simply in community and working for justice, interns will live and eat common meals at Luther Seminary and work in congregations in the Twin Cities. This year's interns and placements: o Seth Heringer, '05, Redeemer Center for Life (Harrison neighborhood, Minneapolis) o Megan Jensen, '07, Bethany Lutheran Church (Seward neighborhood, Minneapolis) o David Melby, '05, Augustan Lutheran Church (Elliot Park neighborhood, Minneapolis) o Kelly Underkofler, '05, Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church (crossroads of four Minneapolis neighborhoods: Central, Powderhorn, Bryant and Bancroft o Sarah Vechik, '06, Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill (St. Paulacross from the state capitol) o Val Veo, '05, Our Saviour's Lutheran Church (Phillips neighborhood, Minneapolis) Summer Church/Bible Camp Stipends · Chaired review committee. Recognizing that working as a Bible/Church camp counselor can be a powerful opportunity for personal growth, service to others and discernment of one's career, St. Olaf Lilly Program offers stipends for students working in these positions over the summer. This year, recipients of the Bible/Church Camp Stipends each received $800 to supplement their summer income. In exchange for the stipend, the students will be asked to participate in at least one service or Lilly related activity next year. We received 26 outstanding applications, and selected 15. This year's recipients and their camps: o Kate Blair, '07, Christikon (Billings, MT) o Christy Borton, '05, Camp Arcadia (Arcadia, MI) o Merry Chadwick, '07, Streamside Camp (Stroudsburg, PA) o Colin Colby, '06, North Star Christian Adventures (Ely, MN) o Jay Decoux, '05, Wilderness Canoe Base (Grand Marais, MN) o Elizabeth Frosch, '07, Camp Omega (Waterville, MN) o April Graves, '05, Cathedral of the Pines (Lutsen, MN) o Daniel Grupe, '05, Camp Knutson (Crosslake, MN) o John Hensel, '05, Camp Vermilion (Cook, MN) o Eric Huseth, '07, Luther Heights (Boise, ID) o Emily Klock, '07, Lutherhill (La Grange, TX) o Anne Samuelson, '05, Good Earth Village (Spring Valley, MN) o Solveig Voelker, '07, Camp Omega (Waterville, MN) o Hannah Wallisch, '07, Waypost Camp (Appleton, WI) o Esther Weeks, '06, Sugar Creek Bible Camp (Ferryville, WI) Lecture/Discussion Series with John Shuster, author of Answering Your Call · Organized and facilitated student conversations with John. Participants were students receiving Summer Vocational Internships, Church/Bible Camp Stipends, and students participating in International Service-Learning programs. Honor House Service Mini-Grants · Due to the availability of un-used funds, provided $200 to the Diversity Awareness Honor House to expand their service-related projects. Co-chaired review and selection committee with Julia Newell-Iverson. Luther Seminary/Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary Lilly Grant · Invited, along with Janet Kringen-Thompson, to participate in a two-day consultation. Luther Seminary and PLTS have submitted a joint proposal for a planning grant from the Lilly Endowment, which allowed time and funding to develop a strong final proposal in response to Lilly's current "Making Connections Initiative." Program for the Theological Exploration of Vocation, Indianapolis, IN · Conférence participant. Professionnel Présentations National Society for Experiential Education · Presented a 60-minute workshop on "Bridging and Professional Education through Experiential Learning". Nobel Peace Prize Forum · Presented a Peace Skills workshop entitled "Sustaining Peace Organizations" Minnesota Association for Experiential Learning · Co-presented with members of the Minnesota Campus Compact results and findings of the Compact's study on Civic Engagement. Professional Opportunities On-Campus opportunities Registrar's Administrative Advisory Group · Group was formed to advise the Registrar on issues of mutual concern and responsibility with the goal of effective communication and working together and ensuring that processes are streamlined and clear for students. Second year on committee. Study-Service Task Force · Task Force convened by IDOCS to explore the issue of Study/Service Programs and their future direction at St. Olaf College. Year three on committee. Off-Campus opportunities · Service Learning Directors Conference, Chicago, IL · National Society for Experiential Education, Minneapolis, MN · Minnesota Association for Experiential Learning, bi-monthly meetings · Service-Learning Audio Teleconference, in conjunction with Student Activities Office CEL Collaboration The OSL collaborated with other offices in the CEL, providing a wide variety of services to students, faculty and staff. A few highlights include: · Member of two Finstad Grant selection committees: Meg Casey and Kate Monson. Continued to work closely with Kate throughout the year in developing working partnership with Ruth's House of Hope. (Finstad Office for Entrepreneurial Studies) · Member of the interview and selection committee for the Estenson Entrepreneurial Internships (Finstad Office for Entrepreneurial Studies) · Provided support for the Minnesota Private Colleges Job and Internship Fair (Office for Career Connections and Office for Internships) · Developed new internship guidelines and procedures for Nursing students (Office for Internships) · Worked with International Studies in developing guidelines for international internships and service experiences (Office for Internships) FINSTAD OFFICE FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIESThe Finstad Office for Entrepreneurial Studies was designed to promote entrepreneurial thinking and action among students and entrepreneurial collaboration between students, alumni and the community. The Office coordinates entrepreneurship courses, organizes seminars on entrepreneurial topics, and offers grants to help students begin new business ventures. Program Developments · Principles of Entrepreneurship (Management Studies 256) was taught by the adjunct Management Studies Professor, Rhonda Rekstad. The course had 25 students enrolled. · Serve as faculty supervisor for students doing Independent Study projects focusing on their Finstad Grant businesses. · Liz Wagner ~ Fall ~ 2003-04 - Computer Art Company o Betsy Ortmann ~ Fall ~ 2003-04 - Coffee Business o Kristen Graves ~ Spring II ~ 2003-04 - Music Business o John Giese ~ Spring ~ 2003-04 - Career Outlook Finstad Grant program · The Finstad Grant program awards grants to individual St. Olaf undergraduate or teams that develop business plans for entrepreneurial (either profit or non profit) ventures · Developed business plan and pitch template · 22 students have formed 17 businesses The Finstad Office for Entrepreneurial Studies was designed to promote entrepreneurial thinking and action among students and entrepreneurial collaboration between students, alumni and the community. The Office coordinates entrepreneurship courses, organizes seminars on entrepreneurial topics, and offers grants to help students begin new business ventures. Program Developments · Principles of Entrepreneurship (Management Studies 256) was taught by the adjunct Management Studies Professor, Rhonda Rekstad. The course had 25 students enrolled. · Serve as faculty supervisor for students doing Independent Study projects focusing on their Finstad Grant businesses. · Liz Wagner ~ Fall ~ 2003-04 - Computer Art Company o Betsy Ortmann ~ Fall ~ 2003-04 - Coffee Business o Kristen Graves ~ Spring II ~ 2003-04 - Music Business o John Giese ~ Spring ~ 2003-04 - Career Outlook Finstad Grant program · The Finstad Grant program awards grants to individual St. Olaf undergraduate or teams that develop business plans for entrepreneurial (either profit or non profit) ventures · Developed business plan and pitch template · 22 students have formed 17 businesses Conferences
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Partnerships
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