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Center for Integrative Studies welcomes new director

By Kristina Boyer '05
February 25, 2005

The St. Olaf Center for Integrative Studies, which encourages innovative approaches to education by empowering students to create their own individualized majors, has announced that it will be welcoming Professor of English Mary Titus as the new Director of CIS come Fall 2005. Titus will be continuing the work of current Director David Booth, a professor of Religion who has led the CIS since its beginnings in 1999.

"The past few years have been an amazing growth experience," says Booth about his directorship of the CIS. "This transition of leadership is an opportunity to celebrate the Center for Integrative Studies - its students and their accomplishments, and all the faculty and staff who have been involved in their success."

Titus, who is passionate about inter-disciplinary academics and has taught in the Women's Studies and American Conversations programs, looks forward to her upcoming role with the CIS. "I am excited for the opportunity to work with such a wonderful program and help it grow," she says.

One of Titus' goals for the program is to increase opportunities for faculty members to teach inter-disciplinary courses for both CIS and regular students. "Involving more faculty in the CIS will stimulate growth within the program," Titus explains. "Hopefully this will encourage faculty to see the Center for Integrative studies as an opportunity rather than an alternative."

Established in 1999, the Center for Integrative Studies continues St. Olaf College's long commitment to education that crosses traditional academic boundaries. In the CIS, "integrative studies" refers to learning that intentionally combines diverse methods, experiences, styles of learning, subject matters, departmental resources or extracurricular resources in ways consistent with the educational goals of individual students and the standards of the college. The CIS supports a variety of programs that increase opportunities for students to make meaningful connections among the many parts of their college careers. These programs included integrative individualized majors, such as web portfolios, topical seminars, and thematic colloquia.

To learn more about the CIS, please visit their website at www.stolaf.edu/depts/cis.

Contact Kristina Boyer at 507-786-3315 or boyer@stolaf.edu.