Improve Learning In And Through The Community

QEP Topic ideas proposed in this theme include initiatives in:

  • International Experiences
  • Internships
  • Civic Engagement

Examples From Some Actual Submissions

International Experiences

  • All students who graduate from the University of the Incarnate Word are required to have a cross-cultural experience. Student Learning at UIW – Upon graduating from the University of the Incarnate Word, all UIW students will have gained a global or international perspective, enhanced their skills to interact with an increasingly global society, and will be able to demonstrate a better understanding of diverse cultures, languages, and systems, to potential employers or graduate admission counselors.
  • Require some kind of international experience of every UIW student. An international experience helps otherwise culturally land-locked students recognize and value the perspectives of “others”. The experience often requires learning at least elements of another language, which expands our reasoning processes. The experience can/should also prompt more mature insight into global issues of service and social justice, consistent with our mission.

Internships

  • An increase in internship opportunities, would improve integration and transition from classroom learning to a real world experience.
  • Increase the number of Speaker Series Panel/Roundtable discussions and increase the number of “meaningful” internships.

Civic Engagement

  • Reflection, Critical Thinking, and Civic Engagement across the College Years – We have a service requirement for graduation that could be better integrated into classroom learning, and could serve as a vehicle to promote writing and cognitive development through journaling.
  • Cardinals Connect Civil Engagement to Career Opportunities – Two key variables to student success is the student understanding and connecting to the university mission and student understanding how their degree connects to career opportunities. Civic Engagement is key to the UIW mission and if students can connect the lessons learned from civic engagement to career path, it would enhance their educational path.
  • Develop a 1-hr course on Civic Leadership Literacy. Part-1 done on a web-based tutorial-very student friendly and attractive (& get answers right before move on as in harassment requirement), before start at UIW or in 1st semester (including transfers).-Part-2 done in 2nd sem of 2nd yr at UIW. If completed, get credit at no cost. Consistent with Core Outcomes 5,8,9,10. Purpose: increase awareness of need for serious engagement in community, because that’s our mission, to explain our graduation service requirement, & that we now have a Center for Civic Leadership.
  • Civic Minded Cardinals — Research clearly shows that students who understand and can connect to the mission of the university are more likely to persist to graduation.