Institutional Mission Statement:
É«ÖÐÉ« University's liberal arts education prepares each individual for a reflective life, fulfilling careers, and transformative leadership in a world of change
Student Life Mission Statement:
Who am I? How will we learn from each other? What is our responsibility to the world?
Educational Priority Statement:
Foster relationships with ourselves, each other, and our communities
Core Values:
Transparency, Collaboration, Inclusivity, Community Focused, Student Centered
Academic Engagement
Students will approach professional and personal learning opportunities with intellectual curiosity and a growth mindset
É«ÖÐÉ« University’s unique connection to the local community and long history of academic progressiveness provides the foundation for students to gain a well-rounded understanding of the world. Through stimulating experiences, students are encouraged to participate in both community-based and traditional academic learning opportunities to develop growth mindsets and expand their intellectual curiosity.
- Students will explore and identify individual learning styles to enhance academic performance
- Students will demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively across diverse perspectives, adapting to different learning and working styles in an academic environment
- Students will cultivate reflective practices to recognize academic stressors
- Students will demonstrate the ability to seek out and engage with academic resources that support personal academic success
- Students will develop skills to adapt and persist when encountering academic challenges
- Students will exhibit intellectual curiosity by actively seeking out new information, ideas, and perspectives beyond the classroom
| Learning Outcome | Introducing | Developing | Applying | Integrating |
| Explore and identify individual learning styles to enhance academic performance | Lacks awareness of their optimal learning styles | Identifies and describes their most optimal learning styles | Chooses and seeks opportunities to apply strategies that align with their optimal learning style | Advocates for educational environments that align with their optimal learning style |
| Collaborate effectively across diverse perspectives, adapting to different learning and working styles in an academic environment | Believes their approach is the correct one and expects others to adapt to it | Acknowledges that others may have valid perspectives but still considers their own to be superior | Changes their perspective as a result of new information or experiences | Integrates diverse perspectives to develop new insights |
| Cultivate reflective practices to recognize academic stressors | Unaware of the academic stress they are experiencing | Aware that they are experiencing stress but unable to identify the cause | Recognizes the source of their academic stress but is unwilling or unable to take steps to address it | Takes steps to address academic stress |
| Seek out and engage with academic resources that support personal academic success | Is unable or unwilling to seek help when needed | Identifies available resources and expresses a desire to utilize them | Utilizes some resources but does not fully explore or leverage additional available options | Engages with all relevant supportive resources promptly and consistently |
| Adapt and persist when encountering academic challenges | Is unaware of helpful strategies and is not taking steps to implement them | Attempts strategies but has not been successful or has struggled to maintain consistent implementation | Identifies effective strategies and consistently implements them | Demonstrates the ability to reflect on successes resulting from effective strategy and skill implementation |
| Exhibit intellectual curiosity by actively seeking out new information, ideas, and perspectives beyond the classroom | Views their role as a learner primarily as a receiver of information | Engages in learning by asking questions to deepen understanding | Seeks out and broadens learning opportunities | Makes connections between learning and real-life experiences |
Career & Professional Development
Students will explore and design their career and professional goals in a supportive environment cultivated by É«ÖÐÉ« University
É«ÖÐÉ« University supports students in exploring and shaping their career goals through hands-on experiences like internships, volunteering, and independent projects. These opportunities will help students to embrace their interests, values, and skills, empowering them to define their own paths to success. Alongside this, students will learn about professional responsibility, personal accountability, and active participation in their career development, building confidence and resilience as they prepare for their future careers.
- Students will be able to identify interests, skills, values, and other related personal attributes and how they relate to their career goals
- Students will be able to establish a network of professionals and peers to guide and support them in creating career goals
- Students will be able to evaluate and use information to set goals and make informed decisions about careers
- Students will be able to explain how career readiness competencies are developed through personal and professional experiences and be able to articulate these transferable skills to employers or graduate and professional schools
- Students will be able to develop the skills needed to effectively advocate for their accommodations and personal needs in academic and professional settings
| Learning Outcome | Introducing | Developing | Applying | Integrating |
| Identify interests, skills, values, and other related personal attributes and how they relate to their career goals | Lists basic strengths and interests, but unable to make connections to career goals | Understands how their strengths and interests align with various career paths | Participates in experiential learning opportunities with a clear intention to test and refine their strengths | Evaluates and reflects on their personal attributes, showing the ability to articulate clear connections between these attributes and career goals |
| Establish a network of professionals and peers to guide and support the creation of career goals | Identifies, but does not use, key departments, professional staff, faculty members, and peers who could assist in career development | Initiates connections with identified resources and individuals | Communicates and consults with resources and individuals, integrating their input into the ongoing process of refining and developing career goals | Incorporates and evaluates advice and feedback from professionals and peers into the career development decision-making process |
| Evaluate and use information to set goals and make informed decisions about majors and careers | Explores available career-related information and resources | Considers personal interests and strengths in the decision-making process | Exhibits a consistent and reflective process in setting specific, realistic, and achievable goals | Evaluates and adjusts goals based on ongoing reflection and new information, demonstrating a mature ability to integrate feedback and adapt decision-making processes effectively |
| Explain how career readiness competencies are developed through personal and professional experiences and be able to articulate these transferable skills to employers | Demonstrates initial understanding of the concept of career readiness competencies | Shows awareness of NACE’s career readiness competencies and begins to understand their relevance to various fields | Identifies how transferable skills are being developed through various personal and professional experiences, such as internships, work-study, travel, and involvement in clubs or organizations | Articulates how the transferable skills gained from experiences enhance post-graduation marketability by translating these skills into resume content and interview responses |
| Develop the skills needed to effectively advocate for their accommodations and personal needs in academic and professional settings | Begins to explore and understand what accommodations are, including assessing their own needs | Communicates their needs to others, though this may lack consistency, clarity, or assertiveness | Demonstrates a clear understanding of their personal needs and the necessary accommodations and communicates these needs clearly and assertively to relevant parties, such as teachers or employers | Exhibits a high level of confidence and effectiveness in advocating for accommodations and personal needs across different settings |
Community Responsibility & Engagement
Students will gain insight into the strengths and obstacles faced by our local, national, and global communities and learn how to make meaningful contributions through their unique abilities and talents
É«ÖÐÉ« University fosters an engaged, inclusive environment where students define the concept of community for themselves while shaping our community’s norms and expectations. Students acquire essential knowledge and skills to create a meaningful and positive impact on their communities and develop a strong sense of personal and collective identity. They will recognize that their inclusion in any community comes with the responsibility and accountability towards those communities. Programming and initiatives prepare students to participate in a global society, engage in dialogue, and think critically about how their behavior impacts themselves and others.
- Students will recognize and develop their unique talents, skills, and experiences, applying them in ways that foster individual growth and meaningful community engagement
- Students will develop skills in empathy and cultural competency through engagement with diverse perspectives, seeking to understand multiple viewpoints, and self-reflection
- Students will collaborate with diverse peers to solve community challenges, integrate multiple perspectives, practice empathy, and communicate ideas clearly and respectfully
- Students will consider their individual choices and actions to be mindful of the effects on others within their communities
- Students will engage in experiential learning opportunities, such as internships, service-learning projects, or community-based research, to apply theoretical knowledge and develop practical skills for community empowerment and social change
| Learning Outcome | Introducing | Developing | Applying | Integrating |
| Recognize and develop their unique talents, skills, and experiences, applying them in ways that foster individual growth and meaningful community engagement | Lacks knowledge of existing strengths and skill sets | Reflects on and identifies areas for personal growth or improvement | Participates in opportunities and new experiences to develop within identified areas for growth | Continues efforts to develop skill sets and talents while applying strengths to create meaningful change or contributions to their community |
| Develop skills in empathy and cultural competency | Willing to learn about other cultures and understand how culture shapes their identity | Understands the impact of culture on others’ identities and seeks opportunities for cultural exchange | Listens to understand, suspends judgment, and considers bias's impact on culture, identity, and community | Seeks opportunities to engage with other cultures; advocates for inclusion and cultural competence within the community |
| Learn how to work collaboratively with others | Open to collaboration but may dismiss ideas, lack compromise, or struggle to trust group members | Participates in group efforts and contributes ideas but struggles with engagement, showing basic communication skills and a willingness to cooperate, though improvement is needed in active listening and compromise | Engages in group projects and effectively communicates ideas, demonstrates flexibility, and a willingness to listen | Excels in fostering teamwork by actively listening, integrating diverse perspectives, prioritizing open communication, and encouraging participation |
| Consider individual choices and actions to be mindful of the effects on others within their communities | Makes appropriate decisions based on own needs and wants | Displays awareness of immediate surroundings while making personal decisions | Considers effects on others within their communities | Excels in making thoughtful decisions with intention of improving their own situation while intentionally working towards improving their communities as well |
| Engage in experiential learning opportunities, such as internships, service-learning projects, or community-based research, to apply theoretical knowledge and develop practical skills for community empowerment and social change | Discovers interests and values by attending campus events, information sessions, and connecting with faculty, staff, and peers to explore experiential learning opportunities | Engages with campus and local community through local community service projects or shadowing opportunities | Explores community needs, initiates service projects to address them, applies for internships, and networks with others in field of interest to make a positive impact | Completes an experiential learning opportunity to understand its impact on the community, reflect on personal and professional growth, and identify future opportunities for change |
Inclusive Excellence
Students will develop awareness and sensitivity regarding issues related to inclusive excellence by engaging in a learning community of faculty, staff, and students that supports its members of all backgrounds
É«ÖÐÉ« University’s deep commitment to supporting all students, staff, and faculty is reflected in its vision:
A É«ÖÐÉ« education is one of action and doing. It is hands-on, where students learn through experiential means in order to be producers of new knowledge. É«ÖÐÉ« students work together practicing leadership, teamwork, community support, and reflection in order to significantly contribute to a more equitable and just future society.
As such, students will develop awareness and sensitivity regarding issues related to inclusive excellence. Students will be able to address differences and similarities of culture and values between themselves and others; learn about and evaluate structural systems in society and their effects on communities; and be able to integrate awareness of inequities and privilege in order to be able to effectively collaborate with others in an increasingly global society.
Community members are encouraged to learn, reflect, evaluate, and participate in educational opportunities that facilitate utilization of inclusive excellence and other learning goals such as academic engagement, leadership skills, and community responsibility and engagement. In doing this, they will contribute and assist in building a more egalitarian society and be productive community members.
- Students will actively engage in activities that encourage self-reflection to develop a deeper understanding of self, their individual identities, and how these may intersect
- Students will develop appreciation, knowledge, and skills that contribute to a culture of belonging for all members of the community
- Students will engage in an institutional tradition of reflecting and initiating inclusionary changes to our values, programs, and knowledge
- Students will develop the necessary skills in their professional and personal lives to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds
- Students will develop awareness and sensitivity through experiential learning activities related to inclusive excellence
| Learning Outcome | Introducing | Developing | Applying | Integrating |
| Students will actively engage in activities that encourage self-reflection to develop a deeper understanding of self, their individual identities, and how these may intersect | Is unclear or has not reflected on their intersectional identities | Identifies some activities to engage in that will encourage self-reflection to develop a deeper understanding of self, their individual identities, and how these may intersect | Sets goals for engaging in activities that encourage self-reflection to develop a deeper understanding of self, their individual identities, and how these may intersect | Engages thoughtfully in activities that encourage self-reflection to develop a deeper understanding of self, their individual identities, and how these may intersect |
| Develop appreciation, knowledge, and skills that contribute to a culture of belonging for all members of the community | Has limited or no appreciation, knowledge, or skills that contribute to a culture of belonging | Identifies some knowledge and skills that contribute to a culture of belonging | Establishes goals for developing appreciation, knowledge, and skills | Utilizes appreciation, knowledge, and skills to contribute to a culture of belonging |
| Students will engage in an institutional tradition of initiating inclusionary changes to institutional values, programs, and knowledge | Has not considered ways to initiate inclusionary change | Identifies a number of institutional traditions in this area | Creates goals to participate in institutional traditions in this area | Engages in institutional traditions of reflecting and initiating inclusionary changes to our values, programs, and knowledge |
| Students will develop the necessary skills in their professional and personal lives to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds | Has not considered developing skills to collaborate across difference | Learning and developing these skills | Utilizes resources available on campus (such as Center for Inclusive Excellence; CAPS, etc) in order to develop goals for collaborating across difference | Practices and engages in necessary skills in their professional and personal lives to collaborate across difference |
| Students will develop awareness and sensitivity through experiential learning activities related to inclusive excellence | Unclear of their level of awareness and sensitivity in this area | Identifies areas to develop further awareness and sensitivity | Sets goals to develop awareness and sensitivity | Engages in self-awareness and sensitivity through experiential learning activities related to inclusive excellence |
Leadership
Students will gain the skillsets and knowledge to develop and recognize their identity as a forward-thinking, transformative leader in a world of change
É«ÖÐÉ« University encourages students to discover their own strengths and interests. This will allow for their exploration of opportunities across campus. Students will understand what it means to be a leader through observation and engagement with professional staff and peers, as well as involvement with different classes, clubs/organizations, jobs, and/or civic engagement, etc. Students will be able to articulate which style of leadership they feel the most connected with and confident in.
Through these interactions and experiences, students will gain the skillsets needed to understand that leadership happens at different depths and no one way of approaching leadership is the same. Becoming a leader is an ongoing developmental experience and students should be inspired to push past their comfort zone and adapt to different environments. Students can be purposeful leaders in official positions, but more importantly, can be leaders throughout their day to day interactions.
- Students will develop and utilize their interpersonal skills
- Students will develop and utilize their critical thinking skills
- Students will understand the correlation between their values and decision-making
- Students will recognize the impact of their behavior and decisions on others
- Students will adapt to environmental and situational influences
| Learning Outcome | Introducing | Developing | Applying | Integrating |
| Students will develop and utilize their interpersonal skills | Has a general understanding of their own interpersonal skills | Seeks opportunities to enhance their interpersonal skills | Uses interpersonal skills across various contexts | Demonstrates interpersonal skills through personal and academic interactions |
| Students will develop and utilize their critical thinking skills | Has a general understanding of the fundamental concepts of critical thinking | Builds upon foundational knowledge by practicing critical thinking skills | Uses critical thinking skills across various contexts, including academic coursework, peer discussions, and problem-solving situations | Demonstrates intellectual curiosity, engages in sophisticated analysis of complex issues, and adapts their thinking to new and unpredictable situations |
| Students will understand the correlation between their values and decision-making | Has difficulty identifying their core values and how they influence decisions | Recognizes personal values and describes how they affect decision-making | Uses personal values to guide decision-making in various aspects of life | Demonstrates ethical decision-making by aligning choices with core values in complex situations |
| Students will recognize the impact of their behavior and decisions on others | Is unable to understand the impact of their actions | Identifies the connection between individual behavior and group dynamics | Analyzes their behavior and how their choices affect others in various settings | Demonstrates empathy and consideration for others when making decisions |
| Students will adapt to environmental and situational influences | Is unable to adapt to environmental and situational influences | Recognizes that a change is needed but unsure of what change needs to occur | Develops strategies to adapt to environmental and situational influences | Navigates and manages environmental and situational influences |
Personal Development
Students will engage in holistic personal development where they will foster a growth mindset, self-awareness, and resilience, while maintaining a focus on interdependence
É«ÖÐÉ« University provides a supportive environment in which students navigate challenges and opportunities presented by their constantly changing lives and circumstances. Self-awareness and a growth mindset are vital to an individual’s personal success leading to an ability to thrive after graduation. Through intentional awareness and openness to change, students are able to positively impact systems including themselves, others, and the community as a whole.
- Students will be better equipped to realize and utilize their personal strengths to cultivate healthy, supportive relationships
- Students will develop tools for proactively and responsively managing behavior
- Students will acknowledge personal responsibility for their decisions and their effects
- Students will further develop respect for self and others through active listening, inquiry & sharing of thoughts
- Students will learn to recognize and utilize available resources to build upon skills to be successful individuals
- Student will increase their ability to navigate their own mental health
| Learning Outcome | Introducing | Developing | Applying | Integrating |
| Realize and utilize their personal strengths to cultivate healthy, supportive relationships | Has limited or no awareness of personal relationship-building strengths | Names their personal relationship-building strengths | Implements personal relationship-building strengths | Appreciates and maintains the healthy relationships they have built |
| Develop tools for proactively and responsively managing behavior | Has limited or no tools for proactively and responsively managing behavior | Names tools for proactively and responsibly managing behavior | Creates goals and set expectations for managing behavior while putting oneself in positive situations/environment | Engages in positive and consistent environments while practicing self and emotional regulation techniques |
| Acknowledge personal responsibility for decisions | Is unwilling or unable to acknowledge responsibility for decisions | Understands that personal decisions can have impacts on others | Acknowledges personal responsibility for their decisions and the effects those decisions have | Reflects and develops goals to repair effects of their decisions |
| Develop respect for self and others through active listening, inquiry & sharing of thoughts | Has not developed fully the skills in self respect and listening and communicating effectively with others | Identifies skills such as active listening in daily interactions to developed respect for self and others | Sets goals in daily interactions with others to make it a point to practice active listening, inquiry and sharing of thoughts | Practices active listening through daily interactions |
| Recognize and utilize available resources to build upon skills to be successful individuals | Has limited understanding of basic resources and their purpose | Identifies helpful resources but does not utilize them | Utilizes resources effectively to build specific skills for personal and professional success | Synthesizes resource use and skills to achieve sustained success and mentor others in accessing support |
| Increase ability to navigate own mental health | Has limited or no awareness of mental health needs | Names some skills or resources to manage mental health needs | Implements some skills to manage mental health needs | Utilizes skills proactively to manage mental health needs |