Fresh Ideas!

A few moments ago, I stepped out of a meeting with some folks from the Academic side of campus and from the Student Life side of campus, and the main goal of that meeting was to identify ways that Student Life and Academic Affairs could collaborate better on campus. Most people that work in higher education are well aware of the huge divide usually found between the two distinct sides of campus. For one reason or another, the two departments just don't jive. Usually one department just doesn't think that the work of the other department is valid for them. But the reality is that the work that both sides are doing are both critically important to students' lives, development, and overall educational experience. Working separately works to some extent. Students get the quality classroom experiences that lead to degrees, and they also get the out-of-class experiences that build up communities and solidify beliefs, values, and overall development into functioning adulthood. 

But what would be the result of truly working in tangent - working together on nearly everything? Is that even a possible ideal? It seems at first glance that certainly it cannot be achieved, but looking deeper into the concept tells me otherwise. Working with the summer Bridge program for the last two summers tells me that the experience that Bridge students are gaining is becoming a coveted experience - something that all students want. Why? Bridge students end up with a confidence regarding their surroundings, their resources, their new community, while also being acclimated to college classroom expectations and assessing their introductory subject knowledge levels. In a few days time, they get the best of both worlds (Academics and Student Life), and the program is seamlessly planned to work together. Mentors selected by Student Life serve in the Bridge class groups. Social activities are attended by faculty who participate and get to know their students outside the classroom. Groups move almost unknowingly from one type of learning to another, and so far, our data shows that it works, although I won't bore you with actual figures to prove it. 

So, what does this mean for the rest of our students? If a third of our incoming students are receiving this intentionally connected Student Life-Academics focused ideal through the Bridge program, then what about the other two-thirds? Can it be done through efforts of New Student Orientation? After leaving today's brainstorming meeting, I am absolutely convinced that it can be done, and be done well. 

My brain feels like it is so full that it may very well be leaking out of my ears right now. I have a thousand questions about what it looks like, how much it costs, who is willing to be involved, how I can sell it to campus, how many people it will take, what kind of impact it can have... I am ready to tear apart all of my original ideas of what New Student Orientation should look like and start completely over. 

I truly believe that this is God's work happening on this campus. He is bringing people together that are sprouting these new ideas and programs that will set this university apart from the rest of the world. We are breaking ground potentially where no other university had dared to go...and if they have, I wish they would post their research! For anyone reading this, this has probably been a pretty boring and not so excited blog post, but it is possibly one of the most exciting things to happen in my work world maybe ever. And I'm ready to dive in head first to fresh ideas, collaborative work, and maybe even some serious research and article writing to top it all off.