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News Worthy

2012 Teacher Excellence Award  (November 2012)
In Dr. Timothy Kinsella’s 22 years of teaching at Ursuline, the College’s mission as a values-based institution has always been at the forefront of his educational philosophy. Dr. Kinsella not only directs the College’s Master’s in Liberal Studies program but he also teaches in the history department and in the Ursuline Studies Program.

Dr. Kinsella’s students say “He is approachable, supportive and challenges his students to perform to the best of their abilities. He also strives to help students to develop critical thinking skills while learning about fundamental questions concerning human existence and the world of nature.”



Critique-An-Argument Faculty Workshop (November 2012)
In response to concerns that our students have difficulty on the Critique-An-Argument portion of the Collegiate Learning Assessment,  Ursuline College held a writing instruction workshop focusing on improving students’ abilities to “break” an argument. Led by Fred Wright and Mimi Pipino, the “CLA Critique-An-Argument Workshop” was held on Tuesday, November 13, 2012.

  


Banned Books Week 'READ OUT'  (October 3, 2012)
“The celebration of Banned Books Week (September 30 - October 6) is significant for several reasons: first, it reminds us of the profound power literature has to move us, please our senses, unsettle us, present us with uncomfortable truths, or impart knowledge that changes the way we see the world. Second, it calls us to remember the core values of our culture—freedom of expression, the gift of independent thought, and tolerance of and respect for different points of view. Third, it forces us to deliberate the paradox inherent in those values, when freedom to speak out (or in this case to write) clashes with the moral sensibilities and beliefs of others. But this tension also drives our democracy and makes social change possible, and if we ever lose it, we will lose ourselves,” said Mary Frances Pipino, Ph.D. director of the Ursuline Studies Program.

Thousands of individuals and institutions across the United States will participate in Banned Books Week this year. It has grown into a premier literary event and a national awareness and advocacy campaign around censorship.
Click here to watch a video of the event.


Student Papers
US401 UC, Culminating Seminar  - “Women Speak Out: Changing the World!” (Spring 2012)

US 401 is the interdisciplinary capstone course that focuses on the themes of Values and Social Responsibility. In “Women Speak Out: Changing the World!” students identify how values and action intersect as they learn about the history of women activists in the U.S. After examining contemporary women’s issues from a global perspective, Dr. Beth Johnson's students competed for a donation to ‘their’ activist organization. Kate Klancher, Erin Riola, Shana Porter and Lisa Franklin submitted the winning entry on behalf of The Fistula Foundation.

The foundation replied: 
“I want to thank you and your students for remembering those still waiting to be healed. I know you feel the same as I do, that no woman should have to suffer a life of shame and isolation simply for trying to bring a baby into the world. Ursuline College gives its students the lifetime gift of knowledge, and vision of how they impact the world they live in. We love your power point from the student presentation… and would like to use it to help encourage support. I think some of the people who gather friends in their homes would be interested in having it to show.” Sharon Howe, Director of Donor Relations, March 5, 2012


Grant Winners


“You Are What You Say” by Rachel Neal and Jasmine Comstock, Ursuline Studies 102, Introductory Seminar (Spring 2012)

At Ursuline College, we believe that knowledge is both personal and empowering and we encourage students to actively participate in both teaching and learning. In the Stage I Ursuline Studies courses, students focus on four main themes: education, identity, meaning and voice. To encourage collaboration and build on student strengths, Sr. Susan Mary Rathbun asked students in her US 102 to lead discussions on reading assignments. Jasmine Comstock and Rachel Neal created this power point presentation to go along with essays from their Norton Mix anthology. Using Robin Lakoff’s “You Are What You Say” and William Lutz’s “The World of Doublespeak,” Jasmine and Rachel creatively used their voices to engage classmates with questions, classroom activities and supplemental materials from YouTube. Their work increased peer participation and resulted in everyone having a better understanding of ‘voice’.




"The End" by Lauren Hollis, Ursuline Studies 351, Introduction to Culture II (Spring 2012)

Pamela McVay, Lauren's instructor for US 351 (Introduction to Culture), comments, "In US 351 Introduction to Culture, my students are required to write a poem that demonstrates their understanding of the Baroque aesthetic. Describing the meaning of life in seventeen short lines, in “The End” she borrows George Herbert’s technical feat of choosing line lengths to illustrate her main point before we read a word."



Faculty Critical Thinking/Writing Workshop (Spring 2012)

In response to a faculty request, Ursuline College held a writing instruction workshop focusing on fostering critical thinking in students.  In the workshop, 26 participants from across the campus explored such questions as “What is critical thinking?”, “How can I get my students to think critically?”, and “Can writing assignments foster critical thinking?”  The “Critical Thinking/Critical Writing” workshop was held on Monday, January 9, 2012.

 




Liberal Arts in the Job Market
AAC&U News, June/July 2011