ENRICHING STUDENT DEVELOPMENT: A STUDENT AFFAIRS & ACADEMIC AFFAIRS PARTNERSHIP Jamey Matte, Director Volunteer Starkville Starkville, MS Courtney Allen, Graduate Assistant Office of Student Leadership & Community Engagement Mississippi State University

 Importance of and Reasons for Collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs  Roles of Key Players Involved in Collaborative Efforts  Positive Impacts of Collaborative Efforts on Student Development & Local Communities  Conclusion PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

IMPORTANCE OF A COLLABORATION  Cultural differences between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs  Student academic success and personal development depend on curriculum and co-curriculum  Effective integration occurs with a shared vision  Major focus of collaboration is to integrate the academic, experiential and practical and retain students through completion of their educational goals

REASONS FOR A COLLABORATION  To enhance student retention  To maximize student learning  To advance institutional assessment, accountability and quality  To fulfill the collegiate goals of liberal education and holistic development  To build campus community by bridging the gap between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs

MISSION STATEMENTS  Mississippi State University – “…is committed to its tradition of instilling among its students and alumni ideals of diversity, citizenship, leadership, and service.”  MSU Office of the Provost (Academic Affairs) – This mission includes coordination of the delivery of quality undergraduate and graduate instruction, oversight of the faculty and the coordination of the academic programs in the various colleges and departments.  MSU Division of Student Affairs – To support the mission of Mississippi State University by providing student learning opportunities that promote personal development through engagement in critical thinking, self-awareness, and healthy lifestyle choices in a dynamic and diverse environment that prepares our students to be ethical, responsible, service-oriented citizens.

STUDENT AFFAIRS CAN HELP ENRICH ACADEMIC AFFAIRS  Vicarious Learning  to personally experienced learning  Abstract Thinking  to concrete (situation-centered) thinking  Deductive Reasoning  to inductive reasoning  Theory  practice  Knowledge  to action  Conviction  to commitment

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Service-Learning Teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities National Service-Learning Clearinghouse: service-learning Experiential Learning Process of actively engaging students in an authentic experience that will have benefits and consequences. Learning by doing, making discoveries and experimenting with knowledge instead of hearing or reading about the experience of others. Adapted from Tulane via Auburn Community Service Engagement in activities that focus on providing services needed by different segments of the community. Adapted from Tulane via Auburn Faculty-Driven Student-Driven Institutionally-Driven Community-Driven  Collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. CE can be institutionally-, faculty-, staff-, student-, or community-driven.

BENEFITS OF SERVICE & EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING  Students make connections through:  Learning Materials  Opportunities related to their own experiences  Curricula ideas and themes  Classroom experiences integrated with purposeful out-of- class activities  Faculty and staff design learning experiences that:  Expose students to alternative world views  Expose students to culturally diverse connections  Make relationships between curriculum and co-curriculum

 Curriculum-Based Alternative Spring Break  HI 4990, Special Topic in History – Delta History Service and Experiential Spring Break  Goal of Class –  Serve as a companion to MSU’s existing Alternative Spring Break Program  Provide students with a crash course in the history of the MS Delta  Structure of Class –  Taught by 4 professors within the Department of History  Students meet once a week for one hour and go on ASB trip to MS Delta  Four formal writing assignments & Reflections on ASB Trip HOW TO INCORPORATE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING INTO AN ACADEMIC CLASS

 Student Affairs  Enhancement of existing ASB program  1 Week Experience  Semester-Long Experience  No academic credit  3-Hour Academic Credit  Academic Affairs  Incentive for Department of History  Provide faculty an avenue of service  Publicity & advertising for department  Opportunity to attract students to a history class  Logistics for Department of History  Feasible & clear path in an academic setting which a potential collaborator can travel NEEDS FOR SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION AMONG STUDENT & ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

PLANNING MSU’S MS DELTA HISTORY, SERVICE & EXPERIENTIAL SPRING BREAK  Key Players Involved –  Office of Student Leadership & Community Engagement (SLCE)  John C. Stennis Institute of Government  Department of History  The Center for the History of Agriculture, Science and the Environment of the South (CHASES)  SLCE’s Proposal to combine an academic class with MSU’s existing ASB Program (beginning of August 2011)  All key players initially met end of August 2011  Brainstormed ideas for academic class and alternative spring break  Prime Area of Focus – MS Delta Region  Text Book – James Cobb’s The Most Southern Place on Earth

STUDENT AFFAIRS’ ROLE IN PLANNING PROCESS  Office of Student Leadership & Community Engagement began planning the ASB trip in October 2011  5 months of planning  Contacted over 65 people/organizations for lodging, service & education opportunities, transportation and food needs  Met with 15 community partners over 3 trips to MS Delta  Grouped sites based on location and category  2012 Alternative Spring Break  6 Days: Sunday, March 11 th – Friday, March 16 th  15 Educational Experiences  7 Service-Learning Experiences

JOHN C. STENNIS INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT’S ROLE IN PLANNING PROCESS  Assisted Office of Student Leadership & Community Engagement  Existing relationships within the MS Delta Region  Aided in coordinating educational experiences for ASB  Developed reflection questions  Facilitated group discussion on The Help

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY’S & CHASES’ ROLE IN PLANNING PROCESS  Seek permission to teach experimental course  Who will teach the course?  Who will serve as Instructor of Record  Course Curriculum  Structure of Class  Role of Faculty on ASB

POSITIVE IMPACT OF COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS  Student Growth & Development  Personal Growth  Deeper understanding of the historical context, rich culture, and current issues within the Mississippi Delta Region  Local MS Delta Communities  Enhance organizational capacity  Connect with future resources

CONCLUSION  Benefits Achieved through a Collaboration  Challenges along the Way  Successful Outcomes of Collaborative Efforts