Graduation season is upon us. Here at North Central College, and across the country, students are preparing to walk across a stage and receive a diploma they have earned after years of study and perseverance.
Meanwhile, high school seniors will celebrate their own graduation amid growing skepticism about the value of a college degree. Is higher education still the best path to a brighter, more secure future? The answer is “Yes” — but the kind of learning experience matters.
At North Central, our students engage in experiences that lead to deep learning and better outcomes after graduation and throughout life. One important factor is the mentorship that happens in small classes led by faculty rather than teaching assistants. Another is how we embed “high-impact practices” into our curriculum. Examples include first-year seminar, undergraduate research, study abroad, senior capstone projects, and internships or other work-related experiences. Such practices are called “high-impact” because they inspire inquiry, confidence, and resiliency.
Students who immerse themselves in this kind of learning cultivate their curiosity in ways that serve them throughout their lives, becoming attuned to asking questions: What does it mean to lead a good life — at work, in our communities, and through our values? What are the causes of and solutions to the problems of our past, present, and future? Possessing such critical and creative thinking skills has profound implications in our careers, personal relationships, and our search for meaning. More immediately, high-impact practices increase students’ grades and their likelihood of graduation.
High-impact practices center faculty mentorship, so during their first semester on campus, every new student sits down with the professor of their first-year seminar. It’s an opportunity to initiate the connections that will lead students to Commencement — and last a lifetime.
There isn’t enough space here to discuss all the ways that North Central offers a distinctive and personalized learning experience. So, I invite you to learn more by listening to 1861: The North Central College Podcast, when I was the guest for episode 11. The podcast is available on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or visit www.northcentralcollege.edu/podcast.
