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NEWS | February 2008 - all articles

This page includes all articles in the February issue of NEWS. Return to summary or go to the NEWS archive.

College experience can have long-lasting effect
Building better citizens
Tools for employers
Briefs

College experience can have long-lasting effect

Alumni of Minnesota’s private colleges and universities ranked the quality and richness of their education higher than did alumni from public institutions, according to a survey administered by the Minnesota Private College Research Foundation and Hardwick Day. Comparing Results 2004: Alumni Perspectives on College PDF (171 KB) provides updated results about what graduates say they experienced, and how it has impacted their lives.

Although assessments of student learning while in college are useful and increasingly available, they do not measure the effects of college over time. According to the MPCC alumni surveyed, their collegiate experience continues to have an impact on their decision making, leadership opportunities, job satisfaction, and involvement in civic activities.

For example, 67 percent of MPCC alumni indicated that their college experience helped them become effective leaders in the years after college — compared to 51 percent at regional public institutions. 

 

Eighty-four percent of MPCC graduates asserted the importance of contributing to their communities, as compared to 73 percent at regional publics. MPCC alumni also report being more politically and socially aware after college, more likely to consider equality and social justice as important and have increased appreciation for the fine arts.

The survey suggests that many of the differences in educational outcomes between private colleges and large research universities can be attributed to the smaller, residential settings where strong academic and social support systems are available and faculty members are deeply engaged in the educational process. Small class sizes that facilitate extensive discussions and interactive experiences also enriched the learning process.

In fact, 90 percent of MPCC alumni said they benefited from classes of fewer than 20 students, compared to only 30 percent of students attending public institutions in the six-state region.

 
Finally, 78 percent of MPCC alumni stated that professors challenged them academically but also personally helped them meet those challenges, as opposed to only 39 percent of regional public university graduates who felt similarly challenged.

The fact that MPCC students continue to benefit from their education long after they graduate suggests that our institutions are doing their job well. By successfully educating students, the state reaps the returns of a high quality of life, service to our communities and economic growth.

Note: The initial survey, completed in 1999, consisted of telephone interviews with nearly 850 alumni who graduated between 1958 and 1993. Results were reported in the Worlds of Difference report (see our research report section). The 2004 survey was administered to over 100 additional MPCC graduates from the classes of 1994 through 1999. A third survey is currently being planned. 

 

Building better citizens

St. Olaf College student Monica Southworth didn’t know what to expect when she enrolled in the J-term course, “The New Hampshire Primary and U.S. Presidential Politics.” But she packed her suitcase and went to New Hampshire and later South Carolina to spend almost a month with 19 other St. Olaf students in a unique classroom and internship experience.

Southworth volunteered at the Manchester, N.H. headquarters for the Barack Obama campaign and did everything from sign-making to phone and door-to-door canvassing to data entry. “I was glad to have all these experiences,” she said. “I never thought about all the work and planning that goes on in every county and state.”

Fellow “Ole” Andrew Foxwell chose to work with the John McCain campaign. “The first night I was on the campaign I walked into the office and got asked if I could head to an event. I agreed and 10 minutes later I was helping out with an event for the Senator and 10 minutes after that I was holding the door open for him and shaking his hand. I can't begin to tell you how perfect it was,” he said.

Foxwell observed, as did Southworth, the passion and hard work that goes with campaigning. “It is awesome to witness first-hand the amount of dedicated work it takes to run for the highest office,” he said.

Students’ comments and experiences are documented on the Star Tribune blog Oles in ’08. 

Helping students get engaged
Political pundits suggest that the youth vote could transform the 2008 election. While it may be too soon to tell, students at Minnesota’s private colleges and universities are getting engaged in this campaign. It’s making them better citizens — and this, of course, is the point.

Dan Hofrenning, the St. Olaf political science professor who developed the New Hampshire course and internship, wanted students to study politics and have an opportunity for engagement. “Activism can enliven the intellectual experience. And an academic foundation can imbue activism with the kind of perspective necessary for thoughtful citizenship,” he said. “My hope was that combining study and action would lead to the kind of balanced yet passionate activism that can transform the political process.”

Professor David Woodard at Concordia University, St. Paul felt that he got lucky this year. His “Introductory American Government” class is on Tuesday evening so he had a captive audience on caucus night, Feb. 5. “I simply want my students to see how direct democracy works at the local level. They are never taught much about this level of government so caucuses were a great place to see regular people having an impact on the local and community political system,” Woodard said.

Kowsar Mohamud, one of Woodard’s students who grew up in a non-democratic country, had never participated in politics. “I thought since I could not vote, there is no need to partake in it. However, the caucus was life-changing,” she said. “First, it was interesting to watch democracy in action. Second, I find this system very complex, and there is no better way to learn than to be part of it.”

Preparing for caucuses
Will Howell at Macalester College has had a very different experience — as the student outreach director for the Al Franken for Senate campaign. As part of a 10-College Tour last fall, he talked with students on private and public campuses in Minnesota. “We had hundreds of students every time. It was really wonderful to see them that interested,” he said.

Howell conducted numerous caucus trainings at campuses and other Minnesota locations. “People thank me for making the process accessible,” he said. “Some told me they had a better grasp of what was going on at the caucus than the conveners. I’m very proud to have made a difference.”

The weekend before the Minnesota caucuses, Augsburg College student Beth Florence was chosen to introduce Senator Clinton at a rally on campus. “Despite my immense fear of public speaking, I could not possibly say no,” she said. Florence escorted Clinton and former Vice President Walter Mondale to the stage and found it to be a surreal experience. “It was a truly inspiring and empowering sight to see so many young faces and fellow classmates in the crowd. Senator Clinton revived something inside of me, not only as a U.S. citizen but as a student and a young voice. I value being a politically- and socially-aware student and using my knowledge as a catalyst for change.”

Ripple effects
Students who get involved in campaigns find that they learn a lot, but it can be a difficult balancing act with schoolwork. Emily Larson leads the student group “Oles for Obama” and helped organize a Jan. 30 rally at St. Olaf with actor Dule Hill who is stumping for Obama. “Some days when I spent four to six hours on the campaign, it was hard to find the energy to finish that reading sitting on my desk,” she said.

The benefits are far-reaching though. Larson admits that she now better understands the importance of respect for dissenting opinions and political preferences. “It isn’t just about supporting those who agree with you, but also those who differ from you,” she said. Southworth echoes Larson’s sentiment. “My roommates have different views than I do, but we talk about it openly and without anger. It’s valuable when you can remove prejudice against opposing opinions,” she said.

Civic engagement provides other lessons too. “By getting involved, I now know how to do this and I care more about what’s going on,” Southworth said. “Participating is so important.” Foxwell concurs. “Because I’ve dedicated countless hours to this campaign, I know the full story about candidates and their messages. So much information comes from just acting as a sponge in the political process,” he said.

In Howell’s view, engagement means different things to different people, but ultimately it’s all about our right to vote. “You can cast a vote on behalf of someone who’s fighting in Iraq or people who don’t have health care. The simple act of voting is so meaningful,” he said.

 

Tools for employers

Employers will have an opportunity to meet and interview students from 17 of the most well-respected private liberal arts colleges in Minnesota at next week’s Job and Internship Fair. More than 220 employers and 1,800 students from our private colleges and universities students are expected to attend the Feb. 20-21 event at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

In addition to supporting this event, the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) now provides another way for employers to find high quality interns and employees. We’ve added an employer portal to our Web site. Find out what makes our students special, easily contact career offices (there’s also a form for contacting several offices at once), and learn about upcoming events.

 

Briefs

• Students from our campuses will participate in six Day at the Capitol events in February, March and April. While at the Capitol, students meet with their legislators to advocate for student financial aid, specifically the Minnesota State Grant Program.
• The new LearnmoreMN blog features the voices of community members, sharing their perspectives about school success and the educational challenges we face in Minnesota. Guest bloggers will change every month. Willy Tully of Big Brothers Big Sisters shares his thoughts about mentoring during February.