Students Present and Launch Video Project for Association of American Colleges and Universities

Honors students Keely Fagan, Marycruz Figueroa, Sarah Martin, and Sametta Taylor joined Dr. John Zubizarreta in presenting a session on the pedagogical benefits of reflective writing in an online threaded discussion forum at the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) national convention held in Washington, D.C., January 20-23, 2010.
     The AAC&U is the most prestigious organization in American higher education dedicated to the values of excellence in liberal and integrative learning, diversity, authentic assessment, and civic/global engagement. Columbia College Honors Program students are the only undergraduates to present at the conference for the past five years. “We have established such an impressive reputation that the organization has specifically invited our students to help with two initiatives launched in the last two years,” says Dr. Zubizarreta, professor of English and director of the honors program.

     One initiative was a new television broadcast network in 2007, featuring students Alex Bowen, Tara Dennis, and Hannah Hancock in an interview about their presentation topic on learning portfolios. This year, AAC&U provided compact digital video cameras to the Columbia College group to film and interview participants and presenters for posting on the internet and social media as an outreach initiative to the larger academic community. Keely Fagan, Marycruz Figueroa, Sarah Martin, and Sametta Taylor earned kudos from all the AAC&U leaders involved as well as lavish praise from the many faculty and administrators for their outstanding formal presentation in the program.

     “Such recognition continues to build for our Honors Program and the college, and the four students who distinguished themselves at this year's national AAC&U meeting are shining examples of the outstanding quality of our most motivated, talented students,” says Dr. Zubizarreta. “They make us proud.”

Sarah pondering Vietnam Memorial.

Sametta, Keely, Marycruz, Sarah, Dr. Z at Lincoln Memorial.