Monograph Proposal

So, I felt like I would include this on here, mostly because it makes me feel legit, lol.

This is the proposal that Emily Rodgers and I just finished writing for a chapter of a monograph on Residential Colleges that Dr. Shushok is working on. Here's crossing our fingers that it goes through, because if it does, then I will be published before I'm a senior!

Residential College Sourcebook Proposal:

How a Day in the Life of a Residential College Shapes Learning and Character

Emily Rodgers and Jennifer Atwood

Residential college members, and indeed all participants in the collegiate way of life, receive some of the greatest gifts proffered by the academy: the establishment of identity, the formation of character, and the expansion of learning. There are many different factors that contribute to the intellectual and moral development of university students. Chief among these are residential interactions which result in true friendships and an allegiance to community life and the pursuit of a common good. Within the residential college system, these diverse considerations are brought together with singularity of purpose for the personal growth and moral betterment of its members. Most importantly, however, residential colleges have the ability to influence character through the uniqueness, futurism, and tradition which they possess by virtue of being a collectivity.

The structure and experiences of daily life in a residential college contribute to the formation of character by attending to the human need for order, responsibility, equality, honor, truth, security, and private and collective property (Weil, 2007). We will draw upon our experiences as students to discuss the various environmental and emblematic elements of collegiate life that satisfy these needs, including community covenants, coats of arms, collegiate meals, commonplace books, quadrangles, and student/faculty interactions. By integrating these symbols, spaces, and events with daily life, the collectivity not only meets the aforementioned needs of students, but it serves to develop purpose and integrity within its members. As administrators, faculty, and students in higher education, we cannot neglect to be thoughtful about the environments in which we live as we pursue academic life. The residential college system ultimately creates a society in which friendships and learning can flourish and provides a way for students to grow, both morally and intellectually.

Reference

Weil, S. (2007). The Need for Roots. (A. Wills, Trans.). New York: Routledge Classics. (Original work published 1949)