Senior assignments
Speech Communication majors disscuss their senior project, learning experiences, hardships
Matthew Schroyer
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: News
After six days of working at Alorton, and countless other days preparing, the group gave their findings and experiences as part of the Senior Assignment Showcase Tuesday afternoon in the upper level of the Morris University Center. The showcase is a special collection of senior assignments chosen from all senior projects at SIUE.
"These students represent the best of the best," Director of Assessment Victoria Scott said.
For the students in the show, the honor represents a payoff for months of work and a chance to share what they have taken away from years of study at SIUE. For the Office of Assessment, it's also a matter of pride. SIUE's senior project "capstone" has earned a much-coveted status as one of the top 13 schools with similar programs, according to U.S. News and World Report.
While many universities across the country also have senior projects, Scott said SIUE's program stands out because of the variety of senior projects. This year's Senior Assignment Showcase featured jazz and dance performances and presentations in engineering, political science and nursing, among others.
"We have this huge diversity, and it's not a cookie cutter program," Scott said. "They're very unique and very diverse."
In the case of Dyer, Charlton, Kohnen, Mulholland and Washington, the project involved stretching their comfort zones and digging deep into their education to teach students in East St. Louis life skills.
"It took all of the knowledge and education and put it all together," Dyer said. "It gives you closure of everything you've ever learned for graduation."
The project also had special meaning for Washington, who said she was grateful for the chance to help the predominantly black school. Washington said she was appalled that many of the students lacked life goals or had no aspirations or plans.
"It made me realizes that when all you see is negativity, then all you can produce is negativity," Washington said. "Being an African-American myself, it was really difficult to see."
"These students represent the best of the best," Director of Assessment Victoria Scott said.
For the students in the show, the honor represents a payoff for months of work and a chance to share what they have taken away from years of study at SIUE. For the Office of Assessment, it's also a matter of pride. SIUE's senior project "capstone" has earned a much-coveted status as one of the top 13 schools with similar programs, according to U.S. News and World Report.
While many universities across the country also have senior projects, Scott said SIUE's program stands out because of the variety of senior projects. This year's Senior Assignment Showcase featured jazz and dance performances and presentations in engineering, political science and nursing, among others.
"We have this huge diversity, and it's not a cookie cutter program," Scott said. "They're very unique and very diverse."
In the case of Dyer, Charlton, Kohnen, Mulholland and Washington, the project involved stretching their comfort zones and digging deep into their education to teach students in East St. Louis life skills.
"It took all of the knowledge and education and put it all together," Dyer said. "It gives you closure of everything you've ever learned for graduation."
The project also had special meaning for Washington, who said she was grateful for the chance to help the predominantly black school. Washington said she was appalled that many of the students lacked life goals or had no aspirations or plans.
"It made me realizes that when all you see is negativity, then all you can produce is negativity," Washington said. "Being an African-American myself, it was really difficult to see."
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