Message from the President Greetings! In this issue of Hood Magazine, our in-depth storytelling features alumni, students, faculty and staff making a difference in the world. From consumer advocacy of medical marijuana and the struggle of the honeybee to ensuring cybersecurity through the use of a computer mouse, these stories show the drive to have an impact, to make new discoveries and to find solutions to global problems. As an undergraduate, I was interested in many disciplines and had difficulty selecting a major. My adviser invited me to assist her on research examining levels of moral reasoning students exhibited in college judicial proceedings. I not only found the topic fascinating, but I discovered that I greatly enjoyed the research process. This transformative experience led to my majoring in psychology and legal studies and eventually my decision to pursue a doctoral degree in social psychology and the law. Given its role in my own undergraduate education, during graduate school I recruited undergraduate students to assist with my research. Along with teaching, I found this collaboration so rewarding that I changed my career aspirations from seeking a government research position in the legal system to becoming a faculty member at a small liberal arts college. Student-faculty research was one of the highlights of my teaching career. My student collaborators challenged my assumptions, asked thought-provoking questions and energized my work with their enthusiasm. They positively impacted the quality of my research and teaching, and made me a better adviser and mentor. I also developed close, lifelong friendships with those students. At Hood, the quality and scope of faculty research is a source of institutional pride. Due to our size and the faculty’s commitment to providing a deep and meaningful learning experience to all students, many undergraduate and graduate students work collaboratively with faculty on their research or are mentored in their own scholarly pursuits. Studies have shown that student participation in research has many educational benefits. It improves understanding of the discipline and the research process, increases critical thinking, problem-solving and communication skills, enhances academic self-confidence, and helps students develop professional skills (e.g., time and project management, networking, teamwork) that contribute to job acquisition and career success. It is especially important to note that these benefits are greater for underserved students, significantly increasing their academic achievement and graduation rates. These valuable educational experiences require a significant investment of faculty time, so support and recognition are critical. Currently at Hood, a group of faculty is working with the provost to better integrate research, as well as other high-impact practices (e.g., internships or study abroad courses), into both the curriculum and faculty workload and to identify the additional resources needed to expand access and ensure optimal research experiences. Their work thus far has revealed that many of Hood’s academic programs currently embed high-impact learning experiences in their curricula. And, much like my undergraduate experience, our students’ stories reflect the significant impact of the faculty on their education. However, there is still much work to do to ensure that all Hood students have these opportunities. The current strategic plan, Moving Together Beyond Boundaries, includes a goal that every Hood student will participate in at least one high-impact experiential learning opportunity, including research or scholarly inquiry. To achieve this bold goal, we are actively securing funds to support faculty and student research through grants and donor gifts. We invite your assistance in providing these transformative experiences to all Hood students.
Andrea E. Chapdelaine, Ph.D.
Sincerely,
SPRING
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