Originally published February 26, 2016
By Laura L. Acosta, UTEP Communications
For the past five years, Javier Calzadillas, an intern at The University of Texas at El Paso’s Student Engagement and Leadership Center, has worked behind the scenes planning some of the University’s signature events.
As a full-time student, Calzadillas became an expert multitasker, balancing work, school and family obligations – a valuable skill that has enabled him to successfully handle several tasks at once while organizing UTEP LIVE, Greek Week, and Homecoming.
By participating in internships and other student engagement opportunities on and off campus, Calzadillas, an organizational and corporate communication major, has not only been able to take an active role at the University, but he has also learned practical skills that have broadened his education and prepared him for post-university life.
“All of my extracurricular activities have enhanced exactly what I am studying,” said Calzadillas, who will be the first in his family to graduate from UTEP in May 2016. He plans to attend graduate school in the fall: “They have given me a hands-on approach to learning what my professors are teaching. They have also provided me with the appropriate tools to continue working and to know how student affairs within a university functions.”
Calzadillas is an example of the next generation of undergraduate UTEP students whose education will be enhanced by UTEP’s 2016 Quality Enhancement Plan: “The Next Generation of Student Engagement and Professional Preparation at UTEP.” The ten-year plan for student success will focus on student engagement activities – such as study abroad, internships, and service learning – to help students become aware of the assets they contribute to their education and develop the confidence they need to move into graduate school or the workplace.
Studies show that students who participate in at least two high-impact practices, are more satisfied with their college experience.
“We know that participation in the high-impact practices makes a difference,” said David Ruiter, Ph.D., Associate Provost. “They include things like civic engagement, study abroad, student employment, and many more. We know that if our students participate in two high-impact activities, their chance to be retained and to positively move forward to degree completion increases 10 times.”
Over the next 10 years, the Quality Enhancement Plan will build on the student success UTEP already has achieved in order to increase students’ awareness of their personal assets and promote student engagement in high-impact practices. The plan will emphasize the importance of curricular and co-curricular participation to help students understand the relationships among their classes and their beyond-class experiences. Students also will have a new opportunity to earn a “Professionally Prepared” designation by documenting their achievements in an electronic portfolio.
“UTEP’s 2016 QEP recognizes that our students’ limited financial means are complemented by huge assets – talent, motivation, and life experiences – which will enable them to succeed on our campus, in the world of work, and in the global community,” UTEP President Diana Natalicio wrote in a letter to faculty and staff. “This plan will create the next generation of student engagement and professional preparation for them, enhance UTEP’s role as a national leader in 21st century public education, and, most importantly, strive to be fully worthy of our students, their abilities, and their aspirations.”
What is Your Role?
Every 10 years, UTEP and other institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) must be reaffirmed. Each institution seeking reaffirmation of accreditation is required to develop a Quality Enhancement Plan that focuses on improving student learning outcomes and the environment that supports student learning.
UTEP is in the process of being accredited for another 10 years. The process includes an onsite visit by a team of reviewers from SACS institutions that is scheduled for March 1-3, 2016.
According to the plan, faculty and staff will play a major role in promoting student engagement and success at the University.
“To really be successful, it’s going to be all of us working in unity,” Gary Edens, Ed.D., Vice President for Student Affairs, told faculty members at an Administrative Forum on Feb. 16. “Think about your role in the student success plan. Can you sit down with a student and ask him or her about career goals and the importance of tying their career goals to some sort of internship? Can you encourage a student who’s in a professional organization to articulate the importance of naming that organization on a resume or in a job interview? There are all kinds of things that we can do.”
High-Impact Practices
The QEP includes several innovative strategies to ensure that students are well prepared to enter graduate school or the workplace.
The program will focus on engagement in high-impact practices and be governed by principles of Integrative and Applied Learning that will encourage students to apply the lessons they learned in and beyond the classroom into their professional practice.
Students will be encouraged to participate in two or more of eight high-impact practices to help them recognize their personal assets and understand their future potential. They include first-year experience, student employment and leadership, undergraduate research and creative activity, learning communities, internship and practicum, study abroad/study away, community engagement and service learning, and a capstone experience.
“Any student can become more engaged by participating in one of the eight areas outlined in this program,” said Amanda Barraza, who expects to graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from UTEP in May 2016. “Many students are already doing so without knowing it.”
Barraza is an intern in the Student Organizations Management office and has served on several committees, including UTEPIA, the Student Organization Leadership Awards, and the Student Organization Leadership Retreat. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in business administration at UTEP in the fall.
“Getting involved in student organizations, programs, and working on campus have all made my time at UTEP that much more fulfilling,” Barraza said. “I thoroughly enjoy my classes and the faculty I have worked with; however, engaging on campus and in the community is what solidified my decision to remain at UTEP and continue my studies.”
High-impact practices not only promote learning outside of the classroom, but they are designed to help students think about how all the different pieces of their education fit together. They also create meaningful interactions with faculty and students, encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, and provide frequent and substantive feedback.
“Professionally Prepared” Portfolio
The final piece of the QEP is an electronic professional portfolio where students will be able to document all of their achievements during their undergraduate education.
Students who choose to prepare a portfolio also must participate in two high-impact practices and attend six professional preparation workshops. Students will present their portfolio in a campus forum showcasing student achievement.
The student portfolio will include their resume, a cover letter, and a reflective essay describing how the integration of their assets with in-class, among-classes, and beyond-class experiences applies to their graduate school or employment goals.
Students who complete the portfolio will receive a certificate or other “professionally prepared” designation at graduation.
“We want students to be engaged with the campus, with their future, and beyond the classes that they are taking,” said Maggy Smith, Ph.D., English Department Chair and QEP author. “We hope students will engage more holistically with their educational experience throughout their undergraduate studies until they graduate and pursue graduate studies or a job.”
To learn more about the Quality Enhancement Plan, visit the QEP site here.