Compass Navigation Manual
Guide to the Piedmont College Compass Program
INTRODUCTION
Mission Statement: Recognizing the capacity of undergraduate education to be all-encompassing, the Piedmont College Compass Program (PCCP) expands the scope of academic inquiry to include experiential learning. Through exploratory excursions in selected areas, students engage with their peers, as well as faculty, staff, and participants, in the wider community. Informed by reflection, these ventures cultivate a sense of direction while providing tools to navigate myriad spheres of responsibility.
Exploratory Excursions: A person preparing for a sea voyage checks weather forecasts and tide charts, calculates knots and wind speed, and researches offerings at prospective destinations. In a similar fashion, the Compass Program provides an opportunity for students to test the waters of personal and professional possibilities before setting their sights on a particular career. In many ventures, the role of passenger is comfortable and productive. Travelers take in the scenery, allowing another to set the itinerary and steer the ship. Analogously, in a course, the instructor selects the content and the route for reaching pre-determined goals or outcomes. Just as a passenger on a tour might wish there were enough time for a side trip or to linger at a particular location, aspects of a course may stir a yearning to discover more about a particular topic. The Compass Program invites students to further investigate selected areas of interest, and to be more deliberate about what they hope to gain from a venture, thereby creating a pattern of intentionality that can shape future activities.
Engagement with Others: In the context of both academic and co-curricular pursuits, students find kindred spirits and develop friendships that foster rich experiences. While the value of abiding relationships with people who hold common interests is indisputable, moving beyond the boundaries of the familiar can sharpen intellect and deepen understanding of quandaries that face humanity. A corporate executive views the economy through a lens tinted of a color other than the one employed by a theologian. Likewise an empty stage evokes contrasting visions in the eyes of a dancer and a comedian. A child growing up in the mountains of Appalachia gains an impression of the world that is remarkable to a young person whose childhood was spent amid the skyscrapers of Atlanta. The convergence of varied perspectives carries collaborators into unforeseen terrain, refining the inner compasses that inform decision-making, while often effecting positive change in communities.
Reflection: Often, after a journey, once luggage is unpacked and regular routines are resumed, the capacity for the trip to inform or influence daily life fades. In the whir of life's compelling demands, pausing for reflection may be considered a luxury. But taking time to consider what is gained from an experience enhances the impact. Many college students participate in myriad co-curricular pursuits. By orienting these activities toward goals that they determine, students heighten the potential to apply what they learn to future efforts. Each project culminates in structured written and oral reflection in dialogue with a faculty or staff member. Ultimately, succinct summaries, or précis, compiled into an "experiential learning transcript" quantify seemingly intangible results. When sent by the Office of the Registrar to prospective employers and graduate school admissions committees, this document conveys institutional support and investment that distinguishes Piedmont graduates.
REQUIREMENTS and PROVISIONS
The requirement applies to students entering as freshmen (i.e. those who matriculate with fewer than 24 credits) in Fall 2013. Undergraduates who enroll at Piedmont for all four of their undergraduate years will be required to complete three "experiential learning endeavors" (ELEs) as a graduation requirement. The program is optional for students who have completed 24 or more credit hours at the start of the 2013-14 academic year. Each ELE must reflect one of the following Compass Points of Interest: Service-Learning; Social Ethics; Creativity and Innovation; Cultural Awareness; Vocation; Leadership.
Sponsors and Community Partners: All ELEs must be supported by a sponsor who is employed full-time by Piedmont College. It is expected that students frequently will work closely with an off-campus entity or "community partner." Individuals at that site will likely play a critical role in facilitating an ELE; however, their function varies from that of the sponsor. Sponsors exist, in part, to ensure consistency among all endeavors. Moreover, their involvement frees community partners to focus on the task at hand rather than the expectations of the college.
Academic Advisors should introduce the program to first-year students, and monitor the progress of their advisees toward successful completion of three ELEs. The Compass webpage will track participation of students engaged in endeavors. Advisors will be informed each time a student submits a précis to the Registrar.
Activities in which students have other obligations (e.g. internships, Maymester travel, athletic teams, employment on or off-campus, or volunteering for community agencies) may be adapted to meet PCCP requirements. In such instances, students must enlist the participation of a sponsor and submit a Project Proposal. Because goal-setting and reflection are essential elements of PCCP, experiences already completed cannot be amended retroactively to meet the requirements.
The Compass Program is structured to be largely co-curricular, granting additive value to the academic program; therefore, in most cases compass points will be attained outside the classroom. A few courses, however, may be enhanced by the student to meet the goals of PCCP; for instance, travel-study courses, internships, externships, and field experiences, provided they are not associated with a course or any other requirement for a major or minor. As another exception, one-credit-hour courses occasionally may be developed under the auspices of PCCP comprising content and outcomes that address a single compass point.
Possibilities for ELEs are limitless, and may originate in a variety of ways. Individually or as a group, students may hatch an idea for an endeavor and enlist the supervision of a faculty or staff sponsor. Among other options, the experience may reflect a hobby, emerge from a topic studied in a course, or appear on a "bucket list." Research is another compelling route toward a compass point. Members of the college faculty or staff who discern that an avocation or professional pursuit would appeal to students can develop a proposal and promote the opportunity to prospective participants (see Appendix A: Sponsor Interest Survey). The Office of the Chaplain will maintain lists of prospective ELEs and available sponsors on the Compass website.
When a project involves more than one student, each participating student will complete a Project Proposal that specifies which compass point will be addressed and outlines personal objectives. Students working together on the same project need not progress toward the same compass point.
When a student chooses to pursue an ELE individually, the project must engage others in some fashion, and meet all other expectations of PCCP.
In meeting the minimum requirement, each student must pursue ELEs that embody three distinct compass points. If students wish to complete additional ELEs, they may address a compass point for a second time. Further, students must satisfy the minimum requirement through varied means. For example, a volunteer effort, an internship, and a research project create an acceptable combination, but three Maymester trips would not be allowable.
Time Commitment: With the aim of affording ample opportunity for students to observe results, it is expected that each ELE will include 30 hours of active engagement with the project. ELEs do not need to be completed within a certain time frame; in fact, some may extend over multiple semesters. Students customarily will not pursue more than two ELEs simultaneously. Ideally, students will begin the senior year with no more than one remaining. The three required compass points must be finished before the deadline to apply for graduation.
COMPASS POINTS OF INTEREST
Six Compass Points of Interest are designed to set the course for ELEs. While the points are distinct from one another, they also exhibit common currents. The lists of examples that follow each compass point hint at these shared streams; most illustrations are appropriate for multiple points. Some examples depict actual experiences while others are new suggestions. The hope is that in pursing compass points students will draw not only on activities in which they are already engaged, but will experiment with contexts that carry them into untried territory.
Service-Learning
Experiences beyond the Piedmont campuses in which students apply skills in endeavors that make a discernible impact toward meeting a community need
Service occurs in many forms. Volunteers willingly provide assistance to accomplish an aim for an organization. Physical activity may play a key role as caring individuals generously donate time. Like service, learning is aroused in numerous contexts; however, it sometimes seems detached from real-life circumstances. A student may be eager to apply newly-acquired knowledge to a social context that cries for attention. Service-Learning calls for the marriage of time and talent. This compass point encourages students to discover how their education gives them the capacity to make a difference in the world. Students who engage in service-learning are expected to participate in making decisions regarding the best way to accommodate a need, to engage in activities that require them to think as they see firsthand why assistance is warranted. When hands and minds are summoned at once, service and learning become inextricably intertwined.
Examples of projects that exemplify service-learning:
· The outdoor club performs yearly work hikes on the Bartram Trail.
· Nursing students offer hearing, vision, and scoliosis screening at elementary schools.
· Students mentor in local schools through the Habersham County Mentoring Program.
· Natural sciences students work with the Upper Oconee Watershed Network, volunteering at quarterly monitoring events.
· Math club students visit area high schools presenting the Menager Sponge theory to math classes.
· Students in an education course serve as video production team and tech consultants to support initiatives with a local elementary school.
Vocation
Experiences which expose students to intellectual and professional pursuits as a means of clarifying their passion while cultivating a sense of calling and responsibility through discernment of their gifts, talents, skills and potential
Writer and theologian Frederick Buechner describes true vocation as “where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need." Finding that meeting place necessitates immersion in professional environments to determine which tasks cultivate gladness and which settings present abiding needs. Connecting the quest for a career to one’s interior journey lends balance to the process. This compass point enables students to apply academic interests to prospective workplace settings, to sample possibilities for employment that will not merely be one’s livelihood, but the realization of a calling. Planning for the future can play a powerful role in getting a job. Students will grow adept at articulating what they can offer an organization, an inclination that benefits both employer and employee.
Examples of projects that cultivate a sense of vocation:
· completing internships in both corporate and non-profit settings;
· researching an interest area and related occupations;
· interviewing people in various fields of work;
· traveling to an area where a particular need of the world is evident;
· completing a series of exercises related to vocational discernment.
Leadership
Experiences in which students assume leadership roles suited for varied contexts to achieve specified outcomes
Leadership customarily entails shaping a vision, while enlisting the participation of others in progressing toward that aim. Perhaps leadership is most readily apparent when someone holds an established position of authority. But how a leader carries out responsibilities or galvanizes support for a vision determines the degree of success. Some people stress actions over words, leading by example. Others adopt a model of collaborative leadership, partnering with rather than directing their co-workers. Servant-leaders set aside hierarchy, making the needs of those being served a priority. Different settings call for varied models of leadership. When seeking this compass point, students may hone their skills in contexts in which they serve in active leadership roles. They may adopt a trait or methodology to gather anecdotal data that illustrates the level of effectiveness. As another approach, students may observe or interact with individuals who hold leadership positions.
Examples of activities suited for the Leadership Compass Point:
· an internship working with a community leader, perhaps an elected official;
· working as a resident assistant;
· serving as an officer of a club;
· enrolling in Leadership Habersham;
· planning a forum comprised of leaders who embody contrasting styles of leadership.
Creativity and Innovation
Experiences in which students design or develop a product that serves a purpose, cultivates understanding, or is otherwise aesthetic or effective
The word ‘creativity’ easily evokes images of artistic expression: visual arts, dance, theatre, music, poetry. Although creativity is associated with the arts, it need not be confined to what is beautiful or pleasing to the senses. Creativity, along with innovation, infuses any effort with novelty; a creative approach to a task employs ingenuity or resourcefulness. The compass point known as Creativity and Innovation may encompass one or more of the fine arts, but also can steer plans in unconventional directions. Students may invent strategies that promote efficiency or productivity in the workplace, church, volunteer organizations, or countless other settings. Outcomes of creativity or innovation may be tangible, such as a publication, performance, a piece of machinery, or increased revenue. Alternatively, creativity and innovation could be apparent in time saved, or in feelings of joy, delight, or contentment.
Examples of activities that could lead to the Creativity and Innovation Compass Point:
· Members of the film club produce a documentary about campus life.
· A student attends monthly contra dances at the Sautee Nacoochee Center.
· Business students offer consulting projects for local businesses and organizations.
· A person employed in retail sales implements a new approach to interpersonal relations.
· A student directs the annual Christmas pageant at a local church.
· Kappi Pi joins forces with Schticks and Giggles to organize an “empty bowls” fundraiser.