together for fun and education. Senior Travis Renz and juniors Tristen Chesser and Kaye Webb participated on a panel, “Global Perspectives: Honors in Action”, during which they shared their summer study abroad experiences related to an intense summer institute on Chinese culture and language in Shanghai, a hands-on course on environmental biology in Belize, and a Summer at Sea program in Central America culminating in a public service project to assist a local community in Belize develop its water supply, respectively. Senior Valerie Hobbs presented a contemporary version of the relevance of Nietzsche in the paper, “Thus Spoke Valathustra.” Sophomore Inna Malyuk raised serious questions about Dante's organization of Hell in her paper with the provocative title, “The Ways to Hell.” Also attending were freshmen Tamilore Areola, Ashley Hinkle, Marshall Howard, Emily Lancaster, Stacey McLachlan, Christian Radford, Callie Towles, and Sarah Tuttle and sophomore Chassidy Newton. Drs. Thomas McPartland, Tucker Landy, and Gary Elliott helped students prepare their presentations. Drs. Thomas McPartland, Tucker Landy, Ron Mawby, and Mark Shale attended the conference.
The Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) has already served approximately 200 students this semester in approximately 475 student visits. Peer tutors provide learning assistance in many areas including Biology, English, Mathematics, Calculus, Spanish, and Education. The Center is also providing supplemental instruction (in-class attendance and out-of-class study groups) in the subjects of Accounting, French, Latin, Chemistry, IGS, Logic, and Art History.
ACE staff members were invited by Dr. Barbara Buck, Chair of the Division of Fine Arts, to speak to music majors and music faculty the center's services. As a result, ACE is working with Dr. Buck and the faculty to identify a student supplemental instructor to support success in music theory classes.
ACE and FRIENDS participated in the Welcome Week Extravaganza, encouraging student dialogue on academic performance and informing students of available academic support services. Instructional Counselors also visited developmental and gateway course classrooms to hand out bookmarks and to inform students of resources available in ACE.
The Director of ACE participated in a national conference concerning success initiatives underway through a grant sponsored by Wal-Mart which promotes collaboration among select NAFEO, HACU, and AIHEC institutions.
This semester, the Finding Resources In Education for NontraDitional Students (FRIENDS) program has serviced 68 students in 167 visits. The FRIENDS Program also provides tutoring services for nursing students associated with the Nursing Education Enrichment Project (NEEP). Staff members of the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) and FRIENDS are preparing to provide academic workshops to NEEP students on learning styles, study skills, goal setting, and time management to give guidance, focus and to assist in the success of their educational careers. The supervisor of the FRIENDS program, under the direction of Mrs. Sue Stamper, is preparing to move forward with the initiation of programs targeting KSU's single parenting population. Also being initiated is a mentoring program for probationary students through collaborations with administrators, faculty, and staff to provide educational, emotional support and encouragement to students.
The Office of Continuing and Distance Education experience an 11% increase in online student enrollment from Fall 2010 to Fall 2011 (from 1478 students for the Fall 2010 term to 1642 students for the Fall 2011 term).
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