“We interact with students inside and outside of the classroom. This gives us a broad perspective on the student experience, and we are able
to impact a significant number of students, not just our own majors.”
UC’s faculty are experts and scholars in diverse fields. “Take a look at our roster of faculty, and you will see scholars in the humanities, education, business, social sciences, mathematics, and the arts. As higher education moves more and more toward an interdisciplinary focus, we have the opportunity to model 21st century teaching and learning."
Hoerrner said that one of UC’s remarkable strengths is its concern with the entire student experience, from matriculation to graduation. Bringing the Department of Orientation and Transition Programs and the NEST (New and Exploratory Student) Advising Center under the umbrella of UC was strategically advantageous, creating the synergy and expertise needed for a comprehensive first-year experience and the totality of support needed by transfer students and students who transition in and out of majors. The Center for Student Leadership has been an integral part of the UC since the college’s inception.
Created in 2004 following an extensive self-study, UC also offers a substantial number of other academic support services and student engagement opportunities. One of the primary purposes of the college is lending significance to programs and offerings that have been empirically proven to enhance student success. These services
include the first-year experience, supplemental peer
instruction in high-risk courses, academic
advising, new student orientation, peer
leadership opportunities, math tutoring
and co-curricular leadership
experiences, including domestic
exchanges and engagement abroad
opportunities with a civic
engagement focus, to name a few.
Without a doubt, Hoerrner is optimistic
about the future of UC. The college appears
to be uniquely positioned to offer new
interdisciplinary degrees. There is a sense
of excitement and synergy that comes with
the infusion of new energy and talent.
And, the college has a unique strength
not to be underestimated: a truly
multidisciplinary faculty and staff with
an ethos for innovation and improvement.