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Student achievements celebrated at trustees meeting
“At the beginning of May, we stop taking applications for enrollment at UD, and at the end of the month, we celebrate with Commencement,” Roselle said. “In between, we have Honors Day, and this is a wonderful time to salute the achievements of so many of our students.” Roselle began by introducing the recipients of the 2004 Warner and Taylor Awards, who spoke about their experiences at UD. Patricia Cordes, the recipient of the Emalea Pusey Warner Award as the outstanding senior woman, recalled her early days at UD and her experience as a Eugene du Pont Scholar while earning two honors degrees—a bachelor of science in economics and a bachelor of arts in political campus. “At UD, I have discovered a real community of faculty, staff and students,” Cordes said. “”I have been surrounded by people who are interested and interesting, and I have been challenged on the inside and the outside.”
Among the many exciting opportunities for personal academic growth, Cordes said, was her involvement with the Du Pont Scholars Lecture series, which included prize-winning journalists and well-known politicians. “In my work with the du Pont Scholars program and through group programs and outreach commitments, the UD faculty and administrators that we worked with not only supported us, but they encouraged us to think bigger and try harder,” she said. Cordes, who plans to teach for two years in a low-income school in Camden, N.J., as part of the Teach for America program, cited her UD experience as a factor in renewing her commitment to community service. “The overwhelming emotion that I feel as I prepare to graduate is one of gratitude,” Cordes said. “The opportunities that were available to me at UD have not only enriched my life, but they have inspired me to do the same for others, and for that I am truly grateful.” Charles Collins-Chase, a Eugene du Pont Scholar and recipient of the Alexander J. Taylor Sr. Award as the outstanding senior man, will graduate with an honors degree with distinction. A Minnesota native who applied for admission to UD on the advice of his mother, Collins-Chase said that at the time of his application, he had never even heard of UD. “My mom told me that UD had a beautiful campus and an engineering program that was among the tops in the country, and that I might get some financial aid because Delaware was such a great value,” he said. “I took her advice.” What set UD apart, Collins-Chase said, was the sense of community he felt during a visit to the campus, and a sense that the people he met were concerned with helping him fulfill his academic and personal aspirations.
Collins-Chase described UD as a place that puts no limits on a student’s education and provides the framework on which students can build their own educational experiences. “At Delaware, your imagination is the only factor controlling what you can do with your undergraduate education,” he said. “There is that sense of community that I felt when I first set foot on this campus, with professors, administrators and alumni that place no bounds on academic success, and for this I am truly grateful.” Truman Foundation Honor Institution In his remarks, Roselle noted that UD has been recognized as Truman Foundation Honor Institution, an honor it now shares with Harvard, Princeton and Duke universities. “This honor recognizes both the quality of our students and their commitment to public service, as well as the support the University gives them as they pursue careers in public service,” Roselle said. Blue and Golden Undergraduate Experience In highlighting the diverse aspects of student life and the possibility for personal and academic fulfillment at UD, Roselle said that staff members in the student life areas help make the UD undergraduate experience a rewarding one. “I have renewed faith in the services we offer our students and the staff members who offer them, and I’m impressed by the high quality of those students who serve in the very important post of resident assistants and hall directors,” Roselle said. “They are leaders, role models for other students, crisis mangers and community leaders.” Roselle also cited programs such as the popular “Just UDo It!” campaign that was unveiled during the fall semester. “This program was designed to show students that no matter what their interests are, there are ways for them to get involved, learn new things and make friends at the same time,” Roselle said. “The program offers leadership and career opportunities and allows students to work with many campus units.” This community spirit, Roselle said, is reflected in participation in worthwhile causes such as Make A Difference Day, the March of Dimes’ WalkAmerica and various blood drives held each semester at UD, including the Have a Heart blood drive sponsored by the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). “UD won the CAA blood drive again this year, with a record number of 311 units of blood collected on Nov. 19, 2003—the largest single-day blood drive in Blood Bank of Delaware/Eastern Shore history,” Roselle said. “Next year, the CAA blood drive will be held over two days [Nov. 17-18], and we are going to work very hard to make this the most successful effort yet!”
“This year alone, our students have raised well over $200,000 for charitable causes,” Roselle said. “One prime example is the Relay for Life, in which students—joined by faculty, staff and community—raised more than $134,000 for the American Cancer Society.” Besides achievements in the classroom and the community, Roselle said that the vibrant spirit of UD students also is evidenced by increased participation in athletic events and use of personal fitness facilities on campus. “Student fitness center use is on the upswing, and the new Pencader Center is open and is very popular,” Roselle said. “The Carpenter Sports Building fitness center alone received more than 75,000 visits in 2003, and students actively use the cardiovascular and strength-building equipment at the five other fitness locations around the campus as well.” Student participation also increased in intramural athletics, which saw a 30 percent rise in program participation and an 11 percent rise in the number of participants, Roselle said. Roselle also noted the record student attendance at football games where boisterous students in the South End Zone cheered on the Fightin’ Blue Hens on their way to an NCAA I-AA national championship. “We had more a thousand more students per game compared to last year,” Roselle said. “Total student attendance was 16,562, compared to 8,337 for the 2002 football season.” Roselle also cited the achievements of a just sampling of UD students who earned recognition on the local and national level. “It’s no accident that our students are earning so much recognition on the campus, in the region and in the nation,” he said, noting that such recognition is an outgrowth of what goes on in UD classrooms. The Delaware undergraduate experience has several elements that set it apart, he said, including programs to help students make the transition from high school to the University; discovery-based learning opportunities; an undergraduate research program that is a national model; and a new capstone experience that enables students to reflect upon what they have learned and apply what they know. Roselle said the changes in curriculum approved earlier in May by the Faculty Senate are the same types of activities that were mentioned prominently in recent news reports as goals that a Harvard University committee considers important as it works to reinvigorate its own undergraduate curriculum. “Few public or private institutions meet UD’s current standards of quality in terms of our students, faculty, programs and facilities,” Roselle said. Article by Jerry Rhodes To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
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