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The all-University Curriculum Integration Project included funds for the Morris campus to develop capstone study abroad experiences; that is, study abroad experiences built upon on-campus curricular offerings. The definition of capstone in the grant proposal to the Bush Foundation was left purposely generic so that UMM faculty could actually shape the activity.
The University of Minnesota's Curriculum Integration project has a common set of goals and activities for all the campuses of the University, but the capstone experience is unique to UMM.
Approval Process
The director of the Center for International Programs (CIP) (and
the campus lead for the CI project) developed the initial statement
for the capstone experiences, which was then shared with the International
Programs Committee (IPC), an adjunct faculty, staff and student
committee of the UMM curriculum committee, one of four standing
committees of the UMM Campus Assembly. From the outset, the capstone
project was linked with IPC which has broad oversight over UMM's
internationalizing efforts and which has had experience in developing
and administering a small grants program, (funded by the UMM administration),
which has been in place for almost a decade.
After sharing initial drafts of the capstone experience idea with members of the IPC, the title of the project was changed from "Capstone" to "Emersion" - meaning a study abroad experience "emerging" from an on-campus curricular offering(s). The purposes, policies, and procedures for the Emersion grants were contained in a campus wide announcement. An application form consistent with other IPC grant applications were also developed. The IPC determined that the Capstone/Emersion grants should be larger than their other small grants programs, which focused on internationalizing the on-campus curriculum. To assure a greater impact and commitment to the Emersion project, the IPC set grants at amounts up to $2,500 (compared to $1,500 for the Small Grants program). Further, all proposals had to include a "wrap-around" course which would apply to a UMM major and/or general education requirement.
Grants Awarded
In Spring 2003, UMM had its first round of
new Capstone/Emersion grants. The Call for Proposals yielded 5 responses,
from five different disciplines. The title of each project is as
follows:
- Indigenes and Colonizers in the U.S. and New Zealand (History)
- Cervantes's and Zayas's Spain (Spanish)
- Design and Development of Field Protocols for Student-Directed International Glaciological Research (Geology)
- Examining India's Progress towards Social Development (Management/Economics)
- International Theatre Production: Performing at the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival (Theatre)
A sub-committee of the IPC (the Small Grants sub-committee) made up of faculty, staff and students reviewed each of the proposals keeping in mind the criteria established in the Request for Proposals (RFP). Four of the five proposals were deemed as meeting both the spirit and the specific requirements of the RFP. The fifth proposal (from management/economics) was deemed to have merit but it lacked a careful description of how the grant funds would actually be utilized.
The overall view of the committee was that the funded proposals met the spirit of the new Capstone/Emersion project. Each proposal was based upon an existing course or courses as a foundation for a study abroad experience. The history proposal, for example, is based upon an on-campus course in Native American history and calls for a study abroad experience comparing Native Americans to the indigenous tribes of New Zealand. The geology proposal calls for undergraduate research opportunities which is a strong feature of UMM's geology (on-campus) curriculum (and of UMM more generally). Two of the four proposals have already planned study abroad experiences for as early as May 2004. Typically the Emersion grant helped fund a preliminary planning trip to the country that would be the site for a study abroad program. There will be another call for Capstone/Emersion fund projects in 2003-04, with two proposals being funded in the magnitude of $2,500 each.
Replicability
Based upon our initial experience, it appears that the Emersion/Capstone
project - in purpose, process and funding - is certainly replicable
elsewhere, though institutional support - in money and structural
terms - is essential to success. If funds and an inviting institutional
structure are already in place - positive results can be quickly
realized. In the case of UMM, the institutional structure - a supportive
administration, an existing study abroad office and a link with
a campus governance committee overseeing international programs
- assured that the campus would embrace the capstone project. Of
course, the long-term success is fundamentally tied to ongoing availability
of funds - a more elusive prospect in these times of budget constraints.
In sum, the Capstone/Emersion project got successfully underway this past year with expectations of continuing it in the coming year and hopefully beyond.
Last modified on May 13, 2008 |