NEWS AND EVENTS
Sixth
graduating class of The Honors College
The Honors college graduated its
sixth graduating class this May. What make this day more eventful, is the fact that the first inaugural class of The Honors College dual- language program graduated as well.
Please join us in congratulating these wonderful students.
Honors College students return from Salzburg academically energized and knowledgeable about sustainable development
This was the fifth consecutive year that MDC has participated in the International Study Program of the Salzburg Global Seminar that “provides an intensive international experience for participants to explore issues of worldwide concern and to view them from a perspective both literally and figuratively outside the borders of the United States. Students develop the tools to be more discerning in their assessment of information pertaining to world affairs and to understand what it means to be a global citizen.”
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Forty-nine students and five faculty from six Campuses participated in seven full days of academic and cultural activities in Salzburg and two days of cultural activities in Vienna. Forty-three Honors College students were selected on a competitive basis and six Student Government Association (SGA) students were chosen by the Student Deans. Three ninety-minute evening Orientation sessions were planned by the faculty chaperones and held at Wolfson Campus during the six weeks prior to travel. Besides travel logistics and introductions to Austrian culture, sessions featured group work on the theme of sustainability modeled after the actual projects those groups would complete in Salzburg. The group flew from Miami-Atlanta-Munich, then traveled by bus to Salzburg and began Seminar sessions within 4 hours of arrival.
The Seminar curriculum included nine pre-trip readings, morning plenary sessions with ~ 2 hour question/answer sessions, afternoon and evening small group project work, offsite visits to the Salzburg Old City – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a campus of the Austrian University for Applied Sciences that specializes in forestry management and sustainable design, the 27th annual Upper Austrian state Alternative Energy / Renewable Resources Exposition, and a modern Catholic parish church in Wels that features passive design and energy-efficiency. The capstone small group project covered a specific sustainable development topic and required a research paper and formal presentation that was carefully critiqued by the Seminar faculty and staff. A formal evening classical piano recital and banquet wrapped up the Seminar.
It is important to note that the Seminar supported all ten of the MDC General Education Learning Outcomes. Feedback from the Salzburg faculty on the papers and projects was overwhelmingly positive, informally ranking this MDC group as “among the finest we’ve ever seen in 22 previous ISP sessions”.
At the conclusion of the Seminar, the group traveled by bus to Vienna for two full days of touring historical and cultural sites including, but not limited to, the Schonbrunn Palace, Gardens and Zoo; Fine Art Museum; Natural History Museum; Sigmund Freud’s home/museum; the Hundertswasser Haus; Hofburg Palace; and the Austrian State Parliament. Students and faculty enjoyed evening performances of opera, ballet and symphony in the State Opera House and other venues in the City Center. Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive and shows the impact this program had on these students’ lives.
Updated 5/16/08
Honors College student receives the APS Scholarship for Minority Undergraduate Physics Majors
The American Physical Society (APS) just announced that Michael Salerno, a second year student in The Honors College at Kendall Campus, has received the APS Scholarship for Minority Undergraduate Physics Majors.
The scholarship awards a stipend of $2K for new students, which will be paid in one installment of $1K in Sept, 2007, and another $1K installment in Feb 2008. There is also an additional $500 awarded for use by the physics department at Kendall Campus. If Michael remains a physics major in good standing, he will receive an additional $3,000 annually, throughout the remainder of his undergraduate education. The scholarship program also includes the appointment of a local physics professional to serve as a mentor for Michael.
On another note, Michael, along with Sonia Gutierrez, a North Campus Honors College student, was selected to serve on the Pearson Advisory Board for 2007-2008. He will be assigned to work in the marketing, editorial or public relations division of the Board.
Please join me in congratulating Michael on these two recent achievements.
Alexandria
Dr. Alexandria Holloway, Dean
The Honors College
Miami Dade College
300 NE Second Avenue
Miami, FL 33132
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