Personal Statement Cecilia Orphan American democracy is in crisis. Countless research studies attest to the American people’s low level of engagement with, and knowledge of, democratic institutions. Universities were originally created to protect American democracy. Yet higher education has strayed from this democratic purpose. Given its legacy, I believe that higher education has an indispensable role to play in reversing our current crisis in democracy. Fortunately, in the last 25 years there has been a resurgence of attention to the democratic function of higher education. I have spent four years helping advance this movement as manager of the American Democracy Project (ADP). The ADP is a national network of 230 universities focused on higher education’s role in protecting American democracy. I am now pursuing graduate study to deepen my understanding of how higher education might best serve democracy. No other program better matches my interests and experiences than the Higher Education Administration doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn).
I became familiar with Penn’s leadership in community engagement while working for the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) as a student at Portland State University (PSU). The CAE is responsible for facilitating PSU’s community/university partnerships, and I served as a liaison for four sites - two of which were public schools. The Netter Center’s leadership in K-12 partnerships and Matt Hartley’s scholarship helped me build meaningful and reciprocal relationships with our sites that served PSU’s mission of ‘letting knowledge serve the city.’
I continue to use Penn’s scholarship in my work with ADP and have closely followed the Netter Center. Ira Harkavy’s research on communit...
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...k Longo of Providence College, Peter Levine, of CIRCLE, and KerryAnn O’Meara of the University of Maryland. Finally, I am deeply committed to higher education’s role in serving the K-12 school system and I have experience with serving as a community/university liaison in two public schools that would inform my graduate research.
I have spent six years exploring the following questions, first as a student and then as a professional: How might higher education help reverse the current crisis in American democracy? And how might we measure how well a university is fulfilling its obligation as a steward of its local community? Indeed, I believe we in higher education must constantly contemplate these questions. After completion of my doctorate, I will be uniquely equipped to further the democracy movement in higher education and help find answers to these dire questions.
It may come as no surprise to some that a quality education has the power to provide, for those who seek it, the opportunity of personal and professional transformation. It can be said that a society which encourages higher education is more likely to yield a population of individuals who are civic minded and purposeful as opposed to a society which does not. In an article entitled “What Can College Mean? – Lessons from the Bard Prison Institute, author Ellen Condiffe Lagemann supports the importance of a liberal arts education but also presents the case that quality education in the United States is not available to all.
Ms. Hall has had many years of public education experience and higher education training in which to hone her leadership style and framework. She started her career as a teacher in the Kirkwood School District. She then served as an assistant elementary principal at both Ritenour and Pattonville School Districts before being selected to serve as the assistant superintendent of the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District in 2008. Throughout her career she continued to pursue her education as a means o...
Schiller, W. J., Geer, J. G., & Segal, J. A. (2013). Gateways to democracy: introduction to American government, the essentials. (2nd ed.). Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth ;.
“Intellectuals and Democracy” by Mark Kingwell (2012) captures the essence of the commonality between higher education and philosophy and democracy. The author, who is a philosopher expresses his notion of the connection between the democratic system and that of the education system. Often, as the article expresses there is a preconception regarding the validation of careers promised with certain university degrees where other programs result in uncertainty or questioning from others. The use of rhetorical appeals used by the author throughout the article works towards building his article. I argue that through rhetorical appeals the author works his audience to grasp his personal stance of the education system as he attempts to persuade
What stands out about American universities today? Is it the academic opportunities offered to students, experienced faculty, or strong sense of community? Or...perhaps they have lost their focus. It is not uncommon for universities to focus their efforts and budgets elsewhere; by building state of the art gyms, for example, remodeling luxury dorms, grooming campuses, or creating more management positions. College students and professors alike are subject to the nationally occurring changes in higher level education. Colleges are becoming commercialized and tuition is rising, but is the quality of education improving? In “Why We Should Fear University, Inc.”, Fredrik DeBoer is able to provide a personal take on the issue of corporate domination
In Frank Bruni’s article “Higher Ed’s Lower Moment (December 30, 2017),” written for the New York Times, Bruni explicates his idea that college in today’s time is becoming more and more elitist, but if people intervene and take steps to reverse the process, colleges will become what they have always been: schools to educate America’s future. Bruni starts off this piece with a heavy appeal to logic through using statistics from reputable sources, such as Gallup and the Pew Research Center, and by collecting quotes from many college heads and officials; later in the piece, Bruni shifts more towards an appeal to ethos by providing qualifications for his sources, showing credibility and by telling the audience that they need to get involved and
Colleges and universities in the past were limited to one type of student, upper class males, but now colleges and universities are centers of education for people of all backgrounds. People from different backgrounds and opinions congregating at these centers of education, forced many colleges to evolve. By giving colleges and universities a large variety in their students, it forces them to ditch a standard on education. Due to this fact, all colleges and universities must deliver an assortment of options in the effort of giving everyone the best education possible. Evolution for colleges and universities did not end there; due to the birth of the world wide web most colleges and universities now give the option to enroll in online classes. This rise in online education spawned a new form of university, fully online universities. Author Graeme Wood presents in his essay, “Is College Doomed?” a wonderful example of what a college or university should not be. Graeme Wood describes Minerva, an online university with the goal of stripping education to only the essentials. Minerva wants to take away campuses, sports, lectures, and most amenities leaving only their version of education. Minerva’s goal to take away options for students reduces their reach, leaving only a select few with the desire to join Minerva. Limiting students only leads to a worse education, especially since the students are the ones paying for the version of education they desire. College’s most valuable asset is their plethora of options in living, community forming, studying abroad, and variety of classes, this aspect of college in particular is what creates a perfect education for any student.
The biggest question or dispute regarding the cost of higher education is finding the appropriate monetary and economical equation to determine the percentage of personal and public responsibility. The above debate has been in question since the 1800’s when Thomas Jefferson stated; "I think by far the most important bill in our whole code is that for the diffusion of knowledge among the people. No other sure foundation can be devised, for the preservation of freedom and happiness ”. Those important words that called attention to the importance of having an educated citizenry in order to preserve democracy are until this day, words by which legislator...
Palmer, Parker J. “The Quest for Community in Higher Education.” Criteria 2011-2012: A Journal of First-year Writing. Eds. Mary K. Jackman and Lee Gibson. Dallas: SMU Dept. of English, 2011. 46-55. Print.
The report, Higher Education for American Democracy, triggered changes in federal policies and subsequently the universities followed suit. Members of the commission arg...
Studying a university degree is one of the biggest achievements of many individuals around the world. But, according to Mark Edmunson, a diploma in America does not mean necessarily studying and working hard. Getting a diploma in the United States implies managing with external factors that go in the opposite direction with the real purpose of education. The welcome speech that most of us listen to when we started college, is the initial prank used by the author to state the American education system is not converging in a well-shaped society. Relating events in a sarcastic way is the tone that the author uses to explain many of his arguments. Mark Edmunson uses emotional appeals to deliver an essay to the people that have attended College any time in their life or those who have been involved with the American education system.
Sarah Balistreri is a coordinator in the Office of Academic Initiatives at the College Board. F. Tony Di Giacomo is a director in Research & Development at the College Board. Ivanley Noisette is a Mitchell Scholar. Thomas Ptak is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Oregon. 2012, The College Board. College Board, Advanced Placement Program, www.collegeboard.org.
Parents and community members want to know that their contributions towards the campus are valued and appreciated. Many times we take for granted those events occurring around us. It is crucial we express gratitude towards those people investing in increasing student achievement. Stakeholders want to feel accepted and worthy in their contributions to the campus. In addition, communities are made up of different types of culture, race and income status making the culture diverse which may act as a barrier in creating a positive atmosphere. Yet, this type of misunderstanding can be avoided by simply asking questions in a respectful manner. School leaders must make parent and community involvement a priority, valuing and accepting each other’s differences. “Schools provide wonderful opportunities to bring together students, families, educators and other community members to build the collaborative partnerships that promote quality educational, recreational, and social opportunities for all citizens” (Lechtenberger and Mullins, 2004, p. 21). Schools, parents and community members must work together to support all students in a learning environment to ensure every student is a successful lifetime
The stories and resilience I’ve seen and heard remind of the importance of civic engagement and leadership. I recognize that without the support of mentors such as Mr. Bravo, I would not be writing these words today. At age 22, I have returned to the community that shaped the individual I am today. My way of giving back for the opportunities I have had in life is by serving as a resource, mentor, and tutor to the youth in my community. I work closely with 11 at risk eight grade students at Carver Middle School, a school in South Los Angeles. My purpose in serving in this community is because my students deserve a quality education that will allow them to develop the skills to be civically engaged citizens. Therefore, building brave spaces for my students is crucial to me; because, I am aware of the importance of social and emotional support of one’s personal and professional development. I want my students to know that they matter and that they are not
Higher education debate is a controversial and hot topic for politicians in the United States due to the price associated with higher education in the country. State lawmakers regularly worry about the rising cost of attaining a college degree, and lowering the debt burden to the student. Consequently these issues have been turned into a talking point during the presidential campaign trail. The pressure on the amount of tuition paid has not only been seen from the government but also from the families, which have shown reluctance in paying the high tuition fees. Public universities 'which have attempted to increase the fee' have come under heavy scrutiny despite the reluctance of the state to invest in higher education (Holmwood, 2011).