Dear members and friends of the University Honors & Scholars Program,
Tonight, I had the privilege to attend presentations given by the latest participants in the Urban Leadership Internship Program (ULIP). This program offers students the unique opportunity to design their own summer internship and service learning experiences in one of several urban settings. To ensure that they select experiences that are ideally suited to their personal goals, values and needs, students must participate in a one-credit preparatory spring course, led by Katie Egart. In addition, during the summer, they commit to writing regular journal entries so that they can reflect on their growth and development.
A few hours ago, after enjoying some pizza, those students who recently completed their summer internships and service-learning experiences shared their stories. One student described how impressed she was with Dr. Steve, the lead physician at the Cleveland Free Health Clinic. Although he was a gifted and knowledgeable doctor, those qualities were not what she admired most about him. It was the fact that at the end of a long day of work, he generously gave his time to clean up the instruments and space where he worked. Prior to this experience, this student thought that becoming a doctor meant digesting the material offered in her biology, mathematics or chemistry courses. Now, she knows that being a doctor also means following Dr. Steve's example and cultivating a strong set of values that include empathy and compassion for others.
Another student recalled her experience interning at a small engineering firm in Chicago where she had the good fortune to design her own hole-punching tool which she was able to see put to use. Her supervisor was so impressed by her work that at the end of her internship, he gave her a pair of calipers and made her promise that she would pursue a career in engineering. Although she was happy to receive such a useful measurement tool, what made her summer so meaningful for her was that it solidified her decision to become an engineer. She came to the important recognition that engineering brings her joy and fulfillment.
Although not every student came away so clear about their career plans as the engineering student, all reinforced the same important message: education is not simply about absorbing necessary facts, formulas and methodologies, it is also about finding out who you are and what you believe in. Figuring out the answers to these questions is never easy, but it is or should be the essence of a good college education. I am proud to be part of a program that encourages not only students' intellectual growth but also their personal development. Intelligence is so much more meaningful when it can be used for what you truly care about.
