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The Liberal and Integrated Studies Paper

Finding Identity through the Integration of Learning and Living

First-Name Last-Name

Street Address

City, State, Zip-Code

[email protected]

217-206-8207

UIN Number

LIS 451 / Senior Seminar

Professor Eric Hadley-Ives

[Semester] [Year] Table of Contents

Section One Page

Acknowledgments...... 3

Introduction...... 4

Autobiography...... 5

Section Two

Integrated Course Analysis Summary...... 8

Integrated Course Analysis Sub themes...... 10

Section Three

BA Outcomes...... 30

The Future...... 36

Conclusion...... 37

Addendum I Original LIS Learning Plan

Addendum II Courses Planned vs. Final Curriculum

Addendum III Significant Non-credit Activities

Addendum IV Bibliography

2 Acknowledgments

Special thanks and praise to my wonderful husband [Spouse Name] and my sons:

[Their Names Here] for tolerating many days and nights of Mom studying as well as for all the many experiences we have shared together to make us the unique people we are today. I love you all very much and hope that you discover the love of learning that I have. May your joy in gaining knowledge and the application of your intellectual gifts be a source of pleasure and satisfaction to you throughout your entire lives. A sincere thank you to my advisor, Professor Rosina Neginsky whose passion is shared in all of her words and actions and to Professor Annette Van Dyke who has helped me to identify myself as a woman and my importance within the community in which I live.

3 Introduction

Reflecting on how I came to obtain a degree in liberal studies has led me to important realizations about not only why I started this journey but also what it was about me that influenced my choices within the degree plan. The requirements of my employer to have a bachelor’s degree for advancement into a nurse administrator position initially led me to the doors of the University of Illinois at Springfield. When I walked into the college, I did not have a specific degree in mind. I needed a “bachelor’s in anything” to move up the administrative ladder leading to more financial gain, prestige, and personal fulfillment, or so I thought! I met with a counselor who suggested a liberal studies degree and assigned an advisor to me. When I enrolled in college at UIS, nineteen years had passed between the time I had earned an associate’s degree in nursing and another in science. During that span of time I added to my own learning inventory raising four handsome sons with my husband of twenty five years and providing nursing care to the community and my extended family for twenty years.

The introductory course, Self-Directed Learning, along with the Assessment of

Experiential Learning helped me to formulate an educational plan based on my past experiences as well as my future learning needs. As a nurse for many years, I had the experience necessary to perform the key, technical functions of my position, but I felt that with the emphasis in past degrees and in my career focused on the areas of science and work, I lacked the more essential qualities related to knowledge of self and esthetics. It was these qualities that I sought to integrate into my learning experiences to become primarily a more effective administrator and secondarily a more fulfilled woman.

4 Somewhere along the journey my primary and secondary intentions became reversed enabling me to achieve both goals.

Autobiography

There have been many words I have used to identify myself over the past forty four years. As a child, I was proud to say I was a girl. As a family member I was proud to say I was Italian, Catholic, a daughter, a sister, and a cousin to many. Even being an ‘A’ student earned a certain amount of pride and recognition while growing up and continuing my education. As an adult, I often found myself using the words wife, mother, nurse, and manager to think about who and what I was or to describe myself to others. I had never before really considered what these descriptors said about me as an individual or as a member of a greater societal network of family and community. I seemed to lack a sense of personal identity.

When career goals lead me to the University of Illinois at Springfield to obtain a bachelor’s degree, I had no clear picture of what type of educational goals I wanted to pursue or of what course plans were available. I knew that I had twenty years of nursing experience and the life experiences that came from raising a family and being involved in the community. The counselor at UIS was the one who suggested that I begin with liberal studies.

I was excited and yet very anxious to re-enter school. I had loved school as a child and had found it a welcome escape from the mental illness that was waiting at home in the form of a family member with bipolar disorder and the constant roller-coaster ride that often accompanied that situation. I came to realize that my decision to initially pursue a health care career stemmed in large part from my experiences as a child-

5 caretaker to my parent. Developing my own personal life-goals became a passion that I discovered was accessible through the liberal studies program.

The liberal studies program enabled me to utilize my experiences in the field of nursing as credit for prior learning. The continuing education I pursued at various work related conferences and associations contributed to that process. Also adding to my learning inventory was my service on the local board of health for the past ten years. The integration of what I was learning at UIS and what I was experiencing in my career at work as a clinic manager combined with family involvement helped me learn how vital all of our contributions are as individuals as well as our involvement in the larger whole of humanity. I began to learn that my identity was more than just the descriptors I had used most of my life or that others used to describe me.

Ernest Boyer describes in College: The Undergraduate Experience in America that “the aim of common learning is the understanding of oneself and a capacity for sound judgment” (Boyer, p.98). My interest in cultivating what identity meant to me as an individual and most importantly what it meant to me as a productive member of society led me to focus on areas of personal growth. I needed to find some balance to the world of science that I had been engulfed in for so long. By exploring art and literature, I learned to stimulate my creative side. The empathy that I learned as a nurse helped me to be able to relate to the anguish that plagued many of the artists and authors I read about. I also discovered that writing was a creative outlet for my own personal struggles and joys.

My role as a manager and as a mother helped me to integrate aspects of communication studies into becoming a more effective listener as well as bargainer. Women’s studies relating to spirituality, sexuality, and history developed a sense of feminism that I never knew I had growing up in a conservative environment. Thus I developed a greater sense

6 of tolerance and respect for diversity while still maintaining some of the cultural and religious values important to me.

The path to my degree in liberal studies has required hard work, sacrifice, flexibility and openness in my views, as well as the desire to learn and grow. As a more mature learner, I feel that my life experiences have integrated nicely with my academic experiences and have been helpful in interactions with other students. Respect for individual creativity and thought was taught to me at an early age, and it is something that has been part of what I see as essential to optimal learning and self-discovery. I can honestly say that I often learned as much from interactions with the other students as I did from the texts and instructors.

Work, college, family and community involvement are all parts of the whole that

I have become. The liberal studies degree has allowed me to see that finding identity is finding meaning not only as an individual but as an integral, productive member of society. This journey did take me away from what I had originally perceived as a prestigious more lucrative management career and into a more flexible career that will enable me to pursue a master’s degree without sacrificing as much valuable family time. I work now as a float nurse in a local hospital, back to where my roots as a nurse started in

1986. Beyond a master’s degree, I hope to continue my service on the county board of health where my position has just been renewed until 2011. As a wife, I will celebrate twenty five ‘official’ years with my husband this July. With three of my four sons in college and one graduating from high school in 2009, I will continue to work to help them financially and emotionally as they journey through their own college paths.

Hopefully my examples of hard work and passion for learning will help then to find their own identity and enjoy the process as much as I have.

7 Integrated Course Analysis Summary

Boyer categories were fascinating to me when I began my liberal studies degree. The idea of evaluating my learning based on specific categories provided me with the opportunity to sort out years of academic, professional, and personal experiences. The patterns that emerged centered on both a desire and need to focus on identity and how to best recognize and develop it. After years of care-taking others and helping to direct and shape their lives, I finally had the tools I needed and time committed for find meaning and direction in my own life. Finding Identity through the Integration of Learning and

Living is the theme that I think most broadly encompasses my course of study in the pursuit of my liberal studies degree.

Sub themes evolved out of an examination of the particular courses I choose and the reasons behind these choices. I chose my first sub theme, Finding Personal

Empowerment, because it represents the category Boyer classifies specifically as identity.

He describes the aim of learning (or searching for meaning) as discovering an understanding of self and developing sound judgment. Courses in literature and art helped me to recognize aspects of history and an appreciation of aesthetics. In this appreciation I found a more personal connection with not only great literature and art, but also with the artists themselves and the emotional, physical, and spiritual applications of their creativity. I rekindled a love of art that I had first begun as a child taking art lessons at the Springfield Art Association in the 70’s. Analyzing the portrayal of women in art, industry, and literature gave me insights into many of the political and religious ideas that

8 I held unquestioningly for years. Philosophy, liberal studies, and communications courses helped me to reason through some of these beliefs and alter them accordingly.

What was empowering about self discovery was the confidence I gained from having a broader perspective and understanding of the past and how it contributes to the future. This confidence comes in the form of being better able to carry on intelligent discussions in matters related to societal concerns like healthcare and even to personal interests like writing and philosophy. Aspects of my personal and professional lives benefited accordingly.

Contributing to the Common Good is the second sub theme I chose and it directly flows from finding personal empowerment. I believe it is our obligation to give back to society. Empowerment is gained not only through greater confidence and articulation, but also through a stronger knowledge base related to factual information that can have benefits to the community through my involvement in areas like the county board of health that I serve on and the work related meetings I attend at the hospital. By contributing to the common good and sharing what I have learned, I have found a greater connection with other people and common interests. In the past, I directed and cared for others but never really developed significant peer relationships outside of my immediate family. Through common good sharing, personal and professional relationships have blossomed and identity has strengthened. They are good partners.

Integrating Learning Outcomes for Future Learning is the last of my sub themes.

This theme encompasses the idea that learning is a life long process and that what I have gained to this point will enable me to focus on future learning needs as well as desires.

Courses in this category serve as tools that will help shape my next degree as I plan a course of study for my master’s degree.

9 Integrated Course Analysis Sub Themes

I. Finding Personal Empowerment

LIS 301: Self Directed Learning

This introductory course was taught by my advisor, Professor Rosina Neginsky.

What I remember most about this course was Rosina’s passion and encouragement. A free writing exercise was the first assignment I had in nineteen years and reading it aloud was not something I had intended on doing, but with the professor’s encouragement, I began to find my voice again. While the majority of the class began with the usual ‘my name is’ and ‘I was born in’, my free writing was just that: free. It helps me see where I started from and how far I have journeyed:

Free Writing: Why You are Here

I listen. I learn. I anticipate. I am here for all of these reasons. Looking for direction. I have a map of my plan of study, yet I am in a foreign land and hesitant to try a divergent path. I struggle with turning back and going home to familiar, comfortable surroundings. Yet, it feels good to be challenged again. I am not worrying about my next employee eval or if the clinic will run out of a most needed supply, if a physician will fly into a rage or if so and so will call in sick and leave us short-staffed. This is my time for new ideas, new learning…protected time away from obligation except to myself. Did the kids have supper or did they eat out again? Can I afford to be here? Will I succeed? I measure my own success and I don’t really have to measure. I have a new map, and I will close my eyes and hope to stray from the usual course.

The objectives of this course included an exploration of writing styles, learning about various philosophies of education, developing an autobiography as a learning tool, learning about Boyer categories, making educated decisions for a life plan, and defining what intellectual experiences mean to me. I accomplished these objectives by studying

10 Ernest Boyer’s College: The Undergraduate Experience in America, Peter Elbow’s

Writing with Power, and Allan Bloom’s The Closing of the American Mind. The key insights I gained included a sense of direction necessary for a liberal studies degree, a plan for the degree, and personal knowledge of learning needs as well as strengths possessed. What lead to my success in this class was a willingness to be honest with myself in planning the degree by acknowledging where my weaknesses were and also participating in class discussion where I was open and receptive to other student’s input.

Being out of the classroom for years and having attended private Catholic schools and a small community college did not prepare me for the diversity that I now faced in the classroom. Respecting individual differences was not an easy task to master initially, but

I came to learn that it was an essential part of my personal growth and ability to maintain an objective mind open to new ideas.

Boyer Category: Identity: search for meaning. I developed an understanding of self concepts and an awareness of the need for sound judgment. These attributes helped me to write a degree plan that was fulfilling and flexible to grow with my changing needs.

COM 302: Introduction to Interpersonal and Organizational Communication

Insights gained in this course included the objectives of developing a clear understanding of what communication means and of my own style of communication and ways to improve communication on a personal and professional level. Professor

Nicholson instructed on a number of studies including a correlated variable study in which we made observations of behavioral characteristics in a public setting. The study required data collection and interpretation of results. It helped me to see how nonverbal and verbal communications are important and how my own communicative style

11 influences the behavior of others. These insights were used to help me interact in a more productive way at work and at home as we studied both personal and professional contexts. Conflict and groupthink were also addressed in viewing the films regarding the

Challenger disaster and the murder of Kitty Genovese. These films left a lasting impression and realization of the importance of independent thought and rational thinking.

Boyer: Work. Effective communication is essential in developing relationships within any organization. At the time of this course, I was managing a large clinic in an outpatient academic setting (medical school). The insights I gained into my own communication style and the reasons behind other people’s behaviors were very helpful in interacting with patients as well as administrators and peers. I was able to put my work into a larger context and learned that communication is like a web; it extends to every corner of my life and envelopes almost everyone I come into contact with. Personal empowerment was the end result.

MGT 310: Managing Organizational Behavior

The objectives I met in this course were examining and analyzing the organization and organizational environment as a social system; the impact of its various components on individual differences, perceptions, attitudes, emotions, motivations, performance, job design, culture, change and leadership. Professor Parameshwar succeeded in making the course interesting and interactive. She brought her strong background in corporate culture to the classroom and helped us to see this climate from a global perspective, developing a greater appreciation for diversity. The Individual Skills Assessment Paper required me to develop a strategic learning plan based on values, influences and choices. It required

12 coming up with an idea of my career vision and to set specific goals based on this vision.

The goals I incorporated were completing my bachelor’s degree in liberal studies, physical and emotional fitness, and debt reduction. I am pleased to say that my bachelor’s degree will be complete this summer. The other two goals are a work in progress and proof that I am indeed a life long learner!

Boyer: Work. I initially listed this category as work knowing that it overlapped into identity and institutions as well. Managing Organizational Behavior helped me to be a more effective manager by developing an awareness of how people within these systems work, think, and interact. At the root of all structures is the individual. I have come to see that respect for individual differences and dignity is essential in relating to people one on one or as part of an organization. By remembering to point out the positive and not dwell on the negative during employee evaluations, I positively impacted the organization retaining more employees than the majority of departments.

ENG 464: Women’s Spirituality

Professor Annette Van Dyke helped me to gain insights into a wide range of contemporary women’s spiritualities by examining similarities and differences between them and by examining my own spirituality. African, Indian, Christian, and various other spiritual beliefs and practices were studied from texts such as Face to Face by Linda

Hogan and Brenda Peterson; Gloria Naylor’s Mama Day; Annette Van Dyke’s The

Search for a Woman-Centered Spirituality; and Anne Cameron’s Daughters of

Copperwoman. I supplemented this reading with a report and presentation on Sue Monk

Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees. My learning process started out with a lot of initial skepticism that grew into fascination and intrigue at the various women-centered spiritual

13 practices. What amazed me was how these practices have been so poorly recorded or destroyed as patriarchal practices became the social and religious norm. The black

Madonna portrayed in the fictional Secret Life of Bees led to my discovery of many other real ancient Madonna figures. The way the church altered these images of women and changed them from goddesses into saint-like figures was very perplexing. While not abandoning my religious beliefs, I did develop a sense of mistrust for many of the teachings that I once took on “faith”. The result is that I am more open to the teachings of other spiritual practices, some religious in nature and some not necessarily so. I think this has given me a greater respect for diversity and a sense of permission to explore other faiths more openly.

Boyer: Heritage and Language. The voice of women came though in these works. The importance of women’s contributions to literature and thus our history is something that has been greatly overlooked. This realization has helped me to find strength in my own voice and to rally behind other women in their desire to be recognized and heard. Boyer describes the importance of work as “shaping the values and social relations of a time”

(Boyer, 98). By examining my role at work and incorporating areas of spirituality into my patient care, I think that I have helped to ease patient suffering and simultaneously improved the condition of my own spirit.

ART 460 / LIS 460: Expatriate Paris

Professor Rosina Neginsky shared her passions and knowledge of art and literature in this course. I leaned about the influences that brought so many artists and writers to Paris in the ‘20’s: political oppression, religious oppression, financial need, depression, and even passion. The writings of Hemingway were introduced and the art of

14 the likes of Modigliani and Soutine were explored in great depth. I chose to do biographies on Marcel Duchamp, Modigliani, and Sonia Delaunay. Painting Images of

Women in Art and Literature: An Analysis of the Portrayal of Women in the Works of

Soutine and Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast was the title of the research paper I completed for this course. I examined how artists portray women with the brush as well as with the pen and learned how to compare and contrast the two based on the background knowledge and influences I learned about in the course readings and in my research.

Boyer: Art. My love of art grew immensely in this course. I went to a special presentation where Professor Neginsky invited students from her class as well as fellow instructors to hear her sabbatical presentation “Can Self-Portrait be Disguised?” I wrote this comment in the discussion board:

Today in Professor Neginsky's sabbatical presentation she said something to the effect that 'all art is a self-portrait'. I think that this statement is the essence of this class. All of the art and even the literature tells us something of the artist's self. Sometimes we have to dig a little deeper for it as in Brancusi and sometimes it glares at us as in Hemingway! Either way, the discovery of something of the artist and something of ourselves is worth the effort!

What I discovered was an ability to empathize with the authors and the artist, to look at something in a whole new way, and to allow my creative energy to feel the passion of the artist as well as to articulate my own creative passion.

LIS 499: Independent Tutorial: Native American Women’s Literature

I am currently enrolled in this class and the objectives are to discover the importance of oral tradition and the sense of place to Native American writers; to identify what constitutes a literary tradition for Native American women; to cultivate an

15 awareness of the Native American woman’s place in her culture as seen through each writer; and to identify similarities and differences between various tribal identities and how these are carried out in the literature. The insights I have gained are an understanding of how Native Americans view time in a much different manner than westerners who regard time in typically chronological fashion. The Indian authors frequently move from one experience to another regardless of its place in time order but rather in reference to how it is impacting the person at the present. Spirituality is a key focus of much of the writing and a respect for land as one with humans is essential. What was memorable about one particular novel, Waterlily (Ella Cara Deloria), was the way women were central to tribal life. The duties they performed would be seen as oppressive by western feminist standards, but they were essential to tribal harmony. The directives women received came from elder tribal women, not from males and thus I did not equate this with oppression by present standards. I realized that so often when I try to make comparisons with literature that is known to me, that I fall into the same trap as many readers and writers: contextualizing. This course has enabled me to see things from very new and unique perspectives. Seeing the American Indian as a victim or as a noble savage is far from what these author’s intentions are and not something I hope to foster.

Boyer: Identity, Work, Heritage, Institutions. All of these categories were initially listed in my degree plan as I hoped to find a course encompassing all of these. I have found that this Native American Women’s Literature class is meeting this expectation. While learning about history, I am also learning about the social institutions that played key roles such as the movement by the church to make Christians of the Indians and the influence that government had on land rights and even forcing children from their tribes and into western schools. I am learning how I identify myself as a woman in comparison

16 to how these authors have portrayed themselves or other women. Gathering this knowledge stimulates me to want to make positive changes in my own community from having a better understanding of Native American issues (Dixon Mounds, Chief

Illiniwek, etc…) to becoming an active voice for women of all nationalities and faiths.

II. Contributing to the Common Good

AST 401: Assessment of Experiential Learning

AST 401 provided key insights into identifying, articulating, and documenting learning acquired through personal experience outside of the traditional classroom setting. I was able to construct a portfolio of narrative requests for credit. In this portfolio entitled

Experiences of a Lactation Counselor Nursing a Community Spirit of Health and

Harmony, I documented how career education, cultural diversity, and self directed and life long learning were accomplished through my work as a nurse and lactation counselor.

The Kolb Inventory of Learning was utilized in this paper and I discovered that my learning style was that of accommodator expressed by a desire to lead, get things done, and influence others. I also found through examination of learning styles, that I could be imposing in my commitment to influence and lead. A significant learning outcome for me was the realization that I needed to develop my listening skills and take less of a leading role at times to become more of an effective educator when working with breast feeding mothers of various ages and ethnicities.

Boyer: Identity. By developing an awareness of my learning style, I was able to develop a more effective approach in helping my patients to successfully breast feed their infants.

The common good of the community was served by helping mothers make the best

17 nutritional choices for their infants attributing to their own emotional and physical well being at the same time. Sound judgments were developed from these experiences I had as a nurse outside of the traditional classroom. Incorporating my learning outcomes in the

Assessment of Experiential Learning Paper allowed me to receive credit for this directly applied learning.

ART 464: Contemporary Art History

Professor Perkins’ approach to modern art history enabled me to develop an appreciation for contemporary art during a time of great historical significance in both the world of art as well as politics: 1940-present. The objectives of the course were to gain an understanding of the major art movements and major artists in Europe and America during this period. The study was in the form of visual analysis of slides as well as from the text. We also took a field trip to the Illinois State Museum and observed an exhibit

“Art in the Abstract” featuring many contemporary European and American artists. Of particular interest to me were the works of art that turned into major events. Christo’s

Running Fence was an example of New Realism and a major event that I reported on:

Artists were redefining what the term ‘real’ meant. They were acting on the theoretical and taking events from the real world and incorporating them into their art. Paris, France was the center of the New Realist movement. While American artists were paying homage to Pop Art and all of the commercialism and media explosions after World War II, the artists in Europe felt less indebted to the commercial and seemed to favor the dramatization of their ideas into their art and the incorporation of objects into their art. They wanted to transform the way art and objects were normally seen and used like some of their predecessors of Dada and Surrealism. –A.I. (as learned from Professor Perkins)

18 “Freedom is the essential part of the projects. The very basic premise that it cannot be bought, cannot be commercialized, no one can charge tickets. Everybody can go to see them. The projects will go away and nobody owns them”-Christo.

Running Fence (1976) was an example of this artistic freedom in the form of an artwork that spanned over twenty four miles across the Sonoma Valley in California comprised of over 2000 white nylon panels that were eighteen by sixty eight feet each. This project was an environmental work of art with technological, political, legal and environmental elements. I learned that appreciating art requires an understanding of all of these elements that influence the creative process.

Boyer: Art. Boyer describes art as not only a desirable pursuit but an essential one. In this course, I was able to see how art represents a documentation of our history in very creative, expressive styles and also in very disturbing, bold styles. It incorporates the personal as well as the professional aspects unique to each artist. Without art, the quality of our lives would be sharply compromised. Art is freedom of expression in the form of paintings, music, acting, sculpting, writing and living. I value each so much more after this course and now have the desire and recognize the necessity to express my own artistic side and appreciate other’s same rights for the good of our society and future societies. We learn about our past from art and it can help to shape our future.

ENG 442: Contemporary American Novels

The content of this course came as a bit of a surprise to me. The professor chose to focus on multicultural novels including Chinese-American Maxine Hong Kingston’s

Woman Warrior; African American Ernest Gaine’s A Gathering of Old Men; Jewish-

American Chaim Potok’s The Chosen; and Native American Leslie Marmon Silko’s

19 Ceremony. By examining these texts and writing extensive biographical essays, annotated bibliographies, and analytical essays, I met the course objectives of developing an understanding of literary and cultural events. I also developed the ability to write about

“diversity” topics and to have competent discussions on line and in the classroom as this was a blended class. This helped to satisfy another objective of increasing cross-cultural sensitivity and self awareness. In a personal journey entry for this class, I had written the following:

Nobody asked me any questions!

My voice implores not through words

But through tone, through speed!

I feel the heat

(Interesting how races relate to same so far, except me)

I wrote this in reflecting on the classroom setting where I happened to be the minority amongst the other students and the instructor as well. The tension I felt in the classroom and the exclusion at times made me more aware of the way minorities are so often treated or regarded through out a great deal of their lives. If I felt it briefly in this classroom, what must it be like to live with it on a daily basis? This reflection led me to make a conscious decision to become more alert to my attitudes and behaviors towards others.

My style of inclusion was broadened by the texts and by the other students and instructor.

Boyer: Language. Boyer describes language as being at the heart of who we are and what we might become. I found in this class that having an understanding of the languages of different ethnicities and religious perspectives gives me a greater sense of compassion and sense of empowerment to contribute to positive changes towards equality.

20 “…everybody has an honorable place in society and it doesn’t mean that little sister has to be crushed. It means she has a place. And she has power in that place and from her place she can influence the whole structure’’- Maxine Hong Kingston

PAC 438: Monsters, Medicine, Myths

This course examined how man has sought explanations for health and illness through symbols, metaphors, poetry, and other forms of story telling. A “historical autopsy” was performed by viewing films and reading literature about Frankenstein, werewolves, space aliens, and the rise of germism. My learning process involved developing an understanding of historically significant influences like disease impact and access to healthcare services. I wrote a report on how cholera impacted public health in the late part of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century. From this report I developed my own proposals for protecting public health. My first proposal was entitled

Safety Guidelines for Travel Outside of the United States in which I detailed fourteen steps that travelers could take to prevent disease and illness. These steps were meant to be additions to the Sangamon County Department of Public Health’s Personal Health category on their website.

My second proposal was developing a bill requiring state and local health departments to implement a process to update all communicable disease policies to meet CDC and WHO recommendations by the year 2010. I also supported giving state and federal grants to healthcare departments to fund the necessary updates. Boyer: Nature (Science/The Natural World) What I learned was that many states have not had updates to their health codes since the turn of the century! The need for current updates extended from such areas as disease control policies to quarantine mandates. In order for scientists to continue in the interest of public health (common good), it is essential that they have the legal and financial

21 backing of the countries regulatory bodies at the state and federal levels. Updates and enforcements of these laws and structures must be done under ethical and moral standards. The movies we watched showed exaggerated versions of misuse of scientific research. Real life is starting to merge with what was once pure fiction. The stuff of night mares!

LSC 415: Nature of Human Nature This liberal studies colloquia course helped me to gain insights into human nature by investigating sociological, psychological, biological, anthropological, and philosophical perspectives. We examined human nature from past centuries to present and from empirical evidence to spiritual faith. I challenged my own religious beliefs and cultural influences in ways I had never considered. I realized that blind faith was ignorance in a shiny package. Professor Hadley-Ives’ open-minded attitude and non- judgmental manner made it easy to share in this on-line course. The exercise of collecting and analyzing aphorisms was as enjoyable as it was enlightening. These are my favorites:

1. “The mind is not like a wax tablet. On a tablet you cannot write the new till you rub out the old; on the mind you cannot rub out the old except by writing in the new. Beware of the idols of the mind, the fallacies into which undisciplined thinkers most easily fall. They are the real distorting prisms of human nature” – Edward Osborne Wilson author and humanist biologist, from his book, Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge (1998) as found at www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consilience E.O. Wilson is describing his views on human nature and is challenging the reader to see reality as it is and to not accept old ways of thinking based on the metaphysical or what he refers to as “distorting prisms” and the philosophers or non-challenging readers are the “undisciplined thinkers”. His beliefs are centered on biology and empirical evidence. Facts of nature become permanent and build upon themselves in the evolutionary process. They are not whimsical things to rub out or to change frivolously. Wilson theorizes that the only way to view human nature is as a part of natural science and referred to this as the study of sociobiology. Ecology and genetics are the focus of his research.

22 2. “Century after century humanity studies itself in the mirror of fashion, and ever the mirror gives back distortions, which for the moment impose themselves upon man’s real image” – Dr. Loren Eiseley (1907-1977), The Star Thrower, 1978 from his estate by Harvest Books (p.302-303). Dr Eiseley is reflecting in this passage on man’s continual pursuit of knowledge. In the immediate passage proceeding, Eiseley quotes Montaigne from the sixteenth century: “The conviction of wisdom is the plague of man.” Eiseley reflects on the different meanings and images man utilizes to explain humanity in the different time periods of history: laws, chance, angels, waifs, and even chemistry preside. Religious and philosophical beliefs are called exhortations in one period and wastepaper in another. I surmise that he feels man’s image is “distorted” in the mirror today due to our materialistic nature.

3. “I do not personally believe there is such a thing as a “random” event. “Unpredictable” is a factual description; “random” contains, without having the honesty to admit it, a philosophical bias typical of persons who have forgotten how to pray”- Dr. Loren Eiseley (1907-1977), The Star Thrower, 1978 from his estate by Harvest Books (p. 17). Eiseley describes in this passage human being’s ability to learn from past events but to never fully know what the future holds. To say that persons have a philosophical bias and have forgotten how to pray means to me that Eiseley is saying they lack faith. Perhaps they have no religious foundation and he spares them by instead saying “forgotten”. Eiseley uses a duality of empirical and metaphysical writings to convey his philosophies. W.H. Auden who writes Eiseley’s introduction makes it very clear that he believes Eiseley is not a man who believes in chance. He is described as first a human being and then a scientist.

4. “If you do not know a man, look at his friends; if you do not know a ruler, look at his attendants” –Confucius, as attributed to him in The Study of Human Nature: A Reader, by Leslie Stevenson, 2000.

23 Confucianism deals with webs of human relationships with the goal being to encourage good social relationships. Man’s relationship with people he considers his friends would reflect on his own character. Like wise, a ruler would surround himself with subjects who reflect his philosophy. By looking at one, you see the other.

5. “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans”- John Lennon (1940 -1980) “Beautiful Boy”. John Lennon was a gifted singer and song writer and of course a member of the world- famous band The Beatles. While this saying may seem at first trite, the implications for human nature are very profound. John Lennon was shot and killed in the prime of his life while he was busy living and doing what he loved most: writing and playing music. Most men and women are so busy with the daily aspects of their lives that they wake up one day and find that they are old or maybe they don’t wakeup and life is over. This simple phrase tells us to wake up, slow down, and live in the present. Planning is not always best. Take time to be spontaneous and enjoy the moment. We only have one life to get it right. John Lennon considered himself to be a peace activist and strongly opposed the Vietnam War. He had many anti-religious sentiments and he fought for racial equality.

6. “Lasting change is a series of compromises. And compromise is all right, as long your values don't change”- Jane Goodall, Researcher, publisher, environmentalist, primatologist, etc. http://womenshistory.about.com/od/quotes/a/jane_goodall.htm Jane Goodall sums up what evolution is all about. Natural selection resulted as a series of changes and compromises. For these changes to be lasting, they need to be beneficial. By utilizing our value systems we work together with genetic influences to maximize our biological condition as dependent on our environment. Respecting the environment as well as the people and other beings who share it is a fundamental value Jane holds dear as should all of us. Reciprocal altruism whether it is for status or for the pure joy of it can be seen in man and in beast alike. Ms. Goodall is a very positive influence in the lives of many who seek to gain understanding of human nature and of our place in the past as well as the future.

24 Boyer: Heritage and Nature. The book that made the greatest impression on me in this course and in my degree over all was Edward O. Wilson’s Consilience. Wilson explains how interdependent disciplines of science are. Sociology and biology do not need to stand apart as independent. They are in fact co-dependent when one analyzes the basic gene-theory and behavioral outcomes based on genetic predisposition. Wilson’s studies from ants to humans have made him one of the world’s foremost environmentalists. His message is clear: All creatures on this earth depend on one another. If we wish to survive as a species, we must not devalue any other species, be they plant or animal.

III. Integrating Learning Outcomes for Future Learning

COM 424: Gender Communication

I listed this course as one in which I desire to integrate what I have learned and develop it into further learning outcomes as I explore women’s studies further. We examined the way gender issues are portrayed in the arts and media and how these portrayals impact our personal and professional relationships. We specifically looked at what research on gender communication and gender differences are; similarities and differences in female/male communication styles; and explored ways to manage gender conflict. My learning process was enhanced by my life experiences. As a forty year old student, I had the advantage of working in the job market for over twenty years and had been exposed to much more “genderizing” than younger students. I was able to share these experiences and felt that younger students could learn from the positive and negative circumstances I had encountered professionally and personally. I also learned that you are never too old to gain new information on the way men and women interact differently to enhance your relationships.

25 Letters to My Son by Kent Nerburn was a text that the professor used to supplement the course. This little book contained gems of insight from a father to his son.

They were meant to be read by the son as he grew and encountered various life struggles.

The lessons came form his father’s own experiences. They were written so that the father could say in writing what he could not say verbally. Societal pressures seemed to forbid the author from opening up to his son in such an intimate way. This example of how gender influences communication, even form parent to child, helped me to realize on a personal level, the importance of my interactions with my own sons.

Boyer: Institutions and Work. The greatest impact that gender roles play at this time in my life are in regards to workplace issues and institutions such as family, church, and political entities. By working towards equitable treatment for women, I can contribute to the common good and increase my sense of personal empowerment. I will have a stronger voice in family matters and in social matters. I can see this being beneficial as I work in local healthcare and as I act as a role model for my sons.

PHI 301: Philosophy: Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a skill that all lifelong learners hope to refine. In this philosophy course I learned to identify areas of irrational thinking that weakened my writing skills and verbal arguments. The professor pushed me to articulate in class almost to the point of retreat, but I did not back down and I was able to get my point across.

Whether this push was intentional or a matter of differences in cultural styles, I have yet to figure out. What I do know is that it caught my attention enough to do some of my best writing. I produced a paper on interracial marriage that I thought was very good

26 examining both the pros and cons of such relationships and utilizing critical thinking skills being cautious not to use any fallacious reasoning in the process.

A class project that we were able to take part in was the creation of a grant proposal to help the Springfield African American Historical Foundation obtain grant money for the recording of oral histories of African Americans in Springfield. This project was successful. I was able to contribute in a unique way by recording the history of Dr. Victoria Nichols Johnson, a prominent physician in the community and one of the first female African American obstetrician/gynecologist in the area. I worked with Dr.

Nichols Johnson and she granted a personal interview and allowed me to record her history growing up in the community as well as her experiences in medical school and professional practice.

Boyer: Identity. What I came away from this class with was a feeling of increased self worth and of empowerment. My successful completion of this course with an A- that I thought should have been an A+, had me thinking about how unimportant the grade was in the grand scheme of life. When I reflected on contributions from people like Dr.

Nichols and compared the struggles that she faced with the conflict I felt at times in this class, I realized that my sense of identity was no more based on a minus or a plus than was anyone else’s self worth based on the color of their skin or their country of origin.

What made the difference was respect and appreciation. I wanted to be appreciated for my efforts in this class, but most importantly, I wanted to show respect to this important woman of our community. I accomplished this by using critical thinking skills when I conducted my interview according to the instructions of the Foundation and when I assisted with securing grant money to make these histories a part of our Presidential

27 Library collection. The papers I have from this class reflect the effort I put into them, and

I will save them as learning tools for future writing projects.

LIS 360: Stress, Public Health, and You

Learning how to deep breathe, how to meditate, and how to write a twenty page research report do not seem to go hand-in-hand, but that is what this course taught me.

“Stress is not what happens to you; It is what you do with what happens to you” was the message Professor Addison-Lamb succeeded in conveying. I learned that stress has implications for both personal and public health. Epidemic percentages of people experiencing depression, obesity, cardiovascular problems like hypertension and chest pain are phenomenal. Society absorbs those costs in rising healthcare costs, utilization of emergency rooms as physician’s offices, and even in greater rates of early deaths and disabilities. The major project for my research presentation was the role that stress plays on nurses and how the shortage of nurses directly affects patient outcomes. While the research was tedious, the results were very insightful. I have taken this information and am presenting it at a department meeting where I work. I hope to share my findings alerting management to the adverse outcomes suffered by patients who do not have enough nurses caring for them as well as the burnout suffered by nurses who are not equipped to handle exceedingly high volumes of patients. My power point presentation that I developed will be my visual aid in presenting these findings. The experience of sharing it in the on-line classroom was helpful for the feedback I received from other students and the professor.

Boyer: Tools. This category overlaps with work in that the tools I learned are a part of technology that will help me to succeed in the work place. The tools I developed were learning how to use power point, on-line databases as accessed through the UIS library

28 and internet services, as well as journal article researched both on-line and hard copy.

Evidence-based practice is the standard in the work place now, and my research succeeded in finding credible, evidence-based studies that I can feel confident in using in my presentation. .

ENG 467 / LIS 467: Women Centered Literature

This class focused on lesbian literature and authors. I gained insights into the author’s backgrounds and into the historical context in which they were writing or wrote about. We started with The Well of Loneliness and progressed to modern lesbian fiction writing. We identified how the scientific community’s definition of a lesbian contributed to the discrimination that these women were not previously subjected to in the early part of the twentieth century. Commonalities and differences with other types of literature were examined. The idea of a lesbian voice or aesthetic/perspective was studied in various novels. Some students in the class chose to share stories related to their own history of lesbianism or if they were not lesbians, about the struggles lesbians they knew had gone through. While I had some difficulty identifying with the sexual or erotic lesbian point of view as a heterosexual, I did come to awareness that all of us experience sexuality on somewhat of a continuum. Some are very far to one side or the other, but most of us share a commonality and appreciation for both poles of sexuality. This leads to valuing diversity and appreciating all contributions to literary and societal realms. It was refreshing to see how easily younger generations of students shared openly and honestly about their interpretations of the works. The instructor was non judgmental and allowed all points of view to be heard.

29 Critical response papers were written for each text and I wrote my research paper on Sonia Johnson. I never before would have classified myself as a feminist, but am not afraid to now. I still value many conservative beliefs, but I am much more open to new ideas and learning after learning what history has been left out of the main stream text books.

Boyer: Institutions. This course has enabled me to expand upon the importance of a social web. Family values, religious teachings and political structures need to be challenged. Without exposure to other ideas and all of our history (her-story!), including women’s important contributions, we can not make sound judgments. I learned this late in life but the impact is still great. I intend to look for feminine contributions through out the rest of life while never discounting male contributions. I will integrate this into a life long learning process.

BA Outcomes

Earning my BA has enabled me to improve a wide variety of personal and professional skills. Foremost, my communication skills have greatly improved allowing me to become a better listener and a more intelligent converser. By gaining knowledge about my own and other’s verbal and nonverbal communicative styles, I am better able to interpret their meanings and convey my own, thus reducing misunderstandings in my professional and personal life. This has translated into more harmonious relationships at work when dealing with supervisors, patients, and their families. At home, I can relate to my spouse and sons by having a better understanding of the differences between male and female communicative styles and theories as learned especially through Gender

Communication. For example, I realize that when my husband agrees with me without

30 much dialogue, it is a way of being non-confrontational rather than being condescending.

Likewise, I am able to alter my own verbal and emotional responses accordingly. When confronted with similar areas of conflict in the past, there would have been the potential for loss of much time and energy in dealing with hurt feelings and misunderstandings.

Another skill set that I have improved upon is the area of technology. While this is an area that I had not set out to improve on in my degree plan, it is one that came naturally with the amount of time necessary online and in doing research. I was born into a generation that did not grow up on the internet and found that while at first it was intimidating, I could not do without it. I was able to learn how to use the online databases at UIS and to access the various journals contained in them. I discovered the importance of peer reviewed literature and studies. I learned how to prepare and present power point presentations. I utilized the Owl at Purdue information to put together a credible research report worthy of submission to a work group. My writing style improved by developing a comfort level in preparing papers for class on the computer. My organizational abilities also improved out of the necessity to balance life with school within a limited time frame.

“Remember when writing: not just for emotional indulgence, but for transformation” is a quote I took down in LIS 301. While I do not know if I should attribute it to a text or a teacher, it is a quote that I have tried to remember as I write and consider if my words will be of inspiration to anyone but myself. This has translated into an awareness of personal impact and perception.

Values and attitudes are concepts that are instilled in you from practically your first breath of life. Family culture contains such elements as religion, ethnic ideas, customs, and beliefs, even traditions and taboos. My family instilled a sense of pride in my Italian heritage and in my Catholic roots. I grew up with the understanding that the

31 church represented the word of God the Father. All people were made in the image of

God and should be treated as such. My degree journey did not alter my beliefs that God is in all people and all people should be treated accordingly. What I did find was that I think that God the Father could just as easily be God the Mother. I think that my family would be shocked to hear such a thing from me, but if they had taken the journey I have these past few years, they may have found themselves in agreement. Professor Van Dyke showed me that the images of women through out our history have been largely obliterated by a patriarchal system of government and religion. I am not a radical feminist by any means, but I would say that I agree with many feminist philosophies advocating for equitable treatment of all persons. This view is probably the most surprising one that I have found myself taking based on previous misconceptions. I am confounded by my own lack of questioning before this time in my life. Now that I have more knowledge of other spiritual practices and concepts as learned through The Nature of Human Nature,

Women’s Spirituality, and even Stress, Public Health, and You, I feel compelled to study them at greater lengths and to continue my own spiritual journey. I definitely have developed greater tolerance for diversity in the process.

The major ideas or theories that I have gained are those related to Confucianism,

Hinduism, Christianity, and the ideas of various philosophers like Plato and Kant as discovered in The Nature of Human Nature. Growing up in Catholic schools for twelve years followed by a community college setting focusing primarily on career goals, I was not exposed to Darwinism or any of the other teachings thought of as controversial by the

Catholic Church. What I discovered through taking this class and several others was that the spiritual and the empirical worlds do not have to be in direct opposition to one another. There are most definitely areas of conflict between church doctrine and

32 scientific, evidence-based theories, but I think that having values and ethical standards is a basic necessity for all human kind and all scientific inquiry.

I have found that I am not one to interpret my religious beliefs in staunch, literal ways. I see beauty in the imaginative and lessons in the biblical texts when one is allowed to interpret them in a more personal way. I believe that we are in harmony with nature and mankind when we realize that we are dependent upon one another and not superior to any. Edward O. Wilson’s idea of ‘Consilience’ has made more sense to me than most theories that I have read about. Wilson describes “proof that everything in our world is organized in terms of a small number of natural laws that compromise the principles underlying every branch of learning”. Wilson describes linking facts and proven theory across disciplines of natural and social sciences, namely linking biology and sociology.

His idea of ‘epigenesis’ describes how organisms are under the influence of both heredity and environment. Liberal studies has helped me to see how integrated my own socialization and education have been and how we are all in our infancy of learning.

Had Professor Hadley-Ives not listed E.O.Wilson on a list of author’s that could be chosen for self-study and a class paper, I would not have developed many of the insights I have challenging former beliefs and assumptions. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to expand upon many of the questions that I had regarding the evolutionary process to date and the future evolution of all species. These are ideas and questions that I had thought about as a child, but they were stifled by the lack of scientific data presented in a religious setting. The moral and ethical teachings were not concepts that I would have traded, but it would have been much more beneficial to have had a balanced look at all theories and philosophies growing up in this fast paced, changing world.

33 In LIS 301, we considered what our most memorable learning experiences were in our learning autobiography. At that time, I reflected on how childhood experiences shaped and influenced my character and choices. These influences focused on parental values and expectations, religious influences in parochial school, and even relationships with friends and family. As I have progressed into the role of adult learner and independent student, I can see that I have taken responsibility for my own path toward finding fulfillment and meaning in my life and learning. Early in this process I saw family issues like depression and alcoholism influencing career decisions, educational choices, and even personal partner interactions. Today I realize that I have the ability to shape the future and to provide the positive or negative means of doing so. While past circumstance shaped a large part of my life growing up, I am now responsible for helping to shape the rest of my journey and my families. I can learn from mistakes just as well as

I can learn from successes. I am fortunate to recognize that it is within my power to make these choices. Just as I learned ‘stress is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you’, I have also learned that finding happiness is also up to me and what I make of my life.

Learning has taught me that life itself is learning. Learning equates to growth.

While we are all in a life cycle of death and dying, learning enables us to live for new challenges, to be creative, and to constantly give meaning to our lives and other’s lives.

We can shed our mistakes and let them die off in a similar way. A broader learning perspective tells me that the focus is not on me as an individual, but rather the focus is on humanity as a whole. I am a part of this humanity and can make as great or as small of a contribution as I choose.

34 Outside of the campus classrooms and the online classrooms, I have had the opportunity to enrich my BA experience through work and community service. I have served on the Sangamon County Board of Health for over ten years and have been reappointed through 2011. I feel that I have enriched my own personal knowledge and have contributed to the common good by relating classroom theory with actual public health policies and issues from personnel matters to public health and safety issues like disease prevention, immunization programs, and being sensitive to societal concerns and issues. Working with the board and with the community of medical professionals, citizens, and community groups requires a broad perspective that a liberal education degree provides. I have learned that respecting diverse populations and opinions enables me to communicate and interact much more effectively and to accomplish goals for the public’s welfare.

Joining groups like AMGO, The Association for Managers of Obstetrics and

Gynecology, has enabled me to practice my skills in the work setting and to be able to enhance my effectiveness as a manager by relating to peers who also share common work issues. I attended annual conferences where speakers related to the profession offered up- to-date information on effective practice management and even more specialized information like billing and coding issues and medical specialty services. Through these groups, I increased my confidence in public forums as a naturally shy person. The classroom theory on communication at individual and organizational levels proved very useful.

Work on union negotiations and work related quality councils as previously mentioned were also beneficial for enhancing my BA degree. What all of these projects had in common were that they helped me to fulfill a liberal studies

35 philosophy that the degree should be about personal enrichment as well as serve the common good. If I were to have strictly adhered to just what was expected of me at work or at school and not have taken the initiative to involve my self in projects that would enhance common good and personal satisfaction, I would have deprived myself of valuable learning opportunities. Life long learners realize that taking advantage of opportunities as well as creating opportunities is how to achieve satisfying results.

Future

The reality of my life at this point includes financial obligations that will require me to put in quite a bit of overtime hours to get caught up with the demands of three sons in college and a fourth soon to follow. I am hoping that this break from academics will only be for a semester and then I will be back at UIS pursuing a master’s degree. I am undecided on the emphasis, but am leaning towards a degree in public health. My position as a nurse and a member of the board of health would make this a natural career choice. I also have a great interest in public health and wellbeing and have found the history of public health issues fascinating. These issues definitely encompass much of what I have learned about philosophy, religion, communication, and even the impact of art and literature in capturing visual and elusive images of history.

My initial goals when I set out to complete my bachelor’s degree included obtaining a promotional opportunity in administration. This goal would have become a reality if I had not experienced the degree of inner growth and self actualization that I have. While I sharpened my focus on personal identity through out my degree plan, I learned to prioritize what I valued most in my life. I found that while I always talked about my family being top priority, my actions did not match up. My original intention of

36 getting the degree for advancement would have led me into a job requiring more hours away from home and more stress and frustration related to job demands. It took a lot of courage for me to resign that position and pursue a different path that would enable me to focus on family and school. Now that this degree is coming to a close, I will give more thought and consideration into my priorities and have the advantage of experience to make educated decisions for the future.

Conclusion

Often in literature, as in life, we want to skip to the conclusion and see what the gist of it all was. Will it be worth the effort required to make sense of it all? Will it be something I might want to invest in? My liberal studies degree has definitely been worth the countless hours spent not just studying and writing, but also contemplating and analyzing the wealth of information I have gained through literature and art, science and fiction, spiritual knowledge and empirical knowledge. The ability to reflect and share on all of these wondrous topics and issues is something that I will always value. For me, I have no doubt that the joy of learning will continue for a lifetime. I have come a long way on my path to obtaining a degree and to quote from my original LIS 301 free writing: “Will I succeed? I measure my own success and I don’t really have to measure.”

Success was never a measure; it was always the identity I knew existed and finally found my way towards. Learning is that path that extends down the road of a lifetime.

37 Addendum I Original LIS Learning Plan

Learning Needs Assessment First-Name Last-Name

The Goals Statement centered on a theme of my desire for enrichment and to attain personal growth as well as professional advancement. I plan to apply the knowledge I obtain through my course work at UIS to advance in my position at SIU and to grow intellectually. Personal growth would include an increased knowledge of self and how I can more effectively communicate with others, thus helping me professionally as well. I also simply want to seek enjoyment from the courses.

At this point, my learning needs have been met in formal elementary, high school, community college, family life, and work related experiences. I believe I have had an emphasis in science or as in the Boyer Model, Nature. My weaknesses are primarily in the areas of Identity and Art. My life experiences have provided some insights into self or

Boyer’s Identity category, but I feel a broader content is needed if I want to be in a position of influence or administration. I feel I have a need for self-discovery that will carry over into the arts by providing a greater appreciation of history, beauty, and quality of life. I can learn through the study of literature, psychology, philosophy, ethics, and many other choices. I would like to plan to achieve these goals by setting a time frame for myself and then structuring a program that allows me to build upon the knowledge I learn from each course, like stepping- stones. For example, if I take a course in art history, I can then take a course in literature and be able to relate the influences of the time to the artist and the finished product, be it a descriptive scene or a reference to a work of art. If I take a course in ethics, I will be able to apply the knowledge to a course in literature by

38 having a better understanding of the ethical influences on the author as well as an understanding of the viewpoint of the characters. I would also relate my own personal experiences to those of the authors and instructors through the class dialogue and my own reflections.

When reviewing the examples of themes to consider for emphasis in the degree plan, I could see that I want a good mixture of all four: international studies, women’s studies, human resource development, and labor studies. I need to learn about women in history, their roles in today’s society, people management, writing and speaking with clarity and accuracy, work place dynamics, self-identity, and others.

During my four years at Lincoln Land Community College, I had various courses in nursing, biology, chemistry, micro, anatomy and physiology, and achieved a strong science background. Western civilization and anthropology courses gave me insights into the Boyer Heritage category. They gave me an appreciation of people from past civilizations and various parts of the world. The instructors were from various parts of the world, and they had the ability to relate not only the subject at hand and local influences, but international influences as well. This was a change from my early instruction that I found made the courses very interesting.

Language requirements were fulfilled with communications courses as well as a film course. We did extensive writing in the communications courses and were expected to share our ideas with the class. In the film class, we learned insights into various film making techniques, but more importantly, the messages the writers and directors were trying to convey through their use of camera angles, arrangement and dialogue.

Sociology and work related experiences have enriched my understanding of the

Boyer Work category. We studied varying populations and their effects on our lives as

39 well as the population in general. I am involved with a group called AMGO: Association of Managers in Gynecology and Obstetrics and correspond with other members through out the United States and Canada on issues affecting academic medicine. I also attend their annual conference to share and compare practices and ideas.

Statistics, math, computer training, and physics have helped the Tools category.

Their impact is obvious in the ever- changing technical world we live in today.

Surprisingly, I was once fearful of returning to school because of the rapid changes in technology. Now, I use it in my daily life and don’t know how I would get along without my email, word documents and calculators. Math is an obvious need in the nursing profession. Calculating dosages is as important as instructing the patient on medications and compliance.

Political science gave some knowledge of the Institutions category as well as my experience in county government as a representative for approximately the last ten years on the Sangamon County Board of Health. My experience with labor negotiations as part of the bargaining team where I work, and my job as a manager/administrative nurse would also apply to the Institutions category. The political science instructor that I had was very well traveled and well read. He had just been on a trip to the Middle East and gave us much insight into the problems faced by other nations and how it related to our own daily lives.

The Arts category is lacking with only a films class in college and summer art lessons as a child. This is not to say that over my life I have not had a great appreciation for the arts, as I have. I enjoy art shows, museums, plays and concerts whenever I can. I especially enjoy visual arts and the artists’ personal commentary on their work. Identity

40 instruction has been obtained in the sociology, psychology and nursing courses. I have also obtained much insight into identity during my 27 years of work experience.

Thus, the categories I believe I need the most development in are Art and Identity.

I hope to be able to find classroom instruction in these particular courses instead of on- line work. A combination of courses from other Boyer categories will also give supporting structure to my BA in general. Closer examination of the course catalog will be necessary.

I have received advice from various well-intentioned people that I work with and from family members who have obtained professional degrees. From them I have learned that I need to be assertive in my decision-making with regards to the interests I have. I feel confident that I will be able to make good choices, but I realize that I need direction in doing so. I have spoken with several AMGO members (as referenced above), and have learned that in the academic medicine field, you can never have too much education and that the areas I am interested in will definitely help me to become more articulate. One of the physicians I admire recently told me when we were discussing my class that he had a

BA before his medical degrees and the courses he enjoyed the most were in liberal studies. He said they were the courses that had the most real life applications for him.

Some nurses feel that the only way to go is with a BSN and that there would be greater earning potential. I have taken this into account and know that if I do decide to take that path in the future, a BA degree will certainly compliment a BSN. I think as a more mature student I am in this for more than just the monetary gains, as important as they are. I look forward to sharing my thoughts and experiences with those who have similar interests as well as with those with very diverse interests.

41 History of College Credit Boyer

Biology 12 Nature Chemistry 8 Nature English 6 Language Health/Public Health 11 Nature, Work, Institutions History 4 Heritage Humanities 6 Art, Institutions Mathematics 5 Tools Nursing 31 Nature, Work, Institutions Physics 4 Tools, Nature Political Science 3 Institutions Psychology 3 Identity Sociology 3 Institutions, Work Statistics 4 Tools Zoology 4 Nature 108 Total semester hours earned Associate Degree in Science May, 1983 Lincoln Land Community College (Vice President of Phi Theta Kappa Academic Honor Society)

Associate Degree in Nursing May, 1986 Lincoln Land Community College

(RN for 19 years with hospital, home health, school of medicine, and board of health would apply to the Nature, Tools, Institutions, Identity, and work categories. All categories have influenced me as a nurse in reality. Mother and wife for 22 years: All categories as well!)

42 Addendum II Courses Planned vs. Final Curriculum

COURSE NUMBER BOYER’S MY CHOICE OF TIME FRAME HOURS OF CATEGORY CATEGORY CREDIT

LIS 301 Self Directed Learning Identity, Work, Identity Fall 2005 4 Language, Art

AST 401 Assessment of Experiential Identity Identity Spring 2006 4 Learning ART 464 Contemporary Art History Arts, Heritage Arts Spring 2006 4

COM 421 Replace with: Work, Identity Work Summer 2006 4 Interpersonal COM 302 Intro to Communication Interpersonal and Org. Com (required as entry level prerequisite.) ENG 462 Images Replace with Identity, Heritage, Language Summer 2006 4 of Women in ENG 442 Language, Arts Literature Contemporary American Novels (ENG 462 not offered) PHI 301 Critical Thinking Identity, Institution Identity Fall 2006 4 PAC 431 Journey Replace with: Identity, Nature Nature Spring 2007 4 to Health: Mind, PAC 438 Body, Spirit Monsters. Medicine, Myths (Pac 431 not offered) MGT 423 Labor Replace with Work, Identity, Work Spring 2007 3 Management MGT 310 Institutions relations Managing Organizational Behavior (prerequisite) LSC 426 Older Replace with: Heritage, Identity Heritage , Nature Summer 2007 4 Women Across LSC 415 Cultures Nature of Human Nature (LSC 426 not offered) COM 464 Conflict Replace with Work, Identity, Institutions, Work Fall 2007 4 Management COM 424 Gender Institutions Communication (Com 464 not offered) HIS 445 Women in Replace with Heritage Heritage, Language Fall 2007 4 American History ENG 464 Women’s Spirituality (HIS 445 not offered) MGT 430 Replace with LIS Identity, Work, Tools Tools Spring 2008 4 Managerial 360, Stress, Public Communication Health & You Skills (MGT 310 and Com 424 dealt with MGT 430 issues. LIS 360 provided tools necessary) PHI 432 Replace with LIS Heritage, Art Art Spring 2008 4 Philosophy of 460/ART 460. Expatriate Paris Art (PHI 432 not offered)

43 PHI 453 Person, Replace with Identity, Institutions Institutions (and all!) Spring 2008 4 Identity, Dignity ENG 467/LIS 467 (all Boyer reviewed in Women centered this course!) Literature (stronger focus on women’s issues and literature desired/ personal & employment identity goals) LIS 451 Senior Seminar Identity, Language Identity Summer 2008 2 (current)

LIS 499 Independent Tutorial: Native Identity, Work, Identity, Work, Summer 2008 3 (current) American Women’s Literature and Culture Heritage, Institutions Heritage, Institutions

Yellow Highlighted courses reflect changes from original degree plan with reasons as noted. Student-Name, LIS 301, Fall 2005 – Summer 2008.

(I used this chart through out my entire degree plan making adjustments as necessary. It was a very useful tool for staying on track with my plan of study, committing to a time frame, keeping track of credits earned, and for submission to my employers for grants and tuition reimbursement plans. I would advise anyone pursuing a degree to maintain a similar record.)

44 Addendum III Significant Non-credit Activities during BA Process (Adapted from portions of AST 401 Chronology of Learning)

Date Event Learning Outcomes

2005-2006 Appointed to SIU Negotiation skills; legal jargon; management team negotiating insights into human behavior in first AFSCME union conflict situations; employee and employee contract management rights; Human Resource policies, procedures, and benefits options; importance of treating all staff fairly and equitably; to define my role as a manger and separate yet integrate role as a nurse 11/2005 SIU November Employee of How to publicly express my the Month in recognition of a appreciation and respect for my staff; tribute I wrote to clinic staff that I could still write poetry and others and in recognition of work liked it; formatting styles with the print and community service; shop and requisitions; the importance presented by the Dean of the of positive reinforcement for staff and medical school mutual respect; to set a good example for other department managers especially in light of union negotiations and need for feeling appreciated staff wide 12/2005 Caught in the Act of Learned the importance of utilizing Excellence Award; for good, basic nursing assessment skills; identifying a life threatening taught students, residents, and faculty condition in a patient the importance of not overlooking potentially saving patient and good assessment skills and more unborn child importantly, patient interaction skills.; established a new initiative for assessing all patients and identifying potential problems; alerted other departments of this effort; initiated a Quality Improvement committee to improve patient outcomes 03/2006 Senior Moms (Football) Overcoming shyness; establishing Committee social network; supporting team; fundraising for the team; supporting son; family bonding 2006-2008 AMGO: Association of Learned managerial strategies in Managers of Obstetrics and dealing with faculty and staff. Learned Gynecology ( annual how to network with other managers conferences and national across the nation and incorporated their

45 network of resources for ideas to improve our practice; learned managers in academic to speak n more articulately in public medicine) and participated in conferences; how to write and submit an article for the national newsletter; coding and billing issues; how to utilize the internet to a greater degree and network accordingly

Present Sangamon County All functions of the department of (since 1996) Department of Public Health: health and it’s services to the Board of Health member (and community and my role as an active, Treasurer Elect) voting member; community responsibility; needs of the underserved, impoverished, elderly, young , and needy; animal control; solid waste management; recycling; immunization and WIC clinics; flu clinics; personnel issues, including discipline, hiring, and promoting; political aspects; appreciation for what I have in realization of other’s needs and awareness of obligations Present Staff Nurse: Hospital Computer based charting, medical (change from SIU managerial procedures and equipment; time role of outpatient clinic management skills with limited staffing setting) and mare acutely ill patients; ability to have great flexibility as float staff through out entire hospital; respect for diversity among aging populations of patients and various ethnicities among staff and patients. Present Christ the King Member of local parish and supportive of various fund raising efforts (2005)-Present Frist Center for the Arts, Art appreciation and personal interest; Nashville, TN; Birmingham comparative analysis of works studied Art Museum, Birmingham, in various classes. AL; etc. ( various travel)

46 Addendum IV

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