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The Remarkable Expansion of Its Program in Brazil

Bob Smith and Carole Edwards The Texas Tech University Independent School District (TTUISD} English language high school diploma program in Brazil has expanded dramatically during the last year. and evidence for its continuing quality growth was gathered during a recent trip to Fortaleza and Recife in the northeast corner of the country. (Read More)

Texas Tech Students of Integrated Scholarship of 2013

Bob Smith, Rachel Pierce, and Scott Irlbeck

We turn our attention to twelve students who, akin to many faculty members, have been thriving as they follow a path of lifelong learning as Students of Integrated Scholarship. (Read More)

Fundamentals of Scholarly and Research Integrity

Kenneth D. Pimple This paper concerns academic, scholarly, and research integrity across the whole range, including arts and humanities, social sciences, life science, physical science, and professional areas such as law, education, medicine, and business. (Read r.tore)

A ITT Notes

Open Teaching Concept 201 3: Teaching Diversity Across the Curriculum

Aliza Wong and Jobi Martinez The aim of the Open Teaching Concept is to explore the issues of diversity and social justice, access and dispar~ies, policy and poverty over a variety of disciplines, methods, theories, and paradigms. (Read More)

On Commencement

Love of Place, Emulate Those Family and Who Are Community, and Serving and Learning! Those Who Have Served Bob Smith Before You Provost of Texas Tech University Ray Mabus, Jr. United States Secretary of the Navy

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TTUISD: The Remarkable Expansion of Its Program in Brazil

Written by Bob Smith and Carole Edwards

“Then—tomorrow was another day Morning found me miles away... And now, when twilight dims the sky above... There's just one thing I'm certain of Return, I will, to old Brazil.” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

—From the song "Brazil" or "Aquarela do Brasil" (1939, lyrics and music by Brazilian Ary Barroso—literally a "watercolor portrait" of a beloved home) with the lyrical English interpretation crafted by the American Sidney Keith "Bob" Russell. The song was included in Walt Disney's animated film Saludos Amigos, commissioned by the US Department of State in 1941 to support a South American goodwill tour to blunt Nazi influence across the continent.

The Texas Tech University Independent School District (TTUISD) English language high school diploma program in Brazil has expanded dramatically during the last year, and evidence for its continuing quality growth was gathered during a recent trip to Fortaleza and Recife in the northeast corner of the country. What has come to be known cryptically as the TTUISD–Brazil Program is also becoming an emerging model for global outreach.

Background

TTUISD was established in 1992, with a mission including the provision of K-12 education and particularly high school course and diploma studies, principally in nontraditional situations. For example, consider the following: • Students who, because of their vocation or avocational goals (e.g., actors, gymnasts, and other specially gifted students), cannot attend school under typical conditions have used TTUISD to pursue K-12 studies.

• Fathers and mothers in military or diplomatic service have turned to TTUISD for K-12 studies for their sons and daughters.

• Parents home-schooling children who may have felt inadequately prepared to instruct their progeny in subjects such as math or science have used individual course options from TTUISD for their daughters and sons.

• Families living in rural areas of Texas or other states have relied on TTUISD to provide course options in cases where school districts were unable to hire first-line instructors or where select offerings were unavailable.

• In a program started in 2000 but reinvigorated in 2009, TTUISD has linked up with the consortium High School Seviços Educationais (HSE) in Brazil to craft special opportunities for gifted high school students whose parents believe that their country's future leadership will require not only high school educational opportunities in English but also programs that have a strong global orientation.

Since 1992, TTUISD has served more than 290,000 students worldwide via myriad programs such as those noted above (TTUISD Catalog, 2012-2013). Through its administrators and its more than fifty teachers and staff, courses and curricular options have been developed by teacher scholars and used in ways to ensure high-quality instruction and learning. But the rapidly expanding program in Brazil deserves additional special attention because of its recent growth and emergence as a model for educational outreach efforts in other parts of the world.

TTUISD Programs in Brazil

In the first paper in this series (Smith, 2012) we reported that TTUISD's English language instruction and Brazilian-based high school diploma program, which is accredited by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and now certified through the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) End Of Course (EOC) examinations, enrolled approximately 1,100 students in twenty-four schools in the fall of 2011. In just fifteen months, TTUISD offerings have expanded to include forty schools, which are serving more than 2,200 students this spring. As noted in Figure 1, the schools represent a north-to-south span of more than 2,000 miles (from Florianopolis on the southeast coast to Sao Luis on the Northeast coast) and an east-to-west span of more than 3,000 miles from Recife (on the far east coast) to Manaus (in the Amazon region).

While any parent in the world may enroll a son or daughter in the TTUISD Web-based high school diploma program, the program available in Brazil has unique structure and characteristics. The TTUISD-Brazil program in 2013 is administered as a consortium (High School Seviços Educationais) through forty schools that employ teachers who are native English speakers—typically recruited from the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Students matriculated in the program are simultaneously enrolled in a Portuguese-based Brazilian curriculum, and those who successfully complete the programs receive two diplomas. The degree certified through the State of Texas, however, could offer graduates an entree into any college or university in the United States and in many other higher education institutions in the world.

Students enrolled in the dual-diploma programs attend school from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. five days a week and receive instruction in the humanities and social sciences (including communications courses) through TTUISD curricular materials that are supplemented by glossaries prepared by local faculties for words with unfamiliar translated equivalents.

Instruction is face to face and stresses oral and written communication skills in all offerings. During recent visits to the Christus and Santa Cecilia (Fortaleza) and Damas (Recife) schools, we noted clear commitments to course rigor and quality in teachers and administrators of the programs. As in prior experiences in Vitoria and Sao Paulo, we found the Brazilian TTUISD students to be bright, mature, poised, and engaged seriously in their studies. Additionally, their English proficiency skills were excellent. These elite groups of students not only take their studies seriously but also consider it a privilege to be able to enroll in classes offered through an American program. We were stunned by their warm welcome, overwhelming enthusiasm, and pride for an institution located more than 4,000 miles away from their homeland. In fact, it is important to note that since the beginning of the TTUISD commitments in Brazil, no schools have dropped out of the program.

In Fortaleza, we offered presentations on modern learning and leadership concepts along with descriptions of opportunities for TTUISD- Brazilian students at Texas Tech, with a special emphasis on foreign language studies. The parents of Brazilian TTUISD students who attended the presentations expressed keen interest in their sons and daughters being able to function effectively in the English-based worlds of commerce and law. The parents also offered words of appreciation for the robustness of the TTUISD curriculum, especially in the development of international understanding and communication skills. Our visit gave them the opportunity to ask us more practical questions such as necessary steps to enroll at Texas Tech, visa requirements, financial aid benefits, and scholarships. Since our return, parents eager to register their children at TTU have already contacted us.

On November 23, we attended a Christus graduation exercise in Fortaleza. The event was held in an indoor sports court the size of the floor of the United Spirit Arena. The guests sat at round tables placed throughout the court. In a very formal setting, the tables and chairs were covered in white linen, and the guests were served soft drinks and hors-d'oeuvres during the evening. Officials, family members, and guests were greeted by the playing of the Brazilian national anthem by the Brazilian Navy Band. The ceremony included entertainment by a three-person country western band (!), skits, and various dances choreographed by student groups. Following a set of commencement speeches (including remarks by one of us, as noted in this issue of ATTT), the TTUISD graduates were awarded their diplomas along with Double T commemorative pins. As the TTUISD graduates assembled in front of the commencement stage for a session of photo taking, a special announcement was made to watch for an appearance of the Masked Rider. Shortly thereafter, a man dressed as the Masked Rider and riding atop a huge horse made an appearance complete with the sharing of the "Guns Up" salute among graduates, friends, and the Masked Rider. It was quite a show! We learned later that the Christus School in Fortaleza has an equestrian program and the gentleman playing the role, as the "Brazilian Masked Rider," is head of the program. This particular touch was a true demonstration of their appreciation of the visit of TTU representatives: it was kept secret until the last moment to create a surprise effect and give thanks to us for the opportunities we create through our program. After the ceremony, countless students and their loved ones came up to have their picture taken alongside the provost, a very special keepsake from their graduation. We were truly moved by the kindnesses displayed not only during the ceremony but also throughout our Brazilian visit!

Looking Ahead

Building on the success of the two-week program that TTUISD held last summer, involving fifty-seven Brazilian TTUISD students, a three-week program is planned for the summer of 2013, which promises to involve more students as the interest for such a program is on the rise. The students this year will visit San Antonio, Austin, and the TTU campus in Junction during their stay, but most importantly, they will have chances to take mini-courses in Lubbock on topics ranging from architecture to biotechnology to drama to environmental sciences to forensics to medical sciences. And, it is our hope that during 2013-2014 we will be admitting our first set of recruits to TTU from the TTUISD-Brazil program. We are also hoping to give students a tour of the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures, a place synonymous with diversity since it is populated with many foreign nationals. We must note that some of the most successful graduate students in this department come from Brazil.

For Brazil, we continue to see opportunities for expansion of the TTUISD program, and with 180 million people and over 20,000 existent high schools, we may have only scratched the surface. Beyond Brazil, opportunities will arise in future years for extension of TTUISD programs into other South American countries.

In efforts spearheaded by Ambassador Tibor Nagy, vice provost for international affairs, we are exploring opportunities for extension of TTUISD programs into a number of Asian countries. We will know much more about these possibilities by the end of this fiscal year.

Besides the direct benefits of the TTUISD program, we are finding doors opening for related efforts. For example, during our Fortaleza high school visits, we had the opportunity to visit with President Jose Rocha and his executive team, who head the Centro Universitário Christus (CUC), which offers undergraduate and professional programs in areas such as business, engineering, and medicine, but have very limited postgraduate options. President Rocha and his executive team will be visiting TTU in 2013 to explore possible partnerships wherein CUC graduates and faculty members might benefit from graduate study in Lubbock.

We are also hoping that our graduates from the TTUISD program in Brazil will in turn become TTU undergraduates in Lubbock. Additionally, it has come to our attention that many of the high school teachers were interested in getting an ESL certificate at the graduate level. Dr. Edwards was able to showcase the many programs in which students could enroll in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures. This visit not only allowed us to assess the success of our TTUISD program in Brazil, but it also allowed us to open the door to a fruitful recruitment. Also, it enabled us to put together an official brochure for the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures.

Summary and Final Reflections

In just three years, the TTUISD-Brazil program has gone from a singular endeavor in Vitoria to one involving more than forty schools covering the most populous territory in the country. The program is bringing high-quality English language instruction through a robust curriculum steeped in US history and culture, and is destined to produce graduates who can go on to first-rate collegiate experiences and leadership careers in Brazil and beyond. Thus, the program embodies elements of international understanding not found in other programs around the world. We found that all those involved, namely administrators, parents, and students, had a clear vision that in future years and in the midst of globalization, a dual education is essential. For all of its benefits, we applaud the leadership of TTUISD—including Sam Oswald, executive director; James Taliaferro, superintendent; Ethel Russell, director; and the TTUISD scholar teachers and staff—who have worked so diligently and continue to excel to make TTUISD one of the signature programs of our remarkable university.

In Brazil, we salute the man who makes the program function as well as it does: Rogerio Abaurre. He is responsible for coordinating efforts across the forty sister schools that are members of the High School Seviços Educationais. And, it is through Abaurre's efforts that standards are ensured through the hiring and continuing education of the English language teachers who serve in the consortium schools. Rogerio, as everyone knows him, was responsible for most of the arrangements that made our recent trip to northeastern Brazil not only possible but also enriched culturally. We are most grateful for his efforts and for the support of the schools that sponsored our visit.

Bibliography

• Smith, Bob. "Learning Down in Rio-and Several Other Places in Brazil Through a Unique University Partnership." All Things Texas Tech 4 (2) March 2012; http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2012/03/learninginrio.php.

• TTUISD Catalog 2012-2013, A Global Educational Community, TTUISD, Lubbock, Texas, 2012.

About the Authors

Bob Smith is provost and senior vice president, and professor of chemistry at Texas Tech University.

Carole Edwards is associate professor of French and francophone studies at Texas Tech University. Figure 1

URL

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2013/03/ttuisdexpansion.php

Volume 5, Number 1; March 2013

Texas Tech Students of Integrated Scholarship of 2013

Written and produced by Bob Smith, Rachel Pierce, and Scott Irlbeck Photography by Neal Hinkle

In the March 2012 edition of All Things Texas Tech (ATTT), we introduced a new series: “Texas Tech Students of Integrated Scholarship.” Since its publication, the article has received recognition for its adaption of the Integrated Scholar concept for students and its acknowledgment of ten outstanding individuals who exemplify this modified concept. Inspired by the positive reception, we turn our attention to twelve additional students who, akin to many faculty members, have been thriving as they follow a path of lifelong learning through self-study and scholarly engagement both within and external to the environs of Texas Tech University.

For the edification of new ATTT readers who are unfamiliar with the Integrated Scholar concept, we consider the metaphor of the “triple threat”—i.e., in football, the player who excels in running, kicking, and passing; in the performing arts, artists who are outstanding at acting, dancing, and singing. Analogously, Integrated Scholar faculty members are those who distinguish themselves in teaching, research, and service or outreach. These three efforts, when undertaken with a goal of interweaving or integration, generate synergy and strengthen every effort of the Integrated Scholar.

Although the triple-threat metaphor and the criteria determinant of an Integrated Scholar faculty member may not translate completely to students, we have embraced a partnership model for student learning (Smith, 2011A). This model is based on students working collaboratively with faculty, other students, and members of society, and it is our belief that this model has immense potential for personal and professional advancement. Additionally, the Integrated Scholarship model we see for students also involves modes of active learning (Smith, 2011B; Bailey and Smith, 2011; Smith, 1998; Smith and Allen, 2010B), including:

• Service learning and internships

• Undergraduate and graduate research

• Study abroad experiences and learning

We encourage students to adopt a commitment to lifelong learning, active learning, and integrated scholarship. Synergy generated among these efforts yields advantages for future scholars, professionals, and leading citizens of our world community. Moreover, many Texas Tech students have already discovered—whether consciously or not—the Integrated Scholar model. We hope that the student examples depicted in this article will assist in organizing our thinking about the Integrated Scholar model and its relevance to students’ personal and professional development.

Meet the 2013 Students of Integrated Scholarship

After appraising the criteria relevant to Students of Integrated Scholarship and receiving recommendations from deans’ offices across Texas Tech, we have chosen to spotlight twelve of Texas Tech’s standout undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate professional students. They are:

Andrew Alleman Undergraduate Student, Environmental Engineering, Whitacre College of Engineering

Originally from Lafayette, Louisiana, environmental engineering student Andrew Alleman has long been intrigued by science. He has been exploring the interconnections between the environment and engineering—cultivating research experience in the laboratories of Texas Tech civil and environmental engineering Professor Audra Morse, and soil and environmental microbiology Professor Jennifer Moore-Kucera. Yet Alleman began his undergraduate career on a slightly different path at another university. Although his interests lay in the environmental sciences, Alleman says he became fascinated by the positive societal impact accomplished through engineering. To incorporate his flourishing appreciation of engineering, Alleman decided to redirect the course of his education, changing majors and schools. He notes that Texas Tech’s strong environmental engineering program drew him to the university and has kept him here, as well as allowed him to study abroad in Brazil. Whether he will continue on to graduate school or enter the workforce without further ado after completing his bachelor’s degree, Alleman says he would ultimately like to make coastal system restoration the focus of his professional life. Fortunately, he will have a strong start as an intern for the Environmental Protection Agency in Oregon this summer.

Angela Bourne Doctoral Student, Environmental Design, College of Human Sciences

As a doctoral candidate, Angela Bourne brings a refreshing perspective to interior design education and practice. Bourne is a nontraditional student in the area of environmental design—a wife and a mother she is also an accomplished interior designer and has spent the past two decades as a professor in Canada. Bourne specializes in creating spaces for people with special needs, including those with autism and Down’s syndrome. To augment her credentials as an academician, she has been pursuing a Ph.D. in environmental design from the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech. Bourne has worked with design Professor Kristi Gaines, serving as a research assistant and a teaching assistant, in addition to helping Gaines with her forthcoming book. Bourne also has been successful at securing grant funding, resulting in part from collaboration with Gaines and Professor Debajyoti Pati. After she obtains her doctorate, Bourne says she plans to continue her research into design solutions for special-needs people.

Juan De Loera Undergraduate Student, Architecture/French, College of Architecture/College of Arts and Sciences

Learning about new places and cultures never fails to inspire Juan De Loera. Born in Mexico and raised in California and Texas, he has managed to balance breadth and depth throughout his years as an undergraduate. De Loera is on his way to completing bachelor’s degrees in architecture and French. Still, the education he gained within the bounds of the Texas Tech campus was enhanced by his semester abroad in France. In addition to strengthening his conversational skills through courses with his fellow students and Professor Carole Edwards, De Loera had the opportunity to connect with several people from France and, as a result, he learned firsthand about the country’s society and culture. De Loera also is committed to giving back through the university’s chapter of Global Architecture Brigades, which he began at Texas Tech and now leads. The group designs and builds sustainable facilities in Central America. Beyond graduation, De Loera plans to continue studying architecture and French at the graduate level, ideally in France.

Marta Hoes Doctoral Student, Law/Medicine, Texas Tech University School of Law/Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Marta Hoes is a student shaped by her experiences. She knew that medicine was her professional calling from an early age, and the time she has spent traveling has broadened her worldview and enriched her education. As an undergraduate at Texas Tech, Hoes realized her interest in law and decided to remain at her alma mater because of its distinct J.D./M.D. dual- degree program. In fact, Hoes was the first candidate admitted to the program, which spans six years and allows accepted students to pursue both legal and medical educations. The program also engages its students in a number of active learning experiences. Hoes has helped to resolve disputes in the School of Law’s health care mediation clinic, served on the school’s Administrative Law Journal, and interacted with the community through her Early Clinical Experience course as a medical student. As for her career plans, Hoes says she looks forward to exploring the many opportunities available at the intersection of law and medicine.

Lindsay Huffhines Master's Student, Marriage and Family Therapy, College of Human Sciences

Helping families to heal from trauma and abuse drives the scholarship of Lindsay Huffhines. The Lubbock native is a student in the Marriage and Family Therapy graduate program. Huffhines says she was drawn to the mental health field as an undergraduate, and her volunteer work at a sexual assault resource center provided the impetus for her to follow her research interests. To that end, Huffhines was named a Student Fulbright Fellow and, with support from the fellowship, has been living in Iceland since the fall of 2012 to investigate parental support and how it might be influenced by social support systems. Additionally, she has been volunteering at a women’s shelter in Iceland, providing assistance for additional research projects, and taking a creative writing class. When she returns to Texas Tech in the fall, Huffhines plans to serve as a therapist in the Children’s Advocacy Center, in addition to reviving the yoga program she started at a local women’s shelter. Huffhines aims to attain a doctorate in clinical psychology or a related field so that she may continue researching and teaching at a university.

Danica King Undergraduate Student, International Business, Rawls College of Business

Danica King has grown up with a traveler’s spirit. Since she was a girl, King and her family traveled internationally, and she always enjoyed learning about new places and cultures. Now a junior at Texas Tech, King is an international business major and pursuing a minor in French. Over the past summer she was part of a group of students that studied abroad in France with Professor Carole Edwards. She describes the experience as enlightening—not only for the opportunity to strengthen her language skills but to learn about French culture. Back in Lubbock, King has been involved in several service projects with her sorority to promote breast cancer education. Looking ahead, she has her eye on internships in Europe. King says she feels fortunate to have experienced so much in her life, and she hopes to give back through a career that supports humanitarian efforts around the world.

Sean Mitchell Undergraduate Student, Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences

Getting to the root of human behavior has been central to Sean Mitchell’s academic journey. After completing his undergraduate education at Texas Tech, Mitchell stayed at the university to matriculate into the clinical psychology doctoral program. Mitchell says involvement in research is essential to undergraduates, no matter their major, because it offers valuable learning experiences. Mitchell himself became involved in research during his sophomore year and has worked with psychology Professors Robert Morgan and Kelly Cukrowicz. Now a doctoral candidate, Mitchell still collaborates with Cukrowicz, who is his faculty mentor, and is leading a research project that allows him to work with psychology professors at two other universities. Outside the academic laboratory-clinic environs, Mitchell has been active in service projects associated with mental health and suicide prevention, including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness community walk. Once he completes his Ph.D., Mitchell plans to stay on the path of integrated scholarship as an academician.

Chinwe Obi Undergraduate Student, Public Relations/Technical Communication, College of Media and Communication/College of Arts and Sciences

Chinwe Obi is captivated by the power of words and relationship building. As a double major in public relations and technical communication, Obi has been able to apply her knowledge in the classroom, research, internships, work, and service projects. Among her most rewarding experiences was an internship with the nonprofit Lubbock Arts Alliance, during which she raised funds and recruited volunteers for the group’s four-day arts festival. Obi’s interest in media messages led her to work on research projects with public relations Professor Autumn Shafer. Additionally, Obi has been involved in a number of extracurricular activities, some of her most visible roles being with President’s Select, which allows her to interact with prospective students, and the College of Media and Communication Dean’s Council, which enables her to advocate on behalf of her fellow students in the college. Looking to advance her education, Obi will enroll in a master’s program for technical communication and then she plans to pursue a Ph.D. She intends to develop a career in grant writing for nonprofit organizations and to share her experience with others in higher education.

DeMera Ollinger Undergraduate Student, Landscape Architecture, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

DeMera Ollinger’s creative design capabilities and interest in environmental sustainability drew her to the field of landscape architecture. The curriculum constantly tests her thinking, however, Ollinger says she enjoys challenging both sides of her brain when it comes to the field she loves. Outside the classroom, Ollinger has served as a member of Agri-Techsans, promoting the departments within the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at events both on and off campus. She also is the events coordinator for the TTU chapter of the Student American Society of Landscape Architects, which created a residential landscape design for the television program “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Though she is active on campus, Ollinger notes that her most rewarding service opportunity arose beyond the environs of Texas Tech. While studying abroad in Brazil, she volunteered to teach English to underprivileged children, some of whom had never attended school, and Ollinger notes that the experience was illuminating. On her way to completing the fourth year of a five-year bachelor’s program, Ollinger says environmental sustainability remains at the core of her outreach efforts and keeps her optimistic about the future.

Graysen Ortega Undergraduate Student, Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

Food science research has long been part of Graysen Ortega’s life. A Lubbock native, he began working in the lab with Mindy Brashears, a professor of food microbiology and food safety, during high school, and his sustained interest led him to declare food science as his major when he began college. Since coming to Texas Tech, Ortega has stayed active in the laboratory, gaining acceptance into the Texas Tech University/Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Research Scholar Program. He also has presented his research on foodborne pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli and species of Salmonella at the annual conference of the Institute of Food Technologists. Because food science has a global reach, Ortega has had the opportunity to travel to Mexico periodically with Brashears and other researchers. Additionally, Ortega has cultivated interests outside the laboratory. He has served as an intern for the US House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture in Washington, DC, in addition to his role as president of the TTU Food Science Club and involvement with the Research Chef’s Association. Ortega looks to continue his education, and while his plans are not yet final, he is leaning toward law school.

Kendra Phelps Doctoral Student, Zoology, College of Arts and Sciences

Growing up in rural Iowa, Kendra Phelps imagined she would one-day work with animals. Her interest in zoology led her to Auburn University and Oklahoma State University, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, respectively. Now a doctoral candidate at Texas Tech, Phelps has been working with adviser Tigga Kingston, a professor of zoology, and focusing on conservation biology, which strives to preserve wildlife amidst humans’ disruption of the environment. Phelps was named a Student Fulbright Fellow, and through funding from the fellowship, she has been based in the Philippines since May to investigate communities of cave-dwelling bats that have had varying degrees of exposure to humans. Her work will be used to develop policies that protect cave-dependent bat populations and their habitats. Back in Lubbock, Phelps has been committed to efforts that serve the university, the local community, and her field. As her department’s graduate coordinator, she has arranged for students and faculty to present their research at weekly seminars, and she has contributed to community service projects as a member of the TTU Association of Biologists. Additionally, she has served as a reviewer for scientific journals and reviewed grant applications and awards for scientific societies. After she completes her doctorate, Phelps hopes to continue preserving wildlife species and their habitats as conservation biologist.

Jennifer Zavaleta Master's Student, Wildlife, Range, and Aquatic Science, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

Irving native Jennifer Zavaleta is fascinated with the natural world. As a master’s student in the Department of Natural Resources Management, Zavaleta says she benefited greatly from enrolling in classes outside her major, incorporating her knowledge from agricultural education, communications, and sociology into her scholarship. Among her research opportunities, Zavaleta received a grant for her paper that highlighted assumptions made by government agents and researchers in regard to land management, as well as created a literature review about lesser prairie chickens, a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act—all through a collaboration with wildlife ecology Adjunct Professor David Haukos. Zavaleta’s thesis, which was based on data collected over thirteen years, evaluated the effect of tebuthiuron herbicide and rotational grazing on shinnery oak, a shrub that is native to Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Since graduating last spring, Zavaleta has embarked on a journey taking her to Chile as part of her selection as a Student Fulbright Fellow. The first half of her fellowship consisted of a program evaluation of the country’s Long-Term Ecological Research Network, and the second half has involved assessing the land management plan for a community that lives in a national forest.

Looking Ahead

In reflection, we offer some advice for the engagement-minded student or the faculty adviser who wishes to emphasize the valuable experiences that students may gain both within and beyond the campus environs. Here are some points to consider from the TTU Office of the Provost:

• Broaden your learning opportunities, including courses that offer service-learning or internship experiences. • Find an area of study (or areas of study) interesting to you. Also, find a professor who challenges your preconceptions and has opened up new avenues of observation. • Determine what scholarly contributions might result from your studies. Additionally, your hobbies and extracurricular interests could affect this answer. • Join a student organization on campus or create a local chapter of a national organization. • Consider studying abroad as a means of augmenting your experiences in the classroom.

In Summary

We have assessed the criteria of the Integrated Scholar concept and related principles to twelve Students of Integrated Scholarship. We have also provided valuable advice for organizing one’s thinking about Integrated Scholarship. Our hope is that this article may help other members of the TTU academic community further consider the Integrated Scholar model and its application in the personal and professional development of students— undergraduates, graduates, and postgraduate professionals, alike.

Let us know what you think, either through email or snail mail. If you craft a thought- provoking piece, we will consider it for publication in a future edition of ATTT. Ideas and suggestions are welcome and may be directed to mailto:[email protected].

Bibliography

• Bailey, Guy and Bob Smith. “Undergraduate Research: A Core Element of Texas Tech’s Movement to Tier One.” All Things Texas Tech 3 (1) 2011; http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2011/02/undergrad-research.php. • Smith, Bob. “Integrated Scholars: You Will Find Many at Texas Tech.” All Things Texas Tech, 1 (2) 2009; http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2009/09/integratedscholar.php. • Smith, Bob. “Are Students Customers? Many Factors Should Inform Our Judgment.” All Things Texas Tech 3 (1) 2011A; http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2011/02/students-customers.php. • Smith, Bob. “Service Learning and Internships: The Third Component of Active Learning.” All Things Texas Tech 3 (2) 2011B; http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2011/09/service_learning.php. • Smith, Bob and Katie Allen. “Texas Tech Integrated Scholars 2010.” All Things Texas Tech 2 (2) 2010A; http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2010/09/integratedscholars.php. • Smith, Bob and Katie Allen. “Studying Abroad—Is it Worth it?” All Things Texas Tech 2 (2) 2010B; http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2010/09/studyabroad.php. • Smith, Bob, Katie Allen and Scott Irlbeck. “Texas Tech Integrated Scholars 2011.” All Things Texas Tech 3 (2) 2011; http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2011/09/integratedscholars.php. • Smith, R. V. Graduate Research: A Guide for Students in the Sciences. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1998.

About the Authors

Bob Smith serves as provost and senior vice president, and professor of chemistry at Texas Tech University.

Rachel Pierce and Scott Irlbeck are senior editors of research and academic communications at Texas Tech University.

URL

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2013/03/studentscholars13.php Texas Tech Student of Integrated Scholarship

Andrew Alleman Environmental Engineering Whitacre College of Engineering

What got you interested in your major?

I am a senior studying environmental engineering originally from Lafayette, Louisiana. When I left high school I had two big interests in my life: science and cooking. As I was trying to decide whether to go to culinary school or a university, I realized that I could always come back to cooking as my hobby even if not being formally trained, and that I had this one opportunity to dive into the sciences. Therefore, I took the science route and decided to study environmental science at the University of Houston my freshman year. During this first year, I had a lot of interactions with engineering students. I saw the ambition and love that these students had for engineering. They would talk about all this cool technology and ideas they had in order to make the world a better place. Over time I realized that engineers have a huge impact on society through the technology, structures, and processes that they design. I wanted to become that impact on the world, and it was very simple for me to move from the world of environmental science into environmental engineering. Since I have changed majors (and universities), I have become more passionate for the field of environmental engineering.

What courses are you taking this semester?

I am taking Treatment of Water, Wastewater, and Air for Public and Environmental Health. One direct way the Department of Environmental Engineering incorporates service learning into our curriculum is our trips to the Lubbock Water Reclamation Plant. We see how the designs of these water reclamation plants we learn about in class directly impact the community of Lubbock. All of Lubbock’s wastewater has to go somewhere, and we learn how Lubbock is taking what most people consider a waste product and turning this waste into a fertilizer. On a larger scale, these types of classes all involve service learning because these are direct services all people need around the world. I have learned processes that could be used to provide clean water to giant cities, such as Houston. However, these same concepts can be applied to provide clean drinking water to a rural village in Africa.

What is the most challenging course you've taken? How has it affected you?

The most challenging course I have ever taken was a geotechnical engineering course while I was in Brazil. I took the course in Brazil’s native language, Portuguese, which did not help as I was still learning it as I arrived. Also, the professor really pushed the class to understand the concepts from the bottom up, instead of memorizing equations and facts. These two factors created exactly the challenge I would need to be able to succeed in the rest of my courses in Brazil. I learned very quickly how to ask for help from my peers and traverse the language barrier. There was no room or time to simply memorize a word. I truly had to understand it. This class also was a test of my ability to self-learn without too much help from a professor. The professor would not give out practice or homework to do, which is very uncommon in engineering, and we were still expected to be able to solve difficult problems on the test. This is when I realized that it was my responsibility for my education, and I was not entitled to help from a professor beyond the classroom. I would pore over various textbooks to find old problems on my own to practice. This forced me to develop my own learning style without a professor.

Have you completed internships or had other work experience applicable to your field of study?

I will be performing my first internship this summer with the EPA. I am hoping to be able to work on a project concerning wetlands on the Oregon coast and how they react to wastewater discharge from rivers. However, I have had other experience in my field of study. One of my favorite experiences was when I attended the University of Houston my first year and essentially started a waste management program for the cafeterias. I was able to work with the university to help get rid of their food scraps from the cafeterias on campus in a sustainable way. Our team collected the food scraps from the cafeterias and composted them. At the peak of the program we were diverting over a hundred pounds of waste per day from the landfill, or one car’s worth of weight in waste every month. This experience was invaluable; as it helped me learn how to manage people, organize data, and most importantly, learn how to spread an idea. Spreading and selling ideas to people has been a tool I used constantly while carving my own path at Texas Tech.

Have you participated in research?

I have participated in two research projects. The first was with Dr. Moore-Kucera in the Department of Plant and Soil Science. In this project I looked at an agricultural company's product in helping turfgrass grow. I looked at the microbial community that grew with their product and saw how it compared to traditional methods when planting turfgrass. My second research project was with Dr. Morse in the Environmental Engineering Department. I looked at Biological Sand Filters (BSFs) that people commonly use in developing countries as their water treatment systems. In these water filtration systems microbes do a large part of the cleaning. I wanted to understand what kind of microbes were in the system.

What service projects (volunteering, community service, etc.) have you been involved in?

My favorite service project that I worked on was with Limitless Vistas in New Orleans, LA. Over one of my breaks from school I decided to visit some of my family in New Orleans and found this organization to help in my spare time. Limitless Vistas is a group that is training young adults (ages 18-28) that are from at-risk areas in New Orleans to become environmental technicians. I was able to help this group design and construct a rain barrel system that would be able to collect water to water a garden in a local park. This process was a learning experience for me as I have never designed a rainwater system even though I have been trained at Tech to design a water system for a city. It was a really interesting experience for me to apply my knowledge and skills of a city water design and then scale them down to this level. I was even able to give presentations on my experience and knowledge that I have learned at Texas Tech. While at Limitless Vistas I could see that they were really trying to make a positive change in the city of New Orleans, and this feeling made all of my seconds volunteering well worth the time.

What advice would you give to other students who would like to be a Student of Integrated Scholarship? Students of Integrated Scholarship balance academics with additional activities, such as research, internships, service learning, and study abroad.

The hard part about the balancing act is saying “no.” There are many opportunities that exist at Texas Tech, sometimes too many. It is important to know when you are on the straight and narrow path to your goals, and when you are taking an attractive side road. The truth is that there is an abundance of research, internships, work, and academic opportunities at Texas Tech if you look for them. At the end of the day you only need to say “yes” to a few opportunities, do the work the right way, and show the absolute best quality of work you can do.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate, I hope to be able to work on restoring coastal systems around the world, whether that is going to graduate school first and specializing or going straight into the workforce. I really enjoy the coastline, oceans, and especially the seafood! I want to ensure that the development along our coasts is done in a way that the generations that come after me will be able to enjoy the sea more than I have.

What experiences do you value most as a student at Texas Tech?

The broad answer to that question is the difficult ones. The easy tasks that are simply completed and checked off the to-do list, do not compare to the challenges that define a person for the rest of their life. When I was about to study abroad in Brazil, I had a lot of people doubt that I could do “it.” “It” being: go to a new country, learn the language, attend a university, and come back with my sanity. However, I decided to go on a whim and jump off the cliff into this experience. “It” was nothing like I expected. I was able to learn the language, do well in my classes, and fit in perfectly with the people of Brazil. An experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you expected. This experience, without a doubt, is described perfectly by this simple phrase. Now after my Brazillian challenge, very little seems impossible. Texas Tech Student of Integrated Scholarship

Angela Bourne Environmental Design College of Human Sciences

What got you interested in your major?

I have practiced and still practice as an interior designer with a specialty in designing places for people with special needs—cognitive diversities in particular. I decided to pursue a PhD in environmental design (after working and teaching in the profession) because I wanted to learn more about research, and I felt that in order to substantiate much of my intuitive thinking I needed to learn how to do research to validate my knowledge—evidence-based design.

What is the most challenging course you've taken? How has it affected you?

Hmmm...definitely quantitative statistics. Having practiced as a designer/educator in a community college setting for several years now, I have had limited exposure to the field of quantitative statistics. Hence, it is a totally new language to me. But thanks to Dr. Hansel Burley, I have grasped the fundamental concepts, and I am now able to critically access quantitative research relative to my own research trajectories.

What kind of work experiences have you had while pursing your doctorate?

Other than taking a one-year sabbatical (I was fortunate to be granted a sabbatical from the college where I have been teaching for over 20 years—Fanshawe College in London, Ontario, Canada), I have continued to study from a distance, teach and build my research. I am in the process of preparing my dissertation research proposal. During my year of residency I worked as an RA and TA for Dr. Kristi Gaines—both were rewarding experiences.

Have you participated in research?

Throughout my studies I have worked as a research assistant with Dr. Gaines. Recently we applied for a grant, which was sponsored by the American Association of Interior Designers (ASID), and we were successful in acquiring it. I am working with Dr. Gaines and Dr. Debajyoti Pati on this grant. I also applied and received a graduate student grant from the Organization for Autism Research (OAR). Both grants relate to my area of interest—designing therapeutic environments for populations with special needs, in particular those with Intellectual Developmental Diversities (IDD), including autism and Down's syndrome. Since I have been at TTU I have also presented several posters and a couple of papers at conferences throughout the US. Additionally, I am also partnering with Dr. Gaines on the writing of a book called Designing for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

What service projects (volunteering, community service, etc.) have you been involved in?

My service projects relate to my research interest. I volunteer with IDD groups in Lubbock—High Point Community—and in and around my home in Canada. My dissertation research is focusing on the creation of best practices for the design of living and learning environments that resonate with the intellectual developmental diversities of this population. The knowledge I developed from the environmental design courses I took with Dr. Cherif Amor and Dr. Pati will really help me achieve this goal.

Do your research, prepare yourself, and set realistic expectations. As an adult learner in an area that has very few students over 45 years old, I would suggest one develop a support network to help them get through their studies and get buy-in from their family (i.e., spouse, children, etc.).

What are your plans after graduation?

I would like to be able to further develop research in designing for well-being for special populations, and share it at conferences and publications—peer-reviewed journals.

What experiences do you value most as a student at Texas Tech?

As a mature international student, I value what I have learnt about the geography, customs, and culture of West Texas. Before I came to Tech, I had never even been to Texas before, let alone West Texas. Learning about football, spicy food, and the production of cotton has been an eye-opener for me. I especially enjoy all the sunshine you get and the beautiful sunsets and the friendly people. Texas Tech Student of Integrated Scholarship

Juan De Loera Architecture/French College of Architecture/College of Arts and Sciences

What got you interested in your major?

I am currently a junior dual majoring in architecture and French. What got me interested in my majors was my exposure to different cultures at a young age. What led me to my interest in architecture was a college road trip at the end of my junior year in high school. During the trip I was fortunate enough to visit the Kimble Art Museum with an architecture graduate from Rice University. After that visit I was inspired, and the right side of my brain kicked in. As for my French major, I took three years in high school, where I was intrigued and fascinated by the culture, language, and gastronomy, which led me to pursue a higher education on it.

What courses are you taking this semester?

This semester I am taking Studio V, Construction III, Contemporary Issues, Building Information Technology, French Phonetics, and Weight Training.

What is the most challenging course you've taken? How has it affected you?

The most challenging courses that I have taken have been my architecture studio and technology courses. Being part of studio becomes a lifestyle. Every semester studio is what takes up most of my time, and it is a very rigorous learning environment. During the week, studio requires numerous hours of work, late nights, early mornings, and all-nighters. Even though studio is challenging, we become part of a studio culture, where we learn and expand our knowledge. During the long hours of work in studio we get to develop our ideas and create our designs for our project.

Have you completed internships or had other work experience applicable to your field of study?

This past summer I was able to study abroad in Reims, France, with the French department. While I was there I took two French courses at Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, where I completed my minor. Being exposed to the French culture triggered my interest in a dual major.

What service projects (volunteering, community service, etc.) have you been involved in? I like to get involved a lot with my community, and I do so by participating monthly in Habitat for Humanity, volunteering at the YWMCA, and campuswide events, like Relay for Life and Raider Fest. I am also the president of Global Architecture Brigades, which is a service organization that provides sustainable facilities to third world communities, mainly in Honduras. We are looking forward to travel there this upcoming summer for a week to help build a health care facility.

Don't wait. There is enough opportunity to make a difference in our community. Though college can be difficult, everything is possible when you set your mind to it and work hard. Give it all, but most importantly enjoy it at the same time.

What are your plans after graduation?

After graduating I would like to continue my education and get a master's in architecture and French. I would love to attend the Lyon School of Architecture in France. Thereafter, I would like to get my practicing architecture license and work for a small firm in Austin. As an architect I would enjoy helping my clients get their design down on paper and guide them through the design-build process.

What experiences do you value most as a student at Texas Tech?

As a Tech college student I value the challenges and obstacles that college has put in front of me. Coming to college is a big adjustment from being home. Here I have come to find myself and grow as a person. The experiences and knowledge I have gained would not have been possible without venturing out into the college life and putting myself out there. Texas Tech Student of Integrated Scholarship

Marta Hoes Law/Medicine Texas Tech University School of Law/Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

What got you interested in your major?

I am in a dual-degree program, pursuing doctoral degrees in medicine and law. I am in year three out of six (almost halfway there!). I have always wanted to be a doctor–I feel like it will be an interesting and rewarding career. During my time as an undergrad at Tech, I realized how interested I was in law, as well, and especially the places where law and medicine overlap. After taking a law class as an undergrad, I decided to apply for the program, and I'm so glad I did.

What courses are you taking this semester?

This semester I am taking the same courses as all other first-year medical students, with the addition of a Global Health elective course. Service learning is built into our curriculum through the Early Clinical Experience class. This class has several service learning opportunities, from taking blood pressure at exercise classes for seniors to research projects focused on the needs of the Lubbock community.

I had wonderful opportunities for service learning in law classes, like the Healthcare Mediation Clinic. We were trained to mediate and actually had the chance to put our training to work at the Dispute Resolution Center here in Lubbock.

What is the most challenging course you've taken? How has it affected you?

My first law class was Torts. The professor would call on us randomly and grill us about the cases we had just read. I felt completely out of my element, but being put on the spot helped me get past my discomfort with speaking in class, helped me become more disciplined in my preparation, and made me engaged in class discussions.

Have you completed internships or had other work experience applicable to your field of study?

I spent a semester interning with a group of physicians in Germany. The experience was unbelievable. I shadowed physicians from several different specialties and got to learn all about the health care system in Germany. I also got to hear from doctors (and patients) who spent much of their lives under communist rule in former East Germany, or in some of the poorest parts of Eastern Europe.

I also tutored criminal law. You would be surprised at how much of that course deals with psychiatry/psychology, from insanity defenses to mental state in general. Criminal law also deals with basic questions that arise in medical ethics, such as when life begins and ends.

Have you participated in research?

I spent two years researching eating disorders in young women under the supervision of Dr. Jim Clopton in the Psychology Department. After those projects ended, Dr. Clopton gave me the opportunity to write a chapter in a book on eating disorders, which he edited (along with Dr. Jaclyn McComb).

I also got the chance to do legal research as an editor of the Texas Tech Administrative Law Journal. I researched the prevalence of post-traumatic stress among Texas veterans and what Texas agencies are doing to help veterans get the assistance they need. I relied heavily on the guidance of Dean Emeritus Walt Huffman.

As an independent study, I researched an interesting niche in Texas law on a psychiatrist's duty to warn third parties if a patient makes threats against them. Texas is in a small minority of states that do not require–or even allow–a psychiatrist to issue such a warning. Associate Dean Jennifer Bard, who teaches health law, mentored me in this research.

Currently, I am working with a small group of first-year medical students to research Lubbock County's notoriously low average birth weight. Dr. Robert Casanova, an OB/GYN and associate professor at TTUHSC, is our faculty mentor.

What service projects (volunteering, community service, etc.) have you been involved in?

My service projects have varied a lot over my time at Tech, including working with children at after-school programs in East Lubbock, serving food to the homeless and AIDS patients in Los Angeles, and teaching English in Germany. I am currently working with the International Medicine Club to organize the annual Poverty Banquet fundraiser.

Appreciate the big picture, and your life will become more balanced. I think it is so important to keep yourself from getting wrapped up in just one thing. Volunteer, travel, get involved in a church–these things will keep your focus on what is really important in life and help you grow in ways you could not imagine. Really think about what matters to you most and what you want to accomplish in the long run. You will always have the time and energy for the things that are really important to you.

What are your plans after graduation?

I hope to find a residency program I love, although I'm not sure yet what shape that will take. I will most likely take the Texas bar then, too.

The longer I am in this program, the more doors seem to open. I originally wanted to practice medicine full time and use my law degree as a way to study and advocate for certain health care policies. Now, I am almost overwhelmed by all of the career options that would allow me to use both legal and medical training. I'm unsure, but excited about what the future holds.

What experiences do you value most as a student at Texas Tech?

I have had many amazing experiences, but I think getting the chance to study abroad was the most valuable. I spent about a year in Europe and the Middle East during my time at Tech, and it completely changed my worldview. I got to visit some amazing places, meet some wonderful people, and experience things that changed my life.

Texas Tech Student of Integrated Scholarship

Lindsay Huffhines Marriage and Family Thearpy College of Human Sciences

What got you interested in your major?

I am a second-year master's student in marriage and family therapy at Texas Tech University. I received a B.A. in psychology and English from Texas A&M University. I was drawn to the mental health field as a freshman in college, and became interested in sexual abuse research after volunteering at the Sexual Assault Resource Center in Bryan/College Station. I chose the marriage and family therapy program at Texas Tech in order to pursue my research interests, which include helping families heal from trauma and abuse.

What courses are you taking this semester?

I am currently living in Reykjavik, Iceland, as a Fulbright research grantee, and so I am not taking any courses. However, I am taking a creative writing workshop this spring just for fun! I will return to Texas Tech in the fall of 2013 in order to finish the last year of my master's program.

What is the most challenging course you've taken? How has it affected you?

The most challenging course I've taken was a math class during my undergraduate career. This was not necessarily because the class itself was extremely difficult, but because I have always been afraid of math and have considered myself to be bad at it. In order to do well in this class, I worked very hard, studying every night and going to many tutoring sessions. I was so proud of completing the course with an A. This experience affected me greatly because I learned that hard work can make up for lack of ability to some extent! I also learned that my fear of math made me an anxious tester, so I would forget all of the knowledge I had of the problems. When I was able to calm down and believe in my ability, I retained information much more easily and did not panic when I took the tests. I knew a lot more math than I thought I did. I will not let anything, including math, stop me from pursuing my career goals. While I am a little nervous about the numerous statistics courses I will have to take in my future PhD program, I know that I can work hard and succeed.

Have you completed internships or had other work experience applicable to your field of study? In the marriage and family therapy program we complete an externship, which I will begin when I return in the fall of 2013. I will be a therapist at the Children's Advocacy Center. The major work experience I have had that is related to my field of study is being a therapist in the Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic, and being a volunteer advocate at the Sexual Assault Resource Center in Bryan/College Station. I learned a great deal about trauma work from these experiences. I am also a certified yoga instructor, and the certification program I completed taught me a lot about how anxiety, stress, and depression affect the body. I learned breathing and stress- reduction techniques that have been useful in my work with clients.

Have you participated in research?

Yes, I love research! My current research project is being carried out in Iceland, with the help of my mentors Dr. Jeffrey Wherry, at Texas Tech, and Dr. Inga Dora Sigfusdottir, at Reykjavik University. The research project consists of two parts. The first was the development of an instrument that measures parental support across raters (parents, children, and therapists). We will be conducting studies of this instrument to assess its reliability and validity. The second goal of the study is to examine how use of social support systems affect the level of support that nonoffending caretakers provide their sexually abused children. We will also examine how parental support differs in various regions in Iceland and the United States, and what factors influence support.

I am also involved in several other research projects in Iceland, including a longitudinal study on adolescents in Europe, and a study on life satisfaction and social support in sexually abused adolescents. I am involved in a research project that my colleagues are carrying out in Lubbock, about foster children's perceptions of their parents.

I have had two research assistantships. The first was at Texas A&M University, where I worked with Dr. Sherecce Fields on a project on impulsivity and cigarette smoking in adolescents. At Texas Tech University, I was a research assistant for Dr. Douglas Smith, where I assisted with the development of an intimate partner violence intervention.

What service projects (volunteering, community service, etc.) have you been involved in?

I am currently volunteering at an organization in Reykjavik called Kristínarhús, which is a shelter for women who have been involved in the sex-trafficking and/or prostitution industries. I stay at the house and am available to talk with the women, solve problems, and assist with child care. I am also teaching yoga at the shelter. During my year in Lubbock, I founded a yoga program at the women's shelter, and procured mats and props through donations. I look forward to continuing teaching yoga at the shelter when I return to Lubbock. I was also a member of the Student Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. While I was an undergraduate at Texas A&M, I was an advocate at the Sexual Assault Resource Center and an advocate for Aggie Allies, which was designed to support the LGBTQ community. I was also involved in two volunteer-based organizations. The first was Aggie Leaders of Tomorrow, where I was the internal relations chair and student mentor. We participated in community service activities such as Big Event, 5Ks, food drives, and mentoring at local elementary schools. The second organization was called Women Helping Out Other People, where I was the diversity chair. We organized similar community service events.

The most important piece of advice I could give is to find some solid, unchanging ground amidst the chaos. For me, this involves doing certain self-care activities regularly, no matter what. Making time for yourself keeps you sane, focused, and ultimately more productive. I would highly recommend doing yoga. When I am on my mat, I am able to return to the basics of breathing and movement, and know that everything is okay. I relieve stress, get some exercise, and have time to relax. I also like to drink tea and read something fun. I also like to volunteer because it gets me out of my own head and helps me to be grateful for everything that I have. I always come out in a better mood.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate from Texas Tech, I will hopefully enter a PhD program in clinical psychology or another related field. Ultimately, I hope to get my doctorate and become a researcher and professor at a university, where I will specialize in child abuse. I would also really like to finish writing a novel!

What experiences do you value most as a student at Texas Tech?

The relationships I have developed are absolutely the most important thing I have gotten from being a student at Texas Tech. I have had amazing mentors and professors from whom I have learned so much. I wouldn't be on the path I'm on now if it wasn't for them. I also greatly value my master's cohort. Being able to watch my colleagues grow as therapists has been invaluable. I learn so much from all of their strengths! Connections with people can be much more valuable than hours logged in a class.

Texas Tech Student of Integrated Scholarship

Danica King International Business Rawls College of Business

What got you interested in your major?

I am currently a junior majoring in international business with a minor in French. Growing up I often traveled internationally. From a young age I have had a love for traveling and exploring new countries, I think that is the main reason why I ended up majoring in international business.

What courses are you taking this semester?

This semester I am taking French Grammar, International Marketing, Finance, and Economics of Multinational Enterprises.

What is the most challenging course you've taken? How has it affected you?

I don’t know that I could narrow it down to one course because I have taken several courses that I found challenging. In the business school, accounting with Professor Roberta Allen was quite difficult for me because of the sheer intimidation factor that the teacher had on me. It was a class that you really had to put in an extra mile for if you wanted to succeed. I have also taken biology with Professor Michael Dini. This course was very interesting but was extremely challenging. Each of these professors demanded a lot for their courses, often leading me to wonder whether or not they realized I had any other classes; however, I also learned the most from these classes. Aside from learning the material itself, I was taught how to study and learn in a more effective way. I am very thankful that I took these courses.

Have you completed internships or had other work experience applicable to your field of study?

I have not completed an internship thus far, however, this summer I do plan to intern in Europe for an IT company. Nothing has been finalized yet, but those are my current plans.

I have, however, participated in study abroad, which I found very beneficial for me to grow in my understanding of the French language and culture.

What service projects (volunteering, community service, etc.) have you been involved in? I am very lucky to be part of my sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha. Aside from the sisterhood we are involved in many community service efforts. Our philanthropy is breast cancer education and awareness, and as such we participate in various service projects for the cause. I have also been involved in the Susan G. Komen youth group at Texas Tech; they have organized several events, such as Pink Down Broadway, where I was able to collect money on Broadway with the other members. We ended up collecting quite a lot. I also volunteered to participate in a teaching seminar for ultrasound and the medical school. I learned a lot from this particular volunteer experience.

I would say to know what your end goal is, and when opportunities arise that pertain to your end goal, take them. Whether or not these opportunities seem like extra work, the knowledge and experience you receive from them will be endless.

What are your plans after graduation?

Though I do not have any exact plans for after graduation, I do know what I plan to be doing in general. I would like to work abroad with the United Nations or various state departments. I know how lucky I am in what I have been given in life, and I really want to give back. I would love to do either humanitarian or community development work. If I could make the smallest change somewhere, then I will feel accomplished.

What experiences do you value most as a student at Texas Tech?

I have been very fortunate with some of the professors that I have had. Two of my professors, in particular, have become friendly faces around campus. Even when I am no longer taking their courses, I still keep in touch with them, and they have both become mentors for me. I don’t know that there are many schools where even in a class of 300 students you can still walk away personally knowing your professor, that is definitely what I value most. The professors truly do care.

Texas Tech Student of Integrated Scholarship

Sean Mitchell Psychology College of Arts and Sciences

What got you interested in your major?

My interest in psychology began during my senior year of high school when I took an Advanced Placement course in general psychology. My interest continued at Texas Tech University (TTU), and my career interests solidified after completing an undergraduate research methods course. I graduated from TTU with a BA in psychology and Spanish. I am currently a first-year clinical psychology doctoral student. I have chosen to remain at Texas Tech University to pursue my PhD in clinical psychology, because I am dedicated to the university and believe I can receive excellent training in my field at TTU.

What courses are you taking this semester?

This semester I am taking the following courses: Introduction to Clinical Psychology, Biological Bases of Psychological Function, Research Seminar in Clinical and Counseling Psychology, and Advanced Correlational Methods and Factor Analysis. In the fall of 2013, I will begin to see clients in the Psychology Clinic. I will be enrolled in a practicum course and be supervised by a faculty psychologist while providing mental health services.

What is the most challenging course you've taken? How has it affected you?

The most challenging class was the cognition course that I took in the Department of Psychology as an undergraduate student. I took it in the spring of my freshman year, and it was a senior-level course. About halfway through the semester I realized that the courses were given a classification level for a reason. It was the most difficult class that I have taken, even after a semester of graduate-level courses. However, there were definitely positive experiences that came from taking this course. I learned that I was capable of surviving and doing well in a challenging course. I discovered that I could push my limits, work hard, and succeed. I made a B+ in cognition, but I was more proud of that B+ than any A+ that I have received. It is because I had to work hard and push myself, and I was forced to actually understand and learn the material. Now to conquer cognition at the graduate level!

Have you participated in research?

I think research is the most important thing that an undergraduate student can get involved in, no matter what career they want to go into! The sooner the better! Being involved in research labs can open a wealth of opportunities and learning experiences! As an undergraduate, I worked in Dr. Robert Morgan's forensic and correctional psychology research lab as a research assistant at TTU. I started in his lab as a sophomore (the earlier the better!). My responsibilities included scoring assessments and measures as well as data entry using SPSS for grant-funded research. I assisted with data collection using a semi-structured interview of offenders at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice parole office in Lubbock. I also collected data at an in- patient psychiatric unit where I gave assessments to participants with severe mental illnesses. Furthermore, I have collected data at several correctional facilities in Kansas and Virginia. Additionally, as an undergraduate I was the primary author or co-author on five research posters that have been presented at national conferences. I also worked with Dr. Kelly Cukrowicz, who is now my faculty mentor in the clinical psychology doctoral program, in her suicide and depression research lab at the beginning of my junior year. Dr. Cukrowicz extended me the opportunity to conduct an independent research project in her laboratory as an undergraduate, which I have recently submitted for publication.

I am currently heading a research project, in which I am collaborating with psychology professors at two other universities in the United States. This is an excellent opportunity to collaborate with other professionals and bring awareness to TTU’s dedication to research. In addition, I am working on my master’s-level thesis project and a couple of manuscripts with the goal of publication. I really love research. I believe that research is the foundation for informed practice in psychology, as well as the foundation for good teaching. This is why it is so important to me that I conduct, publish, and present my research findings.

Have you completed internships or had other work experience applicable to your field of study?

I applied for and was accepted into the American Psychological Association (APA) Summer Science Fellowship, a competitive research program hosted at George Mason University. In the spring of 2011, I was selected as one of twelve students from across the United Sates out of an applicant pool of more than 300 students. During my fellowship I was employed in Dr. June Tangney's Human Emotions Research Laboratory. While there, I worked on two grant-funded studies. These studies examined offenders' reentry into the community and evaluated a new restorative justice intervention, and I assisted the project by collecting data at the Fairfax Adult Detention Center. Additionally, I developed an independent study (from an existing dataset of Dr. Tangney’s) examining suicide ideation across offenders' periods of incarceration, and the relationship between proneness to shame and suicide ideation in a sample of jail inmates. This fellowship also provided training on the policy implications of research and the influence of APA on public policy. In addition to this, I was involved in two research labs in the Department of Psychology for several years. It was my undergraduate research experience that made me competitive for the fellowship.

What service projects (volunteering, community service, etc.) have you been involved in?

As an undergraduate student I was an adult mental health activities volunteer at The Community Living Center, which is a recreation facility within StarCare (formerly Lubbock MHMR). In this role I interact regularly with persons who are developmentally delayed or suffering from a mental illness, and I had the opportunity to communicate and engage with them in games and activities.

As a first-year doctoral student, I am still becoming acclimated to life as a busy graduate student. I have not yet been able to reintegrate service regularly into my schedule. I did participate in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness community walk here in Lubbock. The purpose of the walk was to raise awareness of suicide and research funds to help better understand suicide risk and prevention. In the future, I am planning to stay involved with organizations that bring awareness to suicide risk and investigate methods of suicide prevention.

Get a planner, calendar, or something. Stay organized! You’ll find out that you have time that you did not know that you had. Also, make sure that you’re doing some volunteer work, research, and taking classes that you really enjoy. This will make it easier to find time to fit everything in. This is the time in life to learn about and do things that we really enjoy. If you don’t enjoy it, find something else. Don’t only do something so you can put it on your curriculum vitae or résumé.

What are your plans after graduation?

My career goals lie in academia. Upon earning my PhD, I would like to pursue a research career to explore specific risk factors in offender suicide in hopes that my research would influence correctional assessment, therapy, and correctional policy. In addition, I would like to conduct forensic and treatment-related assessments within the criminal justice system. My interests are still growing, and there will be plenty of new experiences and opportunities in my graduate program in the years to come, so at the same time, I am trying to be open minded.

What experiences do you value most as a student at Texas Tech?

I most value the experiences that I was afforded in Dr. Morgan’s and Dr. Cukrowicz’s research labs as an undergraduate. I was given the opportunity to conduct research, present at national conferences, get a taste of life as a graduate student, get an idea of what it is like to be a professor in psychology, and get experience to make me competitive for other opportunities (e.g., fellowships and graduate school). The graduate students in the labs were also very supportive and a great resource. They helped mentor me through the graduate application process, on how to think about research, and statistics. It was a fun and amazingly useful experience. I think being involved in these labs was definitely one of the best parts of my time as an undergraduate student, and I am excited to continue my involvement in research as a graduate student.

Texas Tech Student of Integrated Scholarship

Chinwe Obi Public Relations/Technical Communication College of Media and Communication/College of Arts and Sciences

What got you interested in your major?

I am a senior public relations and technical communication double major with a minor in mass communication. I have always had a fascination with the power behind words and the use of persuasion in media messages. My fickle mind and desire to excel in multiple avenues led to my varying interest in public relations and technical communication. After winning a marketing campaign competition for the National Association of Black Accountants, I initially wanted to pursue advertising, but found it more challenging and interesting how public relations uses the process of building mutually beneficial relationships to promote an organization's values and goals. Through a chance interview with Dr. Coy Callison, I was introduced to the world of technical communication, and I immediately knew that I wanted to combine these two avenues into one dream career path. The precision of technical writing and relationship building of public relations will be a vital asset for when I become a grant writer for nonprofit organizations.

What courses are you taking this semester?

I am taking Professional Issues in Technical Communication; Individual Study in Public Relations, where I will be conducting research with Dr. Shafer; Event Management in Public Relations; and Public Relations for Non-Profits. The public relations campaigns course I took last semester greatly focused on service learning. The client for the class was the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts (LHUCA). Their main goal was to foster the arts in the Lubbock community. As account manager, I led my team to creating the winning account for LHUCA. I am also continuing my internship with X-Fab, a foundry group for analog/mixed-signal semiconductor applications.

What is the most challenging course you've taken? How has it affected you?

The public relations capstone course, Public Relations Campaigns, was certainly the most challenging class I've taken. The work demand was unlike anything I had experienced before. Campaigns challenged me academically at all times, logistically as team leader, and interpersonally when figuring out how best to maximize the strengths of my teammates. My team (Lone Star PR) spent over 700 hours this past semester creating the "Cultivating Culture and Growing the Arts" campaign for LHUCA. The hard work and collective goal to create the best campaign for the client, as opposed to being driven by a grade, propelled our campaign to the forefront. Prior to enrolling in the course, I heard horror stories from past students and was quite nervous about taking the class, but with graduation a semester away, it was inevitable that I would need to take the course at some point. I was questioning if I truly wanted to pursue a career in public relations, but after sleepless nights, printing nightmares, and many cups of coffee due to Campaigns, I found a new love for the profession. By nature I'm a quiet person, but as account manager I was forced to come out of my shell and lead four individuals and myself to success. I learned that I have great ideas that need to be shared, and most importantly, no matter which profession I choose, I want to work with nonprofit organizations.

Have you completed internships or had other work experience applicable to your field of study?

I have been fortunate to have two internships and a job that directly applies to one of my degrees. When applying for internships I knew that I wanted to find ones that covered my desires to work for a nonprofit organization and one to produce technical documents. My first internship was with the Lubbock Arts Alliance, a nonprofit that supports local artists and organizations through service and programming. Working at the Lubbock Arts Alliance was a new and exciting experience, especially during the weekend of the arts festival. My main duties included maintaining donor relations, gathering donations for the arts festival, and recruiting volunteers to staff the four- day event. Asking for donations is one of the hardest things a person could ever do. No's weren't as frequent as the lack of response from some companies. Letters, phone calls, and personal visits couldn't get some companies to donate a penny. All my work prior to mid-April was in preparation for the arts festival. During the four-day festival, I spent more time coordinating volunteers and hospitality than I did on anything that had to do with school. Despite the stress and lack of sleep, the weekend was a success. My second internship at X-Fab was geared toward my technical communication degree. I created a system to transform paper manuals to searchable documents. This internship taught me how to be precise with my proofreading and editing methods. One small error could cause the malfunction of a 303 Moisture Monitor or incorrect calibration of a Beckman Trace Analyzer. Finally I was the science/technical writer for the engineering department for three months, before I had to give it up because of the demand of Campaigns. I was given the opportunity to interview professors and undergraduate student researchers and create feature stories about their research. These experiences, although quite diverse, are helping me decide what career path I want pursue. I've developed several skills and had great experiences that I wouldn't trade for anything.

What service projects (volunteering, community service, etc.) have you been involved in? Aside from serving Texas Tech, it is essential for me to give back to the Lubbock community. Each Thursday for three hours I mentor East Lubbock students who participate in the Bridge of Lubbock Program. I assist them with understanding homework assignments, answer college questions, and provide a role model for them to look up to. On selected Fridays of the month, I also mentor students at Dunbar Junior High through the Mentor Tech Service Organization. Due to my schedule this semester, I was forced to leave my students and find another method for giving back to the community.

Have you participated in research?

I have been fortunate enough to partake in undergraduate research. I worked with Dr. Autumn Shafer in the College of Media and Communication. The basic premise of the research was centered on the hit MTV series "16 and Pregnant." (I know, pretty awesome.) Approximately one half of the 6.4 million pregnancies in 2001 were unplanned. These numbers don't seem to account for the statistical data, which reports nearly 70 percent of younger teens (ages 12-14) said that high school-age teens should not engage in sexual activities. The media has been a large factor in what many people refer to as the "glamorization of teen pregnancy." MTV's show "16 and Pregnant" gives accounts of what "real pregnancy is like." We examined specific characteristics that helped determine the correlation between different characters and how they influenced teens. With assistance from "16 and Pregnant," we evaluated four episodes and determined where variation in factors such as character emotions, maturity level, and parenting capacity play a role in an audience's perception of a character. Through defined characteristics present in the codebook, it enabled for a more unified set of results and ease of coding on the code form. These results showed that specific characters had the ability to deter teens from the idea having a child or, in turn, glamorize the process. Due to how much I learned and how much fun I had with Dr. Shafer, I decided enroll in independent study so I can work with her on another research project.

Get a planner! I'm not kidding when I say this. In order to balance academics, internships, jobs, research, and additional activities, it is essential to have a way to keep everything balanced. I've found myself in many instances where I've been too overwhelmed and stressed with all my activities. Without my trusty planner there is no way I would have been as successful as I am in college. Also, students need to use all the resources around them, whether it is professors, mentors, or other students. No student should ever be too proud to ask for help and should always be open to all forms of advice. The most important advice is to get involved. Solely focusing on grades makes a good college student, but participation in extracurricular activates, internships, and research makes you a spectacular and well-rounded college student. I don't know about other students, but I'd rather be spectacular than good.

What are your plans after graduation?

After completing my undergraduate degrees, I will attend graduate school for technical communication. Once I acquire my master's, it's on to earning a PhD. I will pursue a career as a professional grant writer. I want to concentrate on nonprofit organizations, especially those looking to provide help to abused children, women, and veterans. I know this decision isn't going to bring me the big dollars my parents would hope for, but as long as I can bring happiness to others, I'm perfectly fine with having the bare minimum. After I've served the public for several years, I want to share my knowledge by teaching higher education. I have big goals, but my mother always tells me to dream big or not at all. My dreams are slowly becoming a reality and I am excited for what the future holds.

What experiences do you value most as a student at Texas Tech?

The extracurricular activities I've been able to participate in are experiences I value most at Texas Tech. Through President's Select, Chancellor's Ambassadors, the Lauro Cavazos and Ophelia Powell-Malone Mentoring Program (Mentor Tech), and the College of Media and Communication Dean's Council, I make the greatest contributions to Texas Tech. As a member of President's Select and two-time consecutive top member, I serve as an official ambassador for the university. My duties include providing accurate information to prospective students by conducting campus tours, interacting with current and potential donors at various events, and recruiting prospective athletes to our programs. I receive the most satisfaction when a prospective student comes up to me after a tour and thanks me for providing them with a newfound knowledge of student life, tradition, and everything else that makes Texas Tech a wonderful academic institution. As a Chancellor's Ambassador, I am given the opportunity to spend more time interacting with donors. This serves as my chance to express to them my reasons for choosing Texas Tech and why I push for everyone to attend our university. Unlike President's Select and Chancellor's Ambassadors, where I interact with prospective students and donors, through the Mentor Tech program I am able to interact with current Texas Tech students. I serve as one of several leaders of the Protégé Advisory Committee (PAC). As a PAC leader, I help my protégés find all the necessary resources they need in order to succeed academically and socially at Texas Tech. Finally, through Dean's Council, I am able to make positive changes for the students in the College of Media and Communication, which include lowering GPA requirements and providing alternative ways to receive foreign language credit. When I'm not giving back to Tech, I love participating in intramural sports. I've been fortunate enough to win five championships through flag football and volleyball.

Texas Tech Student of Integrated Scholarship

DeMera Ollinger Landscape Architecture College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

What got you interested in your major?

I am currently a fourth-year landscape architecture student here at Tech. I say "fourth year" because landscape architecture is a five-year program. As far as my initial interest in this department went, an unpredictable chain of events ultimately led me to the Hub City. As a freshman English major at a West Texas college further north, I was attending classes and had decided to take on a second job at a local greenhouse. Working at the greenhouse inspired me to pick up the Texas Tech course catalog I happened to have handy in my dorm to explore different career opportunities related to the line of work rapidly growing on me. Stumbling upon landscape architecture, I couldn't have found a more suitable degree that combined my creatively technical way of thinking with an industry devoted to environmental sustainability.

What courses are you taking this semester?

This semester I'll be attending classes in Regional Planning, Planting Design, Site Construction and Development, a seminar course, and Western Rhetoric and Thought.

What is the most challenging course you've taken? How has it affected you?

Wow. This program continues to challenge both sides of my brain. I naturally gravitate more toward the design spectrum, therefore my design course a couple of years ago was certainly the most stimulating challenge I've experienced to date. The technical side of the major has always been a bit more challenging, however, a challenge I approach with positive determination. From surveying, to drawing up construction documents, to GIS (geographical information systems), they always find a way to keep me on my toes.

Have you completed internships or had other work experience applicable to your field of study?

I am currently in the process of applying for internships following this spring semester. Even without field-specific work experience, I have distinct qualities and qualifications that I hope will make me a unique candidate. From sales, to model construction, to greenhouses, I understand hard work and speak the language of customer service fluently.

What service projects (volunteering, community service, etc.) have you been involved in?

As the events coordinator of our Student American Society of Landscape Architects (SASLA) and a member of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Agri-Techsans, I'm almost constantly volunteering inside and outside the university. With SASLA, I had a unique community service opportunity with the television program "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," where we helped build a residential landscape design issued by our department head, Dr. Alon Kavashny. With our college recruitment team, Agri-Techsans, I attend several events on and off campus promoting the six departments in our college to prospective students. My favorite volunteer opportunity, however, came about in Porto Alegre, Brazil, during my study abroad. I got involved with social services through a friend and taught English lessons to underprivileged teenagers. Some of the children I worked with never had the opportunity to attend school and helping them realize their potential was probably the most rewarding experience I've yet to encounter.

Attending college exemplifies the pursuit of higher education. That definition implies that we seek education beyond the walls of a lecture hall. Whether internships, community service, extracurricular activities/societies, sometimes spreading one’s self thin equals a greater square footage on the knowledge plane.

What are your plans after graduation?

Following graduation, I ultimately want to promote environmental sustainability through awareness and implementation. I plan to remain pervious to all opportunities and ideologies along the way, and determine a more defined career path after obtaining my internship.

What experiences do you value most as a student at Texas Tech?

What experiences DON'T I value here at Texas Tech? Thanks to the faculty, staff, and my peers, I've not only established exceptional contacts, but also gained qualities and qualifications that will eminently supplement the value of my diploma.

I could tell you about the pride I feel on game day or the humbling walk across campus, however, it’s the hungry, caffeine-influenced sensation I feel while sitting at my desk every morning that I value more than anything. What it takes, semester after semester, to earn my seat in every classroom; the feeling of connection with my university, my college, my department; this is after all, where I came to learn. Texas Tech Student of Integrated Scholarship

Graysen Ortega Food Science College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

What got you interested in your major?

I am a senior food science major and agricultural communications minor. In high school I started doing research with Dr. Mindy Brashears to present at FFA Agriscience Fairs. I really enjoyed those projects, and they piqued my interest in food safety. At the end of my senior year, Dr. Brashears convinced me to major in food science.

What courses are you taking this semester?

This semester I am taking Agricultural Communication Campaigns; Selection, Care, Processing, and Cooking of Meats; Financial and Managerial Accounting; Food Science Seminar; and Dairy Products Manufacturing. In Agricultural Communication Campaigns we get to research and develop a communication and marketing proposal for CASNR to promote agricultural awareness on campus and in the community.

What is the most challenging course you've taken? How has it affected you?

Advanced Food Analysis is definitely the most challenging class I have ever taken. It is a very demanding food science class that involves advanced chemistry, a huge amount of material, and is writing intensive. Thankfully, the professor was great and was able to teach me more than I thought I could ever learn. That class really enforced the idea that hard work pays off. It also helped remind me to have faith, and God will help you through your challenges.

Have you completed internships or had other work experience applicable to your field of study?

In spring 2011 I was able to intern for the US House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture through the CASNR Government Internship Program. I also work at the International Center for Food Industry Excellence (ICFIE) at Tech, conducting research in Mexico and Costa Rica at beef processing plants. Both the congressional internship and my work at ICFIE have been incredible opportunities to gain valuable work experience.

Have you participated in Research? I am very blessed to have Dr. Brashears as a mentor, and she has been guiding me through research since I was in high school. I have been able to conduct research on foodborne pathogens, and my focus has been on E. coli and salmonella. Since starting at Tech I have been able to present my research at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Conference, and I have become a TTU/Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Research Scholar. Currently, I am studying the prevalence of E. coli Non-O157:H7 STECs in Mexico.

What service projects (volunteering, community service, etc.) have you been involved in?

While not a typical service project, my favorite way to help people is through the work of ICFIE at Texas Tech. In Mexico the number one cause of death in children is foodborne illness. The work we are doing in Latin America is improving food safety and the public health, which is very rewarding. I also enjoy tutoring children and helping local FFA students with contests like the Agriscience Fair. Another fun project is giving food science demonstrations to elementary school students; we make "Raider Dots," and the kids love eating ice cream and watching us experiment with liquid nitrogen.

Try for whatever interests you, despite what you feel the likelihood for success is or fears you may have; take that nagging thought at the back of your head and make it a reality. It is also very important to find a mentor, tell them what your goals are, and let them help you. I never thought that I would be selected to intern in Washington, DC, or that I would get my dream research project where I get to travel to Mexico every few months, but I tried anyway, and everything went great. Just follow God's guidance, and let His plan unfold.

What are your plans after graduation?

Right now, I feel God is pointing me toward law school, but I am not ruling out graduate school. I would really like to have a career that involves food safety where I can represent American agriculture. I want to be a positive voice for our producers and help improve the safety of the food supply.

What experiences do you value most as a student at Texas Tech?

While the classes at Texas Tech are first rate, the experiences I value most are the extracurricular opportunities. Texas Tech has sent me to Washington, DC, to intern for Congress, on numerous trips to Mexico to conduct research, and to different conferences each summer. These are opportunities that students at other universities couldn't even dream of, and they are experiences that wouldn't be possible anywhere else. Texas Tech Student of Integrated Scholarship

Kendra Phelps Zoology College of Arts and Sciences

What got you interested in your major?

I am a PhD candidate (a doctoral student who has passed their qualifying exams) in the Department of Biological Sciences, my major is zoology.

Since I was a young child, I always dreamed of working with animals in some capacity. At first I wanted to be a veterinarian, but that quickly changed once I "job shadowed" a local veterinarian in high school. I quickly learned that a majority of their time is spent spaying and neutering dogs and cats, or administering vaccinations to livestock. Not my dream job. My back-up plan was to be a biologist; I was very interested in marine biology, but this was probably because I was a farm kid from Iowa who had never experienced any marine systems thus I found it even more intriguing. After completing an associate's degree from a local community college (I was awarded a full scholarship to attend since I was salutatorian of my graduating class), I elected to transfer to Auburn University because they had a stellar program in both biology and marine biology. Ultimately, I ended up majoring in biology, with an emphasis in conservation biology.

What courses are you taking this semester?

I am not taking any courses this semester, only research hours because I’m currently in the Philippines conducting my doctoral research project. I will not be returning from the Philippines until August 2013 (at the earliest); I arrived this past May. My Fulbright Fellowship is from July 9, 2012 to April 23, 2013.

What is the most challenging course you've taken? How has it affected you?

I’ve always struggled in math-related subjects, particularly statistics; that hasn’t improved with many additional years of graduate school. From this I have learned to always consult with those who are wise about the subject so as not to embarrass myself.

Have you completed internships or had other work experience applicable to your field of study?

Internships are not common in the biological sciences; however, I have had work experience that relates to my field of study.

The summer before embarking on my master’s degree at Oklahoma State University (2003) and every summer during graduate school (2003 - 2006), I was employed by the Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. Examples of the research conducted include surveying caves and cave-roosting bat species in western Oklahoma, determining the status of a federally endangered bat species in eastern Oklahoma, and live-trapping American black bears in southeastern Oklahoma to determine the species’ abundance after reintroduction.

After completing my master’s degree in 2006 I worked as a research biologist for the Sternberg Museum of Natural History (at Ft. Hays State University, Hays, Kansas) until 2008. Funded by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the main objective of the statewide project was to update the current distributional status of native mammalian species in Kansas through intensive specimen collecting.

Have you participated in Research?

I have been involved in both undergraduate and graduate research projects.

As an undergraduate laboratory technician employed by Dr. James Sartin at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University, I gained experience in domestic animal husbandry in addition to basic laboratory techniques such as RNA/DNA extractions and diagnostic assays. During the two years I was employed as a laboratory technician (2001-2003), I assisted numerous doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows with their research relating to the effects of hormones on disease progression.

My undergraduate adviser and mentor, Dr. Troy Best, opened my eyes to fieldwork. While taking a course under his direction, I spent several weeks in the southwestern United States surveying small mammals (bats and rodents). From this, my interest in bats was piqued, as well as the need to protect and preserve natural environments. Because of this interest, I applied to graduate school with the hope of conducting my thesis research on bats. I was accepted into the graduate program in the Department of Zoology at Oklahoma State University in 2003 under the direction of Dr. Karen McBee. Initially, my thesis research project was to examine the effects of heavy metal contamination on native bat populations inhabiting a superfund site in northeastern Oklahoma. As this project progressed, we realized that the project was not feasible. We changed the subject of my thesis research to rodents but kept the main theme of the project. My thesis research implemented the fields of ecotoxicology, an important component of conservation, and basic ecology to get a better understanding of how heavy metal contamination altered population demographics and community structure of small mammal assemblages inhabiting Tar Creek Superfund Site, Oklahoma.

Currently, I’m undertaking a research project for my doctoral degree at Texas Tech University; I am under the supervision of Dr. Tigga Kingston. My dissertation project aims to compare bat communities among caves subject to differing levels of human disturbance across Bohol Island in the Philippines to assess the status of cave- dependent bats in an increasingly human-dominated landscape. My methods are to quantify levels of human disturbance at caves, and compare with species diversity and composition of bat communities and health status (body condition and ectoparasitism rate) of individual bats. My results will be used to evaluate individual caves for maintaining viable populations of cave-dependent bats, a priority under the Philippine National Caves and Cave Resources Protection Act, and develop effective management policies that protect cave-dependent bats and critical roosting sites— caves.

Moreover, throughout graduate school (both at Oklahoma State University and Texas Tech University) I assisted numerous fellow graduate students with their thesis and doctoral research projects. From this, I learned a variety of field techniques applicable to everything from amphibians to birds to invertebrates.

What service projects (volunteering, community service, etc.) have you been involved in?

As an active member of the Texas Tech University Association of Biologists (TTUAB) I participate in numerous community service projects annually, including raising funds for the Alzheimer's Association, Toys for Tots, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the Lubbock Memorial Arboretum. In addition to TTUAB activities, I am also involved in my department as the graduate coordinator for a weekly seminar series that encourages graduate students and faculty to present their research findings. In the scientific community I serve as a reviewer for six scientific journals as well as review grant applications and scholarly awards for several scientific societies.

It will all pay off in the end…when you are doing something you are passionate about! I often find that when I’m overloaded with many different activities, I am the most productive.

What are your plans after graduation?

Conservation biology, particularly how human manipulation of the environment can impact wildlife species, has always been the driving force behind my academic pursuits. After graduation, my career goal is to be employed as a conservation biologist for an international nongovernment organization (e.g., World Wildlife Fund, Wildlife Conservation Society). In this position I hope to make positive changes toward conserving wildlife species and their critical habitats. What experiences do you value most as a student at Texas Tech?

The experiences that I value the most at Texas Tech University have been the bonds I have developed with other graduate students in the Department of Biological Sciences as well as the Department of Natural Resource Management. Graduate school can be very stressful (as is life in general!); being able to have peers who understand your situation and can sympathize with you as well as give experienced advice is invaluable. Texas Tech Student of Integrated Scholarship

Jennifer Zavaleta Wildlife, Range, and Aquatic Science College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

What courses are you taking this semester?

This semester I am working on a research project with Dr. Dave Haukos (former major adviser at Texas Tech). I am putting together a literature review over everything that has been written about lesser prairie chickens, a species that is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

What is the most challenging course you've taken? How has it affected you?

The most challenging course I took at Texas Tech was Landscape Ecology taught by Dr. Nancy MacIntyre in the Department of Biological Sciences. The exciting and challenging part of the class was the “systems thinking” that it required. Landscape ecology focuses on how pattern can affect process, and vice versa, at different spatial and time scales. It broadened the way I thought about the natural world and highlighted how interconnected and multifaceted ecosystem processes can be. I also enjoyed taking classes in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications. The experience emphasized an element of the conservation puzzle that is so often overlooked—successful conservation management requires working with people. People have different histories, belief systems, and cultural norms. Becoming more aware of these differences and learning how to communicate to people is a challenge, but a necessary one.

Have you completed internships or had other work experience applicable to your field of study?

I worked with Ogallala Commons, a nonprofit with the goal of educating landowners and students about the importance of our aquifer and the playa system that exists throughout the panhandle. I conducted surveys and measured how successful their land management days and Playa Festivals were at improving knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in managing our water resources in West Texas.

Have you participated in Research?

I had a number of mentors at Texas Tech. My major advisers were Dr. Haukos and Dr. Clint Boal in the Department of Natural Resources Management, and Dr. David Doerfert was my adviser while I was in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications my first semester. My thesis project was based on a thirteen-year data set that looked at how shinnery oak communities were affected by tebuthiuron herbicide and rotational grazing. The study looked at plant composition and structure as well as mammal, invertebrate, reptile, and amphibian abundance and diversity over time. While finishing my thesis, I received an external grant from the Prairie Biotic Institute to interview landowners about how they make management decisions on their land. After taking a methodologies class in the sociology department, taught by Dr. Patricia Maloney, I wrote a paper highlighting the five assumptions that government agents and researchers have about landowners and the decisions they make.

What service projects (volunteering, community service, etc.) have you been involved in?

One of the most influential service projects that I participated in was working as an English as a Second Language tutor with Literacy Lubbock. I have always enjoyed teaching and working with people with different backgrounds and worldviews. It was a rewarding challenge. Many of the students that I worked with were in some way affiliated with Texas Tech either because they were enrolled or their spouses were. Each week I designed lesson plans that taught vocabulary, but more importantly, gave them confidence.

Time management is important for all students. Often people think to themselves, “Oh, that sounds nice, but I just don’t have the time.” Sorry to break the news, college students, but you have more time now than you ever will after college. This is the time to try something new and take a few hours a week to be a part of something bigger than yourself and your circle of friends. When you spend time with people outside of your community, you can gain a better perspective, learn more about yourself and who you want to be, and you improve the community around you.

What are your plans after graduation?

I received a Fulbright Scholarship to go to Valdivia, Chile, and work on two projects, both of which involve human dimensions and conservation science. The first project is a program evaluation of the Long-Term Ecological Research Network (LTER) that was established in 2008 in Chile. The goal of the network is twofold: encourage collaboration with scientists and design community outreach and education. The second project will be to work with a community living in national forest. Five years ago a management plan was developed so that they would not clear cut surrounding forest, but remain profitable. I will get to go back and interview people to get their perspectives on the plan and see if changes to the management plan would be appropriate.

What experiences do you value most as a student at Texas Tech?

I really enjoyed the people and taking classes in different departments. So often we wear blinders thinking that our department and the classes it offers are all we need to be successful professionals. Taking classes in other subjects not only broadens your depth of knowledge; often it can highlight connections and change your perspective on what role you will play in your professional field. I enjoyed how many opportunities there were to broaden my academic horizons, and I am thankful.

Volume 5, Number 1; March 2013

Fundamentals of Scholarly and Research Integrity

Written by Kenneth D. Pimple

Introduction

This paper concerns academic1, scholarly, and research integrity across the whole range, including arts and humanities, social sciences, life science, physical science, and professional areas such as law, education, medicine, and business.

I believe that I can cover this quite broad territory because the basic requirements of research and scholarly integrity in the humanities are common to all forms of academic research. Other fields have to take on additional responsibilities, but they cannot ignore any of the responsibilities faced by humanists.

Some of the responsibilities that do not generally fall onto humanists include those that come with research involving human subjects, animals, biohazards, radiation, rDNA, and other carefully regulated forms of research.

In addition, humanists typically do not use statistics, and our data are easier to manage than data in some other fields, in which data may include things that have to be kept in freezers. Most humanists do not get many grants, and certainly not big ones, nor are we usually responsible for expensive equipment like giant telescopes or particle accelerators. We generally work alone, or in pairs, or, rarely, in somewhat large groups. This is significant because many aspects of research that are straightforward when only one researcher is involved, such as assigning authorship credit, can quickly become quite vexing when three or more are working together.

I am not going to talk about any of these complicating factors, which allows me to focus on the aspects of research and scholarly integrity that cover all academic fields, even if they do not cover all of them completely.

Integrity

The first definition of “integrity” in the Oxford English Dictionary is: “The condition of having no part or element taken away or wanting; undivided or unbroken state; material wholeness, completeness, entirety.” Other definitions relate integrity to words like “unimpaired,” “uncorrupted,” and “innocence.”

I sometimes take words too literally, and the use of the word integrity in a moral sense confused me for a long time. I thought of integrity as a kind of purity in which no portion was inferior or tainted. From that point of view, it makes sense to say that a bar of silver has integrity, because a bar of silver is one thing, down to the atom.

But a claim that someone’s scholarship has integrity, or that someone has integrity as a scholar—well, I just did not know what it could mean. It has been my observation that no one is morally pure clear through or perfectly morally consistent. We all embody multiple contradictions, and we all have goals, roles, desires, and even needs that compete against each other—and they sometimes undermine each other.

Recently it occurred to me to think of integrity in terms of systems rather than things. By “system,” I do not mean anything more profound than a bunch of components working together toward a common end.

This is illustrated in a lovely passage in T. H. White’s The Book of Merlyn. King Arthur is old and facing his final battle, and Merlyn magically restores some of his youthful mental vigor. Arthur glances around his tent in astonishment, noticing things as he had as a child. The tent itself he calls “an extraordinary thing.” “Half of it is trying to push it up, and the other half is trying to pull it down” (White 1988:15).

There are three basic components of an old-fashioned tent2: The fabric, the stakes and ropes that hold it down, and the pole or poles that hold it up. The stakes, ropes, and poles are nothing like a tent without the fabric; the fabric alone resembles a tent only insofar as it can shelter you from the rain.

If a system consists of components working together toward a common end, a system with integrity is one in which the net contributions of the components, more or less efficiently, bring about the desired outcome. All three components are needed to make a tent, and they have to work together in a moderately precise way. If the pole pushes up too strongly, you get something like a flag. If the ropes pull down too effectively, you have a drop cloth. If you pitch your tent successfully but someone knocks over the central pole, the tent will dis-integrate. In a way, the components of a tent work against each other—they are literally in tension—but in a more important way, they work together.

It is a rare system that doesn’t have some components that are, or seem to be, disproportionally costly to the system. Consider again the components of a tent. If three people were designated each to carry one component, I would choose either the pole or the ropes and stakes, because the fabric is much the heaviest, or at least it was in the canvas tents I used as a kid. The fabric contributes weight as well as shelter, and if the fabric is too heavy, or absorbs water and becomes too heavy, it will break the pole. Or consider the human brain. Its value to the system called the human body is substantial, but the brain is a resource pig, requiring “about 22 times as much energy to run as the equivalent in muscle tissue” (Welsh 2011). If the human body were a country and the brain the government, some organs would certainly advocate shrinking it. In my formulation, integrity admits of degrees. Thanks to natural selection, most living systems have nearly optimal integrity, in which every component gives as much to the system as it takes from it. Human-created systems, including social, political, and legal systems, measure change in much shorter intervals than evolution—on the order of days to decades, rather than generations to millennia—leading me to believe that human systems are probably not as efficient as natural systems.

A person with a high degree of integrity has a number of morally praiseworthy attributes— call them virtues. She is honest; telling lies requires a disjunction between what she believes to be true and what she is asserting to be true. She is honorable; when she makes a promise or commitment, she keeps it. She is loyal; she does not discard friends or colleagues on a whim. She is sincere; she avoids hypocrisy by living up to the values she espouses and expects of others.

I am not inclined to say that all virtues are aspects of, or essential to, integrity. It seems to me that temperance, courage, prudence, and charity—to name a few—are not required for integrity.

On the other hand, the virtues that I associate with integrity should, in some cases, be subordinate to integrity. If I learn that my friend has committed a crime, I may be forced to turn him in. This would be disloyal, but I might be able to remediate the blow to my integrity by supporting him to the fullest extent possible. Virtues pursued blindly and unthinkingly are likely to become vicious.3

This kind of internal tension comes about because systems are generally embedded in other systems, and the purposes of the various systems cannot be in perfect harmony. The behavior of graduate faculty that is most helpful to graduate students is not simultaneously the most productive for the faculty themselves. Graduate students often need more attention from professors than the professors can afford to give. Yet everyone has to give a little to keep the system running.

A strong commitment to integrity can help us ignore or fail to notice options that other people might find extremely tempting. A scholar with a high degree of integrity is less likely to be tempted to cheat because his goals and the goals of the endeavor are the same; they’re congruent; they’re integrated.

When people are caught cheating on their research by, for example, fabricating data or plagiarizing another scholar’s work, they often give excuses like these: “I have to get this grant,” or “it’s the only way I can meet the deadline,” or “I’ve got to get another publication to get tenure,” or “my PI will kill me if I can’t deliver soon.”

If someone tried to justify these actions in advance to me, I might respond, “You don’t have to be a scholar to get grants. You can go get a job at a nonprofit agency; they need smart people, too. And you can meet deadlines in any line of work; why stay in one that forces you to lie? If you want to make up your data, there’s a place across campus where you might fit better—it’s called the creative writing program. If you’re determined to use other people’s material without giving credit, become a satirist instead of a plagiarist. If you want job security, cheating isn’t a very smart path to get it, and take it from me, you don’t have to be in academe to find angry bosses who need to be appeased. So what’s the point? You aren’t a scholar-researcher-scientist to meet deadlines and get grants; you are here to do research and science.”

For anyone who is truly dedicated to scholarship or science, I believe that fostering and maintaining a high degree of integrity is simple—which is not to say it is easy. Most of us recognize it when we are tempted to do something that is not right. That is the simple part. The hard part tends to be finding a right thing to do, or doing a right thing. I do not say “the” right thing, because in most cases there are several acceptable and workable options that can be discovered and implemented—admittedly with some effort, luck, and help. Acting with integrity gets easier with practice.

This understanding of integrity can, I think, be applied to scholarship in a fruitful way. There are several components of academic scholarship that work together well, but can become imbalanced. Concentration on one component can weaken the others, and perhaps change the endeavor so much that it cannot be called scholarship at all anymore.

Scholarship

Early in my graduate studies, I learned that a scholar is someone who makes simple things complicated, or makes complicated things simple.4

I still think it is a pretty good description. We can spend just as much time analyzing concepts like happiness, love, and sorrow as we do describing the structure of the universe. We all know what happiness is—until we start trying to define it. Then the simple becomes complicated. Contrariwise, most of us, on our own, would not even be able to start saying anything intelligent about the structure of the universe—the question is too big and complicated. The only way to tackle it is to make it simple. Scholarly success can be achieved going either direction.

I will leave “scholarship” undefined, but I am going to identify the major components of academic scholarship, its purpose, and its implicit values.

Academic scholarship has three key components: Research, teaching, and service.

This is a familiar triad. The elements are typically the criteria by which academic scholars are judged, especially when they are up for promotion or tenure. At research universities, scholars get most credit for research, less for teaching, and still less for service—perhaps 50%, 35%, and 15%, respectively.5

This way of thinking about scholarship is probably an accurate reflection of the way things are and the way they will be for the foreseeable future. It may be clear that I find it unfortunate that so many university faculty members see teaching as a burden rather than a calling or a privilege. Be that as it may, my focus is not tawdry reality—the social organization of academic scholarship—but the heart and meaning of scholarship, which requires or allows me to consider research, teaching, and service in a somewhat different, perhaps idealistic, way.

Before saying more about these three key components, I will consider the purpose of scholarship. Aristotle’s approach to ethics is to focus on the telos of an activity—its goal, aim, or ultimate purpose. The telos of falconry, for example, is to train raptors to hunt with people. To do so, the birds must be bred or captured, kept healthy, and trained. Such work requires certain skills and knowledge, including patience, knowledge of raptor behavior, and the ability to make and repair hoods and the other objects necessary for hunting with falcons and hawks. The practice of falconry also forbids some qualities and behaviors. From what I have read, punishing the birds makes training them impossible. Thus, patience and applicable knowledge are virtues in Aristotle’s terms, and impatience and cruelty are vices. Skill in mathematics is probably neither a virtue or vice in this realm.

I suggest that the telos of scholarship is achieving or improving understanding. A large part of the pursuit of understanding is the pursuit of knowledge, of which a large part is called science—the study of the natural world. Understanding is also served by careful consideration and shared deliberation, which is important to philosophy, literary studies, and the humanities in general. I tend to think that the arts and humanities are not so much the pursuit of knowledge as the pursuit of insight, wisdom, and meaning, which are all aspects of understanding.

Some might argue that the telos of scholarship, properly understood, is The Truth, one of the many concepts that have been assailed in the last few decades by deconstructionism, post- structuralism, post-modernism, and possibly other movements and theories bent on problematizing everything we take for granted. This was a grand effort in making every simple thing complicated by demonstrating that there is no such thing as truth, reality, or objectivity. Insofar as these concepts have been used as tools of power and oppression, and deconstructionism et al. were deployed against oppressive power structures, I am sympathetic to the cause. But insofar as banishing truth makes it silly to try to prove anything at all, I cannot swallow the whole package.

Still, I accept the related propositions that we humans do not have direct or certain access to truth and reality, and that objectivity, as a human mental state, is an unattainable ideal. What I do not accept is that we have to turn our backs on truth and reality just because our understanding of them will always be imperfect. This is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Sometimes philosophers, psychologists, teachers, and other tricksters use a handful of examples to show us that our senses cannot be trusted. Put a straw into a glass of water, and the straw will appear to be bent. This optical illusion does not prove that the senses are completely undependable; in fact, they stand out as shocking (when you first encounter them) because our senses are so marvelously accurate most of the time. Instances in which our senses fail us show that we should be careful of our observations, not that we should believe that all the world is illusion.

I make this detour through truth and reality to introduce a key characteristic of scholarly understanding. Scholars and scholarship seek true understanding. This means different things in different pursuits. Claims made in the humanities do not go through the same testing process as claims made by scientists, but they are tested. In science, empirical evidence is crucial; in the humanities, however, judgment, coherence, and insight play the key role in judging how closely an argument comes to true understanding. The warning signs that true understanding has not been reached are well known—bad logic, self-contradiction, factual errors, false premises, and other failures of reason or rhetoric. Perhaps this is why so much scholarship takes the negative form of demolishing existing explanations. It is much easier to identify flaws than to ensure that no flaws exist.

It may be that looking at scholarship as the pursuit of true understanding will help us look at research, teaching, and service in a somewhat less jaded way.

Research, teaching, and service

Insofar as research is the search for understanding, frequently in the form of knowledge, it is something that most people do pretty much all the time. Scholarly research, however, has three characteristics that set it apart from the “research” of everyday life, such as one might undertake before buying a new car.

Scholarly research is (a) rigorous, (b) intended for public dissemination, at least within the relevant scholarly community, and, critically, (c) the search for new knowledge or understanding. For scholars, research that does not result in new knowledge or insights is, at best, preparation for the kind of research for which we get credit.

Some of the values and virtues that guide scholarship emerge fairly clearly from this typology. In order to discover new knowledge, a scholar has to have a command of the field. You have to know what is old before you can be sure you know that what you have discovered or argued is new. You have to be exhaustive and exacting in your preparatory research. “Exacting” means, at least, keeping good notes on what you have learned so far, including accurate citations. We cite each other to show that we know the field and that our claim to originality is warranted, if not airtight, as well as to give credit where credit is due. Scholarship is often a lonely endeavor, but it is also communal; we can only do what we do because of the work that others have done before us. This is one of the reasons that service is an important component of scholarship.

To state the obvious, scholarly research must be honest. The scholarly demand on honesty includes acknowledging our debts, never making a truth claim that we believe is false, making an honest effort to find alternate explanations, and telling the whole story—acknowledging our doubts and the weaknesses in our arguments or evidence—at least insofar as the journal will allow.

The requirement for the public dissemination of scholarly research may be most clear in science. If you learn something new but do not share it, it cannot be called science, even if it is true. Going public is the only way science and scholarship can stay alive and keep developing.

This suggests why teaching is also a critical component of scholarship.

Teaching resembles publishing one’s research at least insofar as both are concerned with the dissemination of true understanding, and both are necessary for the continuation and flourishing of scholarship. Some people become scholars without being taught by other scholars, but that is doing it the hard way. Teaching also helps scholarship flourish by giving the majority of undergraduates who will never be scholars some taste of the value of scholarship. Without the support of non-scholars, academic scholarship could not long endure. In addition, the processes of teaching and scholarly publication both have a tendency to improve us as scholars. Most of us know from experience that the best way to learn something is to teach it. When your work is critiqued by good reviewers, your publication, your scholarship, and your research profit.

To me, though, the most compelling reason that scholars should teach—that is, why we have some kind of moral obligation to teach and to teach well—is that it is another way of paying our debts to our own teachers and to the scholars who came before us, including those who risked and lost their lives in their quest for true understanding.

Of the scholarly triad, service is the least respected, perhaps because it is the least rewarded. Or is it the other way around?

The purpose of scholarly service is to support, correct, and improve the systems that make academic scholarship possible.

It is easier to see the scholarly obligation for some forms of service than for others. Clearly doing your share of peer review is obligatory to anyone who wants to publish in peer- reviewed journals, or who wants to get a grant; the same holds for serving on promotion and tenure committees. But there are so many opportunities to waste time in meetings that it is hard not to become cynical about the whole system. Be that as it may, insofar as scholarship is a social or communal activity, dependent on a large infrastructure, scholars must do their part.

The ideal for academic scholarship is to have these three components balanced as well as possible, working together for the good of the individual scholar, her colleagues and students, and for scholarship itself. That is scholarly integrity.

Conclusion

Much of my discussion has focused on telos, or purpose. At times I also spoke about practice and values. I think that the three are intimately intertwined. The purpose defines the practice, the practice implies the values, and the values enliven the purpose. For me, the most accommodating path starts with the purpose, but I suspect that a similar account to the one I have given could start with either practices or values. Perhaps the three together could be considered a calling.

There is much more to say about research integrity, but I think the account of integrity that I have outlined could be used to good effect in fields that are, in some ways, more complicated than the humanities. Scholarly integrity demands sincere efforts at research, teaching, and service, even when incentives are clearly—and, I’d say, unwisely—skewed. Being a scholar requires us to honor those to whom we are indebted, whether they be found in the distant past or an office across campus.

Integrity is most impressive when its tensions sing in harmony.

References cited

• Curzer, Howard J. In preparation. “Integrity uncluttered.” • OED (Oxford English Dictionary). “Integrity.” http://oed.com/viewdictionaryentry/Entry/97366 (verified February 12, 2013). • Welsh, Jennifer. 2011. “Costs of ‘expensive’ human brain still up for debate.” LiveScience (November 9). http://www.livescience.com/16953-brain-body-size-expense.html (verified February 12, 2013). • White, T. H. 1988. The Book of Merlyn: The Unpublished Conclusion to The Once and Future King. University of Texas Press.

Footnotes

1 The qualifier “academic” will not be repeated often in this paper, but it should be clear by the outset that my focus is on university-based scholarship and research, particularly section 4 on “Research, teaching, and service.”

2 This discussion does not include recently invented high-tech tents with foldable springy circles instead of poles.

3 For this paragraph, I am indebted to Howard J. Curzer and his formulation of virtuous integrity (Curzer in preparation). Dr. Curzer is not to be held responsible for any shortcomings of this paragraph or paper.

4 Alas, I do not remember where I read this, or from whom I heard it. I do know, thanks again to Dr. Curzer (personal correspondence, February 25, 2013), that this definition was in circulation in the late 1970s.

5 But consider the battle cry of all research universities when their teaching is criticized: “Teaching and research are one in the same; they are inseparable!”

About the Author

Kenneth D. Pimple is director of Teaching Research Ethics Programs at the Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics and American Institutions and an associate scholar at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN.

This paper is adapted from a presentation of the same name presented at Texas Tech University on April 16, 2012.

URL

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2013/03/integrity.php Volume 5, Number 1; March 2013

Open Teaching Concept 2013: Teaching Diversity Across the Curriculum

Written by Aliza Wong and Jobi Martinez

The aim of the Open Teaching Concept is to explore the issues of diversity and social justice, access and disparities, policy and poverty over a variety of disciplines, methods, theories, and paradigms. Looking at such topics as human rights, civil rights, hunger, multiculturalism, gender, labor and production, health, education, LGBT rights, economic opportunity, sexual violence, class, religious difference, environmental sustainability—OTC 2013 will allow students, faculty, and staff to dialogue on the larger questions of social responsibility, global citizenship, and the ever-widening, ever-constricting local global nexus.

OTC 2013 Theme - Civil Rights, Human Rights: Questioning the 'Pursuit of Happiness'

Even as the full impact of global interconnectedness becomes recognized, the conflicting needs and desires of individual, group, regional, state, national, and international identities have come into question. In holding certain truths to be self-evident, promising certain unalienable rights, in guaranteeing "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness," how do we, as global citizens, have to be aware of the price of those rights, the impact of that pursuit on others who have not been assured of those same freedoms and protections? For whom does the pursuit of happiness apply? And to what degree does our understanding of global citizenship, civil rights, and human rights, change the parameters of the way to happiness, dignity, and equality?

About the Program

The Cross-Cultural Academic Advancement Center is a unit of Texas Tech University committed to working with faculty, staff, and students in designing meaningful cross-cultural dialogues intended to inculcate well-informed global understandings and cross-cultural competencies. "Teaching Diversity Across the Curriculum: Open Teaching Concept" is an initiative first undertaken in 2012 by the Cross-Cultural Academic Advancement Center (CCAAC) and faculty members that are part of its Teaching, Learning, and Connecting (TLC) Through Diversity Advisory Council. The TLC is composed of faculty and staff committed to the ideas of access to education, diversity, open and difficult dialogue, and the important intersection of curricular and co-curricular learning. Owing to the successful pilot in 2012, the TLC and CCAAC are expanding the OTC initiative in 2013 to broaden student learning by promoting open teaching.

The Open Co-Curricular Experience

Considerable research strongly indicates that interactions with diverse peers, participation in well-informed and research-inspired diversity-related coursework, and substantive co- curricular activities animate students to challenge their own prejudices and promote inclusion and social justice. CCAAC continues to partner with other campus units to develop specific, co-curricular learning opportunities that engage students in personally and professionally meaningful cross-cultural explorations.

How It Works

• Selected faculty will open their classrooms on designated dates to other students interested in the topic. The faculty will provide a 50- to 70-minute lecture, presentation, or workshop related to the 2013 theme.

• CCAAC staff will provide additional resources needed by a faculty member, including logistics support (booking new classroom space, copies, ordering books, films, or other materials).

• The class will be recorded by the Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development Center for future use. Permissions will be secured from both faculty and students in the class.

• Dates and times will be organized by faculty in collaboration with OTC faculty and CCAAC.

Together, the CCAAC and faculty members of the Open Teaching Concept program hope to provide faculty, staff, and students with unique opportunities to engage in cross-cultural dialogue, explorations, and research as peers committed to advancing inclusive excellence and global citizenship. Other suggestions are welcome and may be directed to [email protected].

About the Authors

Aliza Wong is an associate professor of history and is the 2012-2013 faculty liaison to the Cross Cultural Academic Advancement Center.

Jobi Martinez is director of the Cross-Cultural Academic Advancement Center.

URL

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2013/03/openteaching.php Volume 5, Number 1; March 2013

Love of Place, Family and Community, and Learning!

Written by Bob Smith

Thank you, Rector Dr. José Rocha, our colleagues in High School Seviços Educationais, other esteemed guests, and faculty and staff members of Colégio Christus for making this opportunity possible. Thank you, parents, other relatives, and friends of the graduates. Your support has been critical to the graduates, and I hope your support will always be appreciated.

To the graduates: Thank you for your dedication and persistence, your hard work, and—I hope—a focus on the future, all of which were important in your being here today. So, congratulations are in order. Indeed, hearty congratulations!

But, remember that commencement means “beginning”—not end. So, as you begin the rest of your life, be thinking about what’s next, and how you will live fulfilling lives. Thus, I offer three topics for you to consider: Place, Family and Community, and Learning. Let me share just a few thoughts about each.

Place

There is an old story of a Fortalezan father with a preteen son. One day, the son—who is nine years old, we’ll call him Luciano—asks his father: “Dad, where did I come from?” The Fortalezan father gulps, thinks for about thirty seconds, and replies with a five-minute discourse on human reproduction. Luciano, who has listened conscientiously and patiently, pauses briefly but then remarks: “That’s all very interesting dad, but Rogerio told me he was from Sao Paulo!”

The story contains a powerful lesson. Namely, the question: “Where are you from?” It may be one of the most commonly asked questions in the world. And, the typical counterpoint answer that comes from sons and daughters of career diplomats and military officers often contains the ironic expression: “Oh, I am from ‘no place’ in particular; I am a diplomat or military child!” Thus, the downside of career diplomatic or military service—for progeny—is the tenuous relationship with place. Place, or better “the love of place,” is important because it helps define not only where you come from but also who you are as a person. And, the concept extends to places that you have experienced culturally. All these places are important because they become touchstones in your life.

As I stand before you today, I can share a certain feeling of awe because of being in this place. This place—Fortaleza, which during World War II more than seventy years ago—is where my father was stationed while in the US Navy and while serving the United States, Brazil, and the free world. So, learn to love your places of origin, along with the treasured places where you have been. Learn about their peoples and their stories. They will hold special meaning for you in the years ahead.

Family and Community

The second love I share with you is the love of family and community. I include in this category, the love of city, region and nation, and the love of the world—its citizens, its creatures, and its environment. Also, remember that love should translate to service to your family and community members, friends, and the fellow creatures of our planet.

Learning

The last love I commend to you is a love of learning, or lifelong learning. For those students, faculty and staff members who heard my longer presentation this week, you know that when I speak of learning, I refer to travel and what you experience in new places. Also, learning and a love of learning require reading, writing, and communicating, along with an integration of all of these efforts. I also admonish students, friends, colleagues, or whoever will listen to always remember that learning in and of itself is not wisdom. Rather, real wisdom only emanates from learning that is blended with genuine caring and serving. These concepts contrast with the learning of what the great cognitive psychologist Robert Sternberg calls “crackpot despots” who have lived across the millennia. Many of the despots were “learned,” but they were not wise.

In summary, consider the love of place, love of family and community, and a love of learning—all with a focus on wisdom resulting from caring and service. Together, these loves will make all the difference in your careers and your lives.

Ties That Bind

People who know me know that I like to wear neckties and lapel pins that may contain special messages for the day or time. Today, I am wearing a necktie that contains an image of the flag of Brazil. My lapel pin—similarly—bears reference to the beautiful imagery of the globe of the Brazilian flag and the national motto: Ordem e Progresso, which we might simply translate into English as Order and Progress. But we know that the inspiration for that motto came from the 19th century French philosopher Auguste Comte (1798-1857), who was the father of sociology and positivism—the man who coined the term “altruism.” Comte was admired by military leaders who guided the formation of the Republic of Brazil in 1889, and it was Comte who wrote: “L'amour pour principe et l'ordre pour base; le progrès pour but.” Or, “Love as a principle and order as the basis; progress as the goal.”

So allow me to share a final wish for you—our graduates today: May you love through principle; and, may your progress to the goals of intellectual, emotional, and social fulfillment be accomplished in all of your lifetimes.

Now, allow me one final thought in the words of Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000), the first African-American to win a Pulitzer Prize:

Exhaust the little moment. Soon it dies. And be it gash (sic) or gold it will not come Again in this identical disguise.

Remember, dear students: This will never happen again. Relish and enjoy this day! Remember this day forever! A day of the culmination of your dreams, your hard work, and all the love you have enjoyed from your family, friends, and community—including your teachers.

Boa viagem e boa sorte!

About the Author

Bob Smith serves as provost and senior vice president, and professor of chemistry at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX.

This paper is based on Bob Smith's November 23, 2012, commencement address to Colégio Christus graduates in Fortaleza, Brazil.

URL

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2013/03/christus.php Volume 5, Number 1; March 2013

Emulate Those Who Are Serving and Those Who Have Served Before You

Written by Raymond E. Mabus, Jr.

This university, as it has been since the very first students arrived here, all 914 of them in 1925, is one of the finest schools in the United States. As Chancellor Hance said, your graduates are leaders in every field. And that’s a testament not only to the skill and the talent of the faculty and the staff, but everybody sitting in front of me today. The Victory Bells ring for you!

To you today, you’ve done the work, you’ve put in the time, and you’ve made the effort. Today is yours. But in a very real sense, today belongs to a lot of other people too because you wouldn’t be here without them. Behind every one of you are the mothers and fathers, the grandmothers, the grandfathers, the brothers, the sisters, the friends, the coaches, and the teachers. Hundreds and hundreds of other people, a lot of them you probably don’t even know, helped to make today possible. Now, after the ceremony and I know you’re going to do this anyways, but give those who have supported you an extra hug. Thank them one more time, for what they’ve done, for the sacrifices that they’ve made, because today is their day just as much as yours.

To the parents who are sitting here today: I know exactly how you feel because in May I sat and watched my oldest daughter graduate. And, I felt that mixture of pride and sadness. The only confusing thing was that in my mind’s eye Elizabeth Mabus was still three years old, asking for one more ride on my shoulders, and I could not understand why a university would be granting a three-year-old a degree.

Today, it is also important for us to remember those who should be thanked often—those who stand the watch every day to keep us safe—those who have worn or are currently wearing the uniform of our country. Most of you who are graduating today were in middle school or younger when 9/11 happened. That’s the world you’ve grown up in. Earlier this year we marked the one-year anniversary of the joint operation led by Navy Seals that brought the world’s most notorious terrorist to justice, finally. And while those actions by the team that conducted the Bin Laden raid were truly extraordinary, equally extraordinary actions happen every day by those who serve and those who wear the cloth of this nation. Every sailor, every marine, every soldier, every coast guardsman, and every airman, is just as professional, just as dedicated, and just as skilled as those who carried out that mission. And we ought to be just as proud of every single one of them.

Your lives are intertwined with Texas Tech, and so you’re comfortable in dealing with numbers and statistics. Well here’s one, and it’s a statistic that ought to scare you. You’re among the twenty-five percent of Americans between seventeen and twenty-four years of age who are qualified to serve in our military. One in four! The remaining seventy-five percent are unqualified because they don’t have the education, because they don’t have the help, or perhaps because they have a criminal record. Now, in our military, in our society, and in our economy, there are no jobs and no room for strong backs and weak minds. And, there is one more number to keep in mind: Fewer than one percent of Americans today serve in the US Armed Forces. Stated differently, one percent keeps the other ninety-nine percent safe—one percent has volunteered and given freely—year after year after year. That same one percent has sacrificed day after day, enduring hardships, family separations, and all in an incredibly high operational tempo.

We have been at war for more than a decade. Thousands have paid the ultimate price. Tens of thousands more have come home with scars, both visible and invisible—scars that they will carry with them until their final days. We are able to do what we do because of what they have done and are doing. We are able to pursue our lives because they have been willing to risk and sometimes lose theirs. As was said so eloquently during World War II, they give their today for our tomorrow.

I have been incredibly fortunate to lead the Navy and Marine Corps, and to get to meet so many sailors and marines around the world doing amazing work on behalf of us all. But, I want to tell you about one day in the Navy and Marine Corps and what it means for this country. I picked one day: March 19, 2011. On that day, ships and submarines of the Navy launched cruise missiles over Libya to establish a no-fly zone and a big-deck amphibious ship provided air support and rescued an Air Force pilot that had gone down. On that same day we had 20,000 Marines in combat in Afghanistan. On that same day 20,000 sailors were at sea and on the ground, supporting that fight in Afghanistan. On that same day we had ships fighting pirates off the Horn of Africa. And, on that same day we had ships in the Caribbean interdicting drugs, along with other ships going around Africa and South America and through the South Pacific giving humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. On March 19, 2011, we had a carrier strike group giving aid to the Japanese after the terrible tsunami. On that same day we had an amphibious group of marines and sailors from Okinawa working in Japan—also giving aid. And, on that same day we had sailors and marines in countless countries doing countless things but all with the same purpose—protecting us. That’s one day, one day that our Navy and Marine Corps repeats often. That’s one day that represents the skill, talent, devotion, and patriotism that we have in the Navy and Marine Corps and all across our military.

The graduates of this great university have served with distinction in every branch of our military service. Some sitting here today have been a part of that proud heritage, and some are about to join. Five members of this class are being commissioned this weekend from ROTC into the Army and the Air Force. And there are 1,100 veterans, active-duty military service members enrolled here; 400 faculty members and staff have military backgrounds, and over 1,000 military dependents call Texas Tech home. This has been the way at Texas Tech for a long time.

After World War II your university received more than its fair share of returning veterans. Some of the sixteen million people who served during that war came back, went to school on the GI bill, expanded their horizons, and expanded their lives. Many of your parents, grandparents, and great grandparents are part of that generation—the so-called “Greatest Generation” that literally saved our country. They grew up during the depression, won World War II, were tested in places like Iwo Jima and Anzio, Casablanca and Guadalcanal, Normandy and Midway. And during their early lives when they were no older than you, they saw more and experienced more than most of us could even imagine, and then they came back and changed America.

I want to tell you a quick story about one of them. A fellow Mississippian of mine, Jack Lucas from Hattiesburg, lied about his age to join the Marines at fourteen. He went all the way through boot camp and got to Hawaii with his unit when they found out how old he was. They separated him from his unit and told him they were going to send him home. But, Jack Lucas decided to stow away on a ship to keep from being sent home, so he got on the first ship that was leaving, not knowing where it was going. By the time they found him, it was too late to send him back. The ship was going to Iwo Jima. He went ashore with one of the first waves. He and his unit were in a foxhole when two grenades came in. Jack Lucas grabbed them both and fell on them. Now, the proverbial “sands of Iwo Jima” is composed of black volcanic material—very soft and very fine. Jack shoved the grenades as far down into that sand as he could. Both grenades went off and he was hurt pretty badly. Indeed, his unit thought he was dead, but a corpsman came by and found out that he was still alive and patched him up and got him back onto one of those ships and sent him home. He went to the White House where he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Then he went back home and started the ninth grade!

There are literally thousands of stories of heroism like Jack Lucas, and you here today carry that legacy. You are the descendants of that Greatest Generation. You have exactly the same potential: to change America, to make America better, and to change the world that the Greatest Generation secured. But, whether what you have done and what you will have done forty to seventy years from now is up to you and what you do from this day forward. Because one thing is very certain as you go into an uncertain world—there is no end to things that need doing. You certainly don’t have to join the military to serve, although we do need skilled, talented, and dedicated people.

There are so many ways to make things better, and there are acts of quiet heroism that go on every day. It’s the teacher staying after school to help a struggling student. It’s the nurse staying after the shift is ended with a patient. It’s the neighbor who mows the yard of an elderly neighbor. It’s the farmer who puts people through college anonymously not telling anyone, even his own family. It’s the Saddle Tramps and other organizations working on this campus for a better Texas Tech during the precious little spare time that you have. So, to you graduates: Do something bigger than yourself. Do something outside yourself. Do something to give back to this unique country of ours. Do something to help people that you will probably never know and they won’t know that you did it. Do something that’s not just about you or your personal advancement.

Now there’s nothing wrong with making money, and there’s nothing wrong with being a success in your chosen profession, and there’s nothing wrong and a whole lot right with taking care of yourself and your family. But, at the end of your life the most important things to you and our country are not going to be the money or the material possessions you have accumulated. I, for one, have never seen a hearse with a U-Haul attached. The important things are going to be the people you have loved, the lives you’ve improved, the futures you have made brighter. You don’t have to be in the Marine Corps, but maybe the Peace Corps. You don’t have to run for office, but you need to vote. Don’t let the issues of your day pass you by—get involved. Get involved in your community, your church, and your school. Get involved in your state, country, world, and be passionate about it. We need your heads, we need your hands, and we need your hearts. Do something that will last. Do something that you won’t see the results of the next day, the next year, or maybe ever. Wordsworth wrote that the best portion of a good man’s life is little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.

My father was an older member of that Greatest Generation. He died in 1986 when he was eighty-five years old. He owned a hardware store in Akron, Mississippi. He grew trees for a living. The last year of his life he did not cut a single tree, but he planted thousands. Now he knew for an absolute fact that he would never, ever derive any benefit from those trees. He knew for an absolute fact that he would never see them grow and mature. He knew for an absolute fact that none of what he was doing would he ever see come to fruition. But he did it. He did it as an act of hope, he did it as an act of faith, he did it for me, and he did it for his granddaughters that he never met. He did it for their children and their children, who I will never meet. He did it out of hope; he did it out of faith. So I want you to cherish this day, this graduation. And when it’s over, when you’ve turned in your caps and gowns, go out and do something that will be cherished while you’re here and when you’re gone. Live an act of faith, live an act of hope, decide what trees you’re going to plant. Congratulations! URL

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/attt/2013/03/commencement-mabus.php