Post-Graduation Service and Civic Outcomes for High Financial Need Students of a Multi-Campus, Co-Curricular Service-Learning College Program

High financial need Bonner scholarship alumni, who had been engaged in four years of cocurricular service and reflection experiences, were surveyed six years after graduation. Survey questions drawn from UCLA's Life After College Survey allowed comparison with three national groups. All Bonner service-learning program graduates were still doing community service six years after graduation compared to approximately two-thirds of each comparison group. Alumni were more also likely than comparison groups to be civically engaged, particularly in activities requiring dialogue. The importance of sustained dialogue across boundaries of perceived difference is discussed

AGE’s Influence on Workplace Safety

According to the National Safety Council (NSC, n.d.), the total cost of work injuries in 2019 was an estimated $171 billion. This estimate includes wage and productivity losses, medical expenses, administrative expenses and employers’ uninsured costs. In that same year, an estimated 105 million workdays were lost due to injuries (NSC, n.d.). This report does not provide any specific details or any characteristics about the injured. However, knowledge of certain characteristics of the injured such as age can be critical information. This type of information could be useful in the development of workplace hazard prevention and mitigation programs

Inclusion of Fresh Pork Pancreas in Raw Pork Meat-Based Diets for African Wildcats (Felis silvestris tristrami) does not Impact Macronutrient Digestibility

Apparent total tract macronutrient digestibility was evaluated in 4 African wildcats (Felis silvestris tristrami) fed beef or pork-based raw meat diets. Diets were formulated to meet nutrient requirements of cats (NRC, 2006). Cats were fed isocaloric amounts of either control (standard beef raw diet) or pork-based raw diets containing 0, 3, or 5% added raw pancreas, in four 14-day periods. Protein digestibility was higher for pork diets compared with beef and inclusion up to 5% fresh pancreas did not increase macronutrient digestibility in healthy animals. Raw pork can be fed to exotic felids as a viable alternative to standard beef-based zoological formulations

Impact of a Postcollege Service-Learning Year: From Self to Social Justice

Recent college graduates in the United States are increasingly pursuing a year of service in programs such as Teach for America, AmeriCorps, and Volunteers Exploring Vocation. A cohort of 689 volunteers participating in 18 Volunteers Exploring Vocation programs across the nation was surveyed both at the beginning and end of their year of service. Principal component analysis was used to analyze the two surveys. Repeated measures captured volunteers’ motivations for entering the programs and opportunities important to them upon exiting programs. Upon entering, program participants were motivated by opportunities for discovery about themselves in relation to community and for exploring spirituality and careers, but were not anticipating friendships and social life as central to their volunteer year. Important to volunteers at the end of the year were opportunities to express compassion, to gain skills while working for social justice, and to explore careers in the context of friendships and social life. Consideration of these findings may increase the number of emerging young adult professionals who find meaning and purpose in their careers as agents for social justice on behalf of communities in need

Perceptions of Advisors Who Work with High-Achieving Students

Honors programs in higher education are designed to optimize highachieving students’ potential by addressing their particular academic and developmental needs and common characteristics. Gerrity, Lawrence, and Sedlacek suggested that high-achieving students can be “best served by course work, living environments, and activities that differ from the usual college offerings” (43). Schuman, in his handbook Beginning in Honors, noted: An important point to keep in mind as regards honors advising is that honors students can be expected to have as many, and as complicated, problems as other students. It is sometimes tempting to envision all honors students as especially well rounded, balanced, thoughtful, mature, and self-possessed. This vision does not seem particularly accurate or helpful despite its attractiveness and allure. (63) Accordingly, specialized academic advising for honors students is an important component of maximizing their potential as well as addressing myriad needs of this population. Many honors students place importance on success or appearing successful, including a concern for maintaining a perfect GPA. High-achieving students can be cautious about their choices, a characteristic that may stem from a fear of failure (Huggett). At the same time, honors students value being self-critical, and, more often than non-honors students, preparing for class, getting involved in various campus organizations and student groups, asking questions, and seeking academic discussions with professors (Achterberg; Cuevas; McDonald; Seifert et al.). Honors students tend to think critically, openly share their opinions, value contributions of others, demonstrate openness to new ideas, and place great importance on the social construction of knowledge (Kaczvinsky; Kem & Navan; Shushok). Gerrity et al. identified a common characteristic of perfectionism in highachieving students, who often put themselves under great pressure as well as feeling pressure from family, peers, faculty and staff, and society (McDonald). High-achieving students often report having higher expectations for themselves than other students (Achterberg; Kem & Navan), which can result in competition and comparisons with peers (Cooke et al.) and provoke stress and anxiety (McDonald; Spurrier). Honors students may hesitate to seek assistance in academic areas in which they are challenged in order to avoid the appearance of seeming unsuccessful (Gerrity et al.). They are future-oriented in their focus on careers, even upon entering college (Harding; Moon). High-achieving students also demonstrate an affinity for campus and community involvement, commonly seeking leadership roles in student organizations related to their future career goals (Cuevas), but they generally will not sacrifice academics in favor of involvement (Pindar). They may feel behind if they are perceived as less involved or successful than their peers outside of the classroom (McDonald). Honors students may also become more concerned with the quantity than the quality of experiences in an effort tofill their résumés, resulting in over-commitment and difficulty balancing academic and extracurricular activities (McDonald). This population can face interpersonal challenges as well. For example, Kem & Navan found that high-achieving students faced difficulty relating to others on campus, particularly non-honors students, potentially leading to perceived feelings of isolation and a sense that others do not understand them. Finally, they often expect advisors to be at their disposal, expecting immediate responses to communication and open-ended availability to meet along with the ability to address both academic and personal concerns (Gerrity et al.)

What Are They Doing Anyway?: Library as Place and Student Use of a University Library

Objective - To determine student use of library spaces, the authors recorded student location and behaviors within the Library, to inform future space design. Methods - The case study method was used with both quantitative and qualitative measures. The authors had two objectives to guide this assessment of library spaces: 1) To determine what library spaces are being used by students and whether students are working individually, communally, or collaboratively and 2) To determine whether students use these spaces for learning activities and/or social engagement. Results - After data collection and analysis, the authors determined students are using individual or communal spaces almost equally as compared with collaborative group spaces. Data also revealed peak area usage and times. Conclusion - Observed student individual and social work habits indicate further need for spaces with ample electrical outlets and moveable tables. Further study is recommended to see whether additional seating and renovated spaces continue to enhance informal learning communities at URI and whether the Library is becoming a “third place” on campus