PEL people recognized with awards

PEL seniors and their families gathered in Cobb Gallery on Saturday, May 20, to celebrate their journeys and to honor some of the accomplishments of those in the PEL community. The slide show below shares highlights from the PEL Celebration, and we offer our heartfelt congratulations to all!

To learn more about the PEL Visual Arts exhibit, curated by Professor Arthur Skinner '76, click HERE.

Advising sessions; Honors program; Financial lit class pays you; Service learning info & MORE!

Meet professors, think inside/outside your major -- goodies, too!

It's time to start thinking about Fall terms -- check out the information below!

Advising Sessions July 19, July 26

All PEL students are invited to attend one of the two advising sessions being held later this month.

Led by PEL Associate Dean of Faculty Margret Skaftadottir, discipline coordinators Professors Anne Geroux (Human Development), Catherine Griggs (American Studies, Humanities), Naveen Malhotra (Business Management, Management), and James Welch (Organizational Studies) will discuss the courses offered in their disciplines, new courses and other developments, and course sequencing.

PEL Academic Advisors Monica Roberts, Patti Cooksey, and Alaina Tackitt will be on hand to help students consider options that fit with their degree plans.

When and Where:

• Tampa: Tuesday, July 19 at 5:30pm / Parking and the building entrance at the Tampa campus (1300 N. Westshore Blvd.) is from the rear of the building.
• St. Petersburg: Tuesday, July 26 at 5:30pm / Room FT 210

Not sure you should attend? Consider one student's experience last year:

Teresa Stewart '17 (Human Development) was in class at the Tampa campus the evening the advising session was offered. She hadn't planned to attend, but her professor, who was teaching the class, was one of the presenters and needed to leave the class for a short time.

Stewart, who also is taking enough literature and composition courses to prepare her to teach middle school English, said she gained a broader perspective of all that PEL offers.

"All of the disciplines were presented." Stewart said, "which allowed me to have a better understanding of other opportunities outside my discipline."

Additionally, Stewart said she spoke with other PEL students who shared about different courses they had taken, which she found helpful.

"It was enlightening," Stewart said. "Plus it was a great opportunity to get to know more professors and fellow students, which can be beneficial for networking purposes."

Best of all, Stewart said she was able to confirm her classes for the year and was able to see exactly what was still needed to complete her degree. Stewart suggested students planning to attend this year review their personal degree plan before attending to get a sense of what they still need to take. But even without that advance preparation, Steward said she benefited from the sessions.

"I was very glad I attended," Stewart said, "although I had not planned to attend."

Honors program students attended a conference this past Spring.

Honors Program

Do you enjoy challenging coursework, in-depth projects, and scholarly discussion? Consider applying to the PEL Honors program. For more information, click here.

Financial Literacy Class Pays You!

Whatever your major, Professor Naveen Malhotra invites you to register for MN273S Life, Career and Personal Financial Planning during Fall 1. During the first four weeks, students meet in the classroom and learn how to develop a personal financial plan. For the remaining four weeks, students teach the concepts to teenagers in the community through church groups, clubs, and other non-profit agencies. A $500 tuition stipend and teaching materials, both of which are funded through private donors, are provided. Prerequisite: Instructor approval. Interested students should contact Professor Malhotra at malhotnk@eckerd.edu.

Reflective Service Learning website

Reflective service learning takes many forms.

Reflective Service Learning (RSL) has always been part of the Eckerd program, although it may not always have been called that. For many years RSL was a primary focus of the senior capstone course, Quest for Meaning. Now, however, Eckerd is broadening the focus to help students understand how service applies across disciplines.

Students who began their Eckerd PEL experience prior to August 2015 still will complete the RSL requirement through Quest for Meaning, although they also may choose to take some of the other RSL-inclusive courses. Newer students who began in August 2015 or later will experience RSL across their program.

Both groups of PEL students will find more information on the new Reflective Service Learning website at https://sites.google.com/a/eckerd.edu/pel-reflective-service-learning/home.

Please note: Course information pages are still being developed and, as with all websites, content may change from time to time. Before registering for courses, check with your Academic Advisor to be sure courses fit your degree plan.

More! 

Did you catch the article about the new Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Mindset course? Watch for more new courses coming this year! 

One quick reminder for Fall 1: Monday, September 5, may be Labor Day for the rest of the world, but Eckerd College offices, including PEL offices, are open and classes go on as scheduled. 

PEL Honors Program presents panel in Orlando

Participating students included (l-r) Yadira Montes-Rivera, Lora Vineberg, Michelle Kiekenapp Nelson, Daryl Osburn, Dean Lloyd Chapin, Scott Maxwell, Andrew Latimer, Noel Lake, and Andrew (A. J.) O’Connell.  Professor Lloyd Chapin and Honors Director Catherine Griggs accompanied the students.

Students from the 2015-16 Program for Experienced Learners (PEL) Honors Program presented a panel titled Politics and Prose: Honors Texts and Contemporary Issues at the Magic of Honors 2016 Southern Regional Honors Council Conference held in Orlando from March 31-April 2. 

Student presentations explored the ways that engaging great texts empower honors students to achieve excellence in the world, particularly in the highly charged environment of a political campaign year. Dean Chapin moderated the panel.

After a successful, well-attended panel presentation, the group relaxed in a Cuban restaurant in Orlando.

The PEL Honors Program is designed for students who appreciate challenging coursework, are willing to take on in-depth projects, enjoy discussing complicated material, and engaging in scholarly discussions.

The Southern Regional Honors Council provides students the opportunity to interact with honors program students from eleven Southeastern states and Puerto Rico.