Presentation given during the 2014 Fall Directors Meeting by the University of Richmond's Blake Stack and Bryan Figura on "Presentations of Learning".

1. Capstones and
Presentations
of Learning

2. Presentations of Learning
University of Richmond
Blake Stack and Bryan Figura

3. How do we help them tell their
story of transformation?*
*And how do we measure it?

4. Method #1 . . . write-ups and 1 on 1’s

5. Bonner Center for Civic Engagement’s Learning Goals
1. The CCE helps students understand the ways that
difference, privilege, and power work in their own lives
and in our society.
2. The CCE broadens and deepens students’ thinking
about complex and interconnected social issues
affecting our world today.
3. The CCE prepares students for active citizenship.
4. The CCE prepares students for lives of active learning.

6. Method #2 . . . senior retreat

7. Who have I been?
Who am I called to be?

8. Method #3 . . . Presentations of Learning (POL)

9. A POL is the public telling of story about
personal transformation in the final semester of
their senior year.

11. presentations

12. Junior)Capstone)Enhancement)
12
Stetson'University'
Kevin'Winchell'and'Savannah'Jane'Griffin

13. Current'
Capacity'
of'Partner

14. Potential'Capacity'''of'Partner''''''''''''(after'capacity2building'
efforts)
Current'Capacity'of'Partner

15. Potential'Capacity'''of'Partner''''''''''''(after'capacity2building'
efforts)
Research
Assessment Volunt.'Mgmt.
Grant2Writing
Program'Dev.
Marketing
Current'Capacity'of'Partner

16. Our'Levers
• Certificate)of)Community)Engagement)
– Before:)Encouraged)for)Bonners)
– Now:)Required)for)Bonners)
• Junior)Capstone:)
– Before:)Loose)recommendations)and)no)structure)
– Now:)Required)for)all)Bonners)and)includes)accountability)
structures)and)clear)expectations)
• Senior)Legacy:)
– Before:)LooselyCstructured)oral)presentation)
– Now:)WellCstructured)and)practiced)oral)presentation)and)
written)reflection)of)student)learning)and)community)impact)
• Synergies:)Written)reflection)is)also)a)requirement)of)the)
Certificate

17. Results
• Increased)partner)capacity)
• Increased)student)learning)
– Personal,)professional,)leadership)skills)
– Academic)and)career)linkages)
• Increased)community)impact

18. “Junior'Capstone”'Cornerstone
New)structure/requirements:)
1. Must)build)capacity)of)partner.)
2. Must)identify)a)problem/challenge)of)partner.)
3. Must)create)a)plan)to)solve)that)problem/
challenge.))
4. Must)implement)that)plan.)
5. Must)connect)plan)to)academic)major(s).)
6. Must)connect)plan)to)career)goal(s).

19. “Junior'Capstone”'Cornerstone
How)this)is)operationalized:)
A. Written)oneCpage)draft)proposal)submitted)to)Bonner)
Program)Director)by)September)1)of)Junior)year.)
Proposal)must)address)each)of)the)six)requirements.))
B. Bonner)Program)Director)gives)feedback.)
C. Student)submits)final)proposal)to)Bonner)Program)
Director)by)October)1)of)Junior)year,)including)
signature/approval)of)site)supervisor.)
D. Student)implements)plan)during)Junior)and)Senior)
years.

20. “Senior'Legacy”'Cornerstone
How)this)is)operationalized:)
A. Student)reflects)on)transformation)of)self)and)partner)
over)their)four)years,)including)the)actual)impact)made)
by)their)Junior)Capstone)project)
A. Written)paper))
– which)is)also)required)to)complete)our)Certificate)of)Community)
Engagement)
B. Oral)presentation)as)final)Bonner)meeting)of)the)year)
– Formal)presentation;)friends,)family,)and)partners)are)all)invited

21. “Junior'Capstone”'Cornerstone
Possible)examples:)
– Psychology)major)with)career)interest)in)social)work)
identifies)need)for)more)certified)case)workers)at)
local)homeless)center.)Student)researches)
certification)requirements)and)creates)program)
“pipeline”)to)recruit)firstCyear)students)as)site)
volunteers)and)train)them)to)become)certified)case)
workers)by)their)Junior)years.

22. “Junior'Capstone”'Cornerstone
Possible)examples:)
– Biology)major)with)career)interest)in)sustainability)
initiatives)identifies)need)for)more)research)about)
invasive)fish)species)in)local)springs.)Student)
researches)invasive)fish)species,)collects)data)to)
better)understand)their)behavior)and)life)cycle,)then)
submits)data)and)publishes/presents)a)report)to)local)
wildlife)management)office)to)inform)its)budget)and)
operations.

23. “Junior'Capstone”'Cornerstone
Possible)examples:)
– Computer)Science)major)with)career)interest)in)
computer)programming)identifies)need)for)teaching)
youth)how)to)do)computer)programming.)Student)
researches)national)bestCpractices)and)programs,)
develops)a)model)for)such)a)program)at)a)local)youth)
center,)recruits)fellow)computer)science)students)to)
volunteer)with)the)program,)and)then)implements/
manages)the)computer)programming)program.)

24. “Junior'Capstone”'Cornerstone
Possible)examples:)
– Accounting)major)with)career)interest)in)financial)
accounting)identifies)need)for)local)disadvantaged)
families)to)get)free)tax)preparation)assistance.)
Student)researches)IRS)certification)requirements,)
develops)a)model)for)such)a)program)at)a)local)
community)center,)recruits)fellow)accounting)
students)to)volunteer)with)the)program,)trains)those)
students)for)their)IRS)certification,)and)then)
implements/manages)the)tax)preparation)program.)

25. Other'Tips
• Build)the)requirements)in)to)your)Bonner)
Program’s)Membership)Agreement/Contract)
• Explain)expectations)and)requirements)during)
Admissions)process)
• Build)opportunities)for)capacityCbuilding)positions)
in)to)your)Community)Partnership)Agreements/
Contracts/MoUs)and)reinforce)during)Partner)
Orientation/Trainings)
• Have)staff)and)student)leaders)regularly)checkCin)
with)students)before/during)implementation)
– Cohort)meetings,)siteCbased)meetings,)oneCtoCones