CONSIDERING THE WHOLE STUDENT, THE WHOLE FACULTY MEMBER, AND THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT: THE DEPARTMENT AS A SYNERGISTIC SYSTEM

A common feature of programs that are successful in supporting students from underrepresented groups is an approach to supporting the whole student (Jolly et al, 2004) as they develop not only knowledge and skills; but also motivation and engagement. The implementation of this approach at Carleton College has three main foci: academic support, developing students’ sense of belonging in STEM, and activities that allow students to make strong choices about their desire to study STEM and motivate them to succeed. The whole student approach provides a framework for developing synergistic interactions among different aspects of academic programming including course work, mentoring/advising, co-curricular activites (e.g. research, internships, field trips, career preparation), and departmental social activities. While this approach has its roots in supporting students who are underrepresented in STEM, it describes the needs of all students and can be used effectively as a framework for evaluating departmental activities. As originally described, the whole student model is not bounded by the undergraduate experience. To the extent that the health and productivity of a faculty member is tied to their continued learning this model provides a framework that could be used to guide departments in supporting the ongoing growth of their faculty members.