About the Undergraduate Fellows
Mission Statement:
The Undergraduate Fellows (UF) of the USC Center for Excellence in Teaching aim to foster communication among undergraduate students and university faculty to enhance and enrich the reciprocal relationship between teacher and learner. The Undergraduate Fellows serve as a resource to the CET, providing a representative undergraduate perspective through learner-centered programming, initiatives, and support. By seeking to empower students and faculty to embrace their dual roles as both teachers and learners, the Undergraduate Fellows reaffirm the core values of the University and contribute to the advancement of USC’s academic goals.
Completed Tasks:
During the past academic year, the UF completed two programs and underwent significant internal restructuring. The first program hosed by the UF titled, Professors Uncut, was held in the fall. This program brought teachers and students together in an active discussion about the lives of professors outside the classroom. While undergraduate attendance was lower than expected, the discussion was extremely insightful and beneficial to both the faculty and students in attendance.
The UF’s second program, Unlocking the Power in PowerPoint, was held this spring. Tom Burke, an Undergraduate Fellow, presented insider’s tricks and tips to using PowerPoint more effectively in the classroom. This program entertained a large and diverse audience from professors to teaching assistants.
The UF also established a new student leadership structure within the organization and developed a new project proposal system. These changes will greatly enhance the UF’s involvement with the CET and student body.
Undergraduate Fellows’ Goals:
In this coming year, the UF will begin to establish its own unique programming for both faculty and students. These programs will focus on enhancing the classroom experience, fostering mentoring between faculty and undergraduates, and empowering undergraduates to become more actively involved in their learning. Additionally, the UF will continue its work from this past year in refining and enhancing its role with the CET and the University.
Short Term Programming Goals: This coming fall semester, the UF plans to host a series of think-tank discussions where Undergraduate Fellows, CET Fellows, and other university faculty can come together to discuss common classroom themes such as office hours, experiential learning, and classroom participation. This series of discussions will analyze what is and what is not working in the classroom and possible ways of addressing it.
The UF will also be working with the TAF to co-host a panel discussion focusing on issues teaching assistance face with their undergraduate students. Teaching assistants university wide will be invited and encouraged to come and ask questions to an undergraduate student panel. Issues such as lack of participation, and office hours attendance, will be explored.
Long Term Programming Goals: In the future, the UF intends to establish annual programs that will be maintained beyond the terms of individual Undergraduate Fellows. Two ideas are currently underdevelopment. The first is an academically-focused orientation program for incoming freshmen and spring transfer students. This program will empower freshmen to take advantage of the academic opportunities and resources at USC during their first semester. The UF is also developing a professor-student excursion program. This program will introduce students to professors outside of the classroom and lay the foundation for future mentorships.