In 2011 the New Dimensions program at Albertus Magnus College implemented a series of assignments into the first week’s curriculum in the Preparation for College course taught at the associate level. The class was divided into teams, and each team was assigned a different topic to present the following week. Topics included, The Tradition of Honor at Albertus Magnus College, Writing in the APA Citation Style, Writing in the MLA Citation Style, Conflict Resolution, Time Management, and, finally, Dominican Traditions at Albertus Magnus College.
Classroom discussions that followed each presentation were lively with students showing enthusiastic interest in each of the topics and an understanding of the connection that many of these topics would have in “real world application”, whether it be in the classroom, in their chosen professions, or in their personal life.
Without fail, the discussions that followed the presentation on the Dominican Traditions were especially enlightening. As part of their presentation, students would often mention the four pillars of Dominican Tradition: study, prayer and contemplation, community, and service. When prompted to explain how these traditions are currently ‘alive and well’ at Albertus, students would often make the immediate correlation to the community of their cohort, and study to their current program studies. In deeper discussions the class would reflect on prayer, contemplation and service, and how students could apply those aspects to their personal life and academic résumé as part of their college experience.
In addition, students enjoyed learning the history of Albertus Magnus College, founded by the perseverance and dedication of a small group of Dominican Sisters that made the education they were now benefiting from, possible. Each student felt an immediate and lasting impression of being a part of something bigger than themselves – and that was perhaps the best takeaway of all.
Division of Professional and Graduate Studies