Northwest staff attend national institute focused on student learning, success

Northwest staff attend national institute focused on student learning, success

Eleven professionals from Northwest Missouri State University's Student Affairs and Academic Affairs units recently attended the Institute on the Curricular Approach, a national professional development program hosted by ACPA-College Student Educators International.

The institute, which gathered Oct. 18-21 in Costa Mesa, California, helps higher education professionals design intentional learning experiences outside the classroom.

The Institute on the Curricular Approach introduces participants to a framework that begins with clearly identified learning goals and outcomes. It then intentionally designs programs, services and experiences that help students achieve goals.

Rather than focusing solely on participation or attendance, the curricular approach emphasizes what students learn, how they develop and how Northwest can continuously improve through assessment and evidence-based practice.

"It's important that we ground our work in student affairs to do more than connect a student to Northwest Missouri State University," said Dr. Bruce Skinner, vice president for student affairs. "We should utilize backward design to ask about what we want our students to learn from our programs and what outcomes our services are meant to provide."

The experience reinforced the value of collaboration between academic and student affairs professionals.

"The ACPA institute introduced me to the curricular approach and helped me understand how academic affairs and student affairs can work together to establish intentional learning goals that enhance the student experience and development beyond the classroom," said Shelby Eitel, the assistant director of orientation and transition programs at Northwest.

Faith Thompson, the director of Northwest's Office of Student Involvement, added, "Attending the ACPA Institute on the Curricular Approach helped me recognize the importance of being more intentional in the experiences and opportunities we create for our students. It challenged me to think differently about our work in student affairs and how we can better align our programs and initiatives with meaningful learning outcomes that support student growth and success."

Insights gained from the institute will support Northwest's ongoing efforts to create purposeful student experiences that foster belonging, engagement and success inside and outside the classroom.

About Northwest Missouri State University

With an enrollment of about 8,000 students, Northwest is a coeducational, primarily residential four-year university offering a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs on its campus and through Northwest Online.

Northwest is a national model for student success that places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help graduates get a jump-start on their careers while building their résumés in nearly every area of study. The University's vibrant and diverse learning community also offers more than 150 student organizations.

Furthermore, Northwest offers generous financial assistance, with textbooks and a laptop included in tuition, providing students a more affordable path toward degree completion.