Outstanding New Learning Community Award Goes to Purdue CS Team
05-23-2014
Writer(s): Jesica Hollinger
Student Success at Purdue announced Vicki Gilbert, Tracy Harrington-Atkinson, and Faith Giordano (pictured L-R) are recipients of the Outstanding New Learning Community award for the Department of Computer Science.
The The Learning Community Advocate Awards are given by Student Success at Purdue each spring to recognize the recipients' efforts, during the previous fall. Students in Purdue's learning communities nominate resident assistants and instructors for the awards. Student Success staff members collect information, then determine the winners.
The Outstanding New Learning Community award was given to the Purdue CS team for their excellence in the design and execution of a first-time community, while demonstrating a commitment to the vision and mission of the program.
A special ceremony was held in the Lawson Commons for members of the CS team who missed the formal luncheon held on April 16, due to the funeral of colleague, Julia Mills, academic advisor in the College of Science. Frank Dooley, associate vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs, delivered the event's opening remarks at the April ceremony and each recipient was awarded a trophy and letter of recognition from the provost.
CS team member, Faith Goirdano said she was pleased and surprised to learn the CS team had won the award.
“We were proud to be a part of the Purdue Learning Community program! Tracy, Vicki and I all worked together to plan fun and engaging events for our students and we had a great time doing so. We feel that learning communities provide opportunities for first-year students to form connections with one another both inside and outside the classroom. I know, personally, that students who were in the CS learning community continued to rely on one another for academic and social support through their second semester,” Giordano said.
The Nature of Wild Things Learning Community also was recognized with the Outstanding New Learning Community Award, composed of team members: Jeff Dukes, associate professor of forestry and natural resources and biological sciences; Julie Pluimer, academic advisor in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; W.L. Mills, associate professor of forestry and natural resources; Linda Prokopy, associate professor of forestry and natural resources; and Robert Swihart, head and professor, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.