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2 LC MAGAZINE Spring 2012 Bryce C. Legg ’81


The academic star in the east


ow do prospective


college students find the best place to learn? According to Robert Holyer, for- mer academic dean at Randolph- Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, writing in an op-ed piece in The Rich-


President’s Message H


mond Times Dispatch, “For those who seek more reliable guidance, there is a star in the east called the National Survey of Student Engage- ment (NSSE).” In referencing the academic per- formance of students, he cited LC: “What is surprising is the degree to which Lynchburg College’s results rival those of Washington and Lee (University) and surpass its academic rep- utation.” Just what is NSSE? It is an acronym for the


National Survey of Student Engagement. The basis for this survey comes from academic research which originated in the 1980s by Dr. George Kuh of Indiana University. The domi- nant word from the research is “engagement” and its key finding was that students who are actively engaged in their education truly learn and retain more. The NSSE survey results are displayed using five benchmarks: Academic Challenge, Active and Collaborative Learning, Interaction with Faculty, Enriching Experi- ences, and Supportive Campus. In a recent NSSE survey of LC seniors, the


results were between 10 and 40 percent better than the national average and at statistically significant levels. In February 2010, The Washington Post


cited the excellent scores by the students of Lynchburg College. Now there is yet more positive news! Recently it was announced that NSSE and


the Spencer Foundation would launch a joint project called “Learning to Improve.” It has been noted over the years that some institutions continued to show improvement in NSSE scores, which led to an investigation of the schools that were doing well to find the evidence that


would explain this success. Beginning with 534 participating institutions, the project directors selected sixty-four for further review and then narrowed the field to a final eight institutions for which on-site researchers would make cam- pus visits for more in-depth study of case results. Yes, Lynchburg College was one of the “elite eight” selected for a determination of nationwide best practices in the engagement of students in their academic experience. In November, LC was visited by NSSE project researchers who met with more than sixty faculty, staff, and students dur- ing their multiple days on campus. In speaking with these researchers to answer


the question about why the LC NSSE results were so spectacular, I could respond that LC used multiple means to achieve these dramatic results. I told them about one of the many programs in the LC academic repertoire: the Peer-Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) — a program in which excellent students who have done well in specific courses attend these courses again, and then facilitate twice weekly optional study sessions for fellow classmates. Mari Normyle ’97 M.Ed., assistant dean for


academic and career services, also noted that the NSSE visitors were very impressed by how intentional LC is about creating systems of sup- port, including achievement and persistence awards for students who have shown significant academic improvement and experiential learning grants to give more students the opportunity to study abroad or have internships. The results of the NSSE/Spencer Foundation


project will be made public in the form of a document that will cite the best practices in engaging students in the learning process. It will be interesting to see how many programs created at Lynchburg College will be cited nationally as a “best practice.” If, as Holyer purports, NSSE is “the star in the


east,” then the wise men and women looking for a truly great academic experience will make the pilgrimage to Lynchburg College.


Kenneth R. Garren, ph.d. president


PHOTO BY WARREN WRIGHT


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