Resources for Co-Curricular Mentors
Co-Curricular Mentors can complete this form to apply to count a co-curricular experience towards the HCCE designation. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis by the HCCE advisory board. Programs funded by CITE automatically count towards the HCCE designation, and no additional application is necessary. Co-curricular experiences are evaluated based on the extent of engagement, duration of the program, the outcome/deliverable, and reflection assessment. Co-curricular mentors are responsible for designing and assessing the reflection and for tracking and sharing the list of participants with the director of co-curricular Honors (Rita E. Sharp, Ph.D.).
Every HCCE activity should include academic engagement, faculty, or staff mentorship and critical reflection.
Engagement
An experiential learning or co-curricular activity should encourage and enhance the
student’s level of attention, interest, understanding, and motivation. The experience
should be sustainable for the student’s trajectory in order to increase the likelihood
that the student will continue the activity or use the experience as a foundation
for another more substantive project. The activity should be equivalent to at least
a one-credit hour course. (A one-credit hour course is typically defined as 15 contact
hours plus 30 hours of out-of-class engagement.) For non-credit activities, the faculty
member’s description within the HCCE proposal should explain the depth of the experience.
The activity should also conclude with a deliverable, such as a reflective assignment,
research poster, academic paper, public presentation, or publication.
Mentorship
The project should be vetted, mentored, supervised, or overseen by a University of
Houston faculty member, staff member, or responsible stakeholder, such as an internship
or site coordinator of the activity. It is expected the student will develop a strong
working relationship with this individual to encourage intellectual, academic,
and professional development. Any funded CITE grants will automatically count towards
the HCCE designation, and there is not an additional approval process.
Reflection
It is essential that students not only understand what they know but also recognize
how they know it and are aware of what they need to learn next as a way of developing
a plan for learning. The co-curricular activity should include an opportunity for
the students to consider what they have learned on a metacognitive level — that they
understand or know what they know through this reflective process. They should also
recognize how the experience has impacted their thinking and understanding of the
project. It is an exercise in allowing students to integrate their knowledge in an
intentional and meaningful way, hence promoting deep learning. The reflection activity
should aid students in making connections with their experiences.
The competencies for the HCCE activities are aligned with the CITE learning objectives, with the addition of leadership. Co-curricular activities counted toward the HCCE designation should include at least three of the following competencies:
Problem Solving
The experience engages students in critical thinking about ideas and theories. The
mentor guides them in arriving at informed solutions. The students have the opportunity
to solve real-world problems that are complex and open-ended. The activity enables
students to be independent in their thought process, project planning, and assessment
of the outcome of the project.
Effective Communication
The activity hones students’ written and oral communication by enhancing their development
and expression of ideas. The experience also provides opportunities for students to
improve their verbal or oral communication skills by creating occasions for them to
present their ideas and understanding of their project. The activity may require students
to verbalize their ideas and beliefs in a manner that is compelling and at the same
time sensitive to the needs of their audience.
Teamwork
The project is designed with the intention of students collaborating on an intellectual
endeavor. The students should benefit from the shared effort, and the project should
reflect the positive impact of the collaboration. The students should demonstrate
professionalism and diplomacy when working with and representing their team.
Ethical Decision Making
Students will articulate their values and establish ethical standards appropriate
to the particular project. Such a process of meta-learning takes students through
feedback loops (reflective writing and mentoring allow for more nuanced and detailed
feedback), deliberate practice (particularly of subskills related to a larger skill
set, such as things learned in internships or research projects), teaching and communicating
project content (which practice active attention, group problem solving, representing
the project to others), and translation into action (where the “book learning” of
concepts and ideas is enhanced through putting it into action and a project-based
experience of some kind).
Social Responsibility
The students’ projects enable them to hone their understanding of their local or global
community. Students’ civic engagement activities of personal and public concern are
both individually life enriching and socially beneficial to the community. Students
are exposed to the interconnectedness of local, global, international, and intercultural
issues, trends, and structures. Students will consider the justification, broader
implications, and sustainability of their work.
Cultural Competency
As a result of the experience, the students have a better understanding of themselves
and others from varied backgrounds. They enhance their awareness of others’ values,
beliefs, and experiences and, in turn, better comprehend their own. There may also
be opportunities for cross-cultural exchanges with peers and members of the community.
Leadership
The activity enables a student to influence a group of individuals to achieve a common
goal. The leadership experience may include opportunities for goal setting, project
management, written and verbal communication, accountability, ethical decision making,
inspiring and motivating peers, delegation, and diversity and inclusion within the
group. These qualities will likely be developed through application, reflection, and
documentation of leadership growth, challenges, and lessons learned.