BY ALEXA MEYLER
One of the most popular academic programs at Stonehill is the IDEAS program, where students facilitate a one-credit class about a topic of their choosing. Professor Sarah Gracombe has been the director of the IDEAS program for the last five years, until this year. Wanjiru Mbure, professor of Communication has taken over as the new director, as faculty routinely rotate the role of director.
“IDEAS is Stonehill's signature peer education program that fosters intellectual inquiry and curiosity through a diverse range of topics proposed, developed, and led by students,” Mbure said.
Mbure said the IDEAS program stands out because of its uniqueness.
“Stonehill is only one of a handful of colleges in the country with a peer education program that is integrated into the curriculum,” she said.
The plan behind the IDEAS program is the involvement of students as teachers leading new ways of thinking and developing concepts for college-level classes.
Mbure said that through the IDEAS program, students gain an opportunity to shape their academic experience in innovative and creative ways.
“Student-facilitators cite increased confidence, greater risk-taking in their own courses, problem-solving, lateral thinking, and enhanced leadership skills as some of the key competencies they gain from the program,” Mbure said.
IDEAS courses are also flexible in nature, and the ways in which the classes are carried out.
“Students taking IDEAS courses enjoy the small-class size, non-traditional structure, experiential learning, and exploring interesting topics with their peers,” Mbure said.
Emily Hartford, class of 2023, is a student facilitator for the IDEAS program this year. Student facilitators become teachers to their peers, as opposed to students being taught by a professor.
“Students are given autonomy in the classroom, which allows for personal development and deeper exploration in the classroom. Students can connect on a deeper level with a topic they may not have had the opportunity to explore at all,” Hartford said.
The IDEAS program has many different classes to choose from for the spring semester.
“There are so many fantastic courses it’s hard to choose! This year, there’s a wide range of topics from music over the years in America to analyzing sitcoms to many topics in sports and more,” Hartford said.
Hartford hopes for more promotion of these student-led courses on campus.
“I think there would be a great benefit to increase the promotion to take IDEAS courses. I think there is a great benefit to having students take on this leadership role, and to explore more topics on a deeper level, which is not something present in gen ed courses,” Hartford said.
The IDEAS program is looking forward to another successful year of teaching unique and interesting concepts under the guidance of a new director and with the help of facilitators like Hartford.
If you want to learn more about the IDEAS program, email Professor Mbure: wmbure@stonehill.edu
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