Students as Individuals
McKendree students know they’re not just a number. From your first moment on campus,
you’ll see that your voice matters. Your views matter. Your hopes and goals matter.
In short, who you are means the world to us, and during your time as a student, we strive to help you discover more about yourself
and the world around you.
Our close campus community is made up of students from different backgrounds, ethnicities,
beliefs, and life experiences. We believe our strength lies in our appreciation for
those differences. For that reason, we cultivate a supportive atmosphere for all students
through programs and events that open the door for meaningful dialogue, awareness,
and action.
As you’ll see, true learning happens when we lay down what we think we know and seek
to understand the diverse perspectives of one another.
Open Dialogue
The respect and care we have for you as an individual is one of McKendree’s top values,
and one way we show it is through our style of inclusive communication. In the classroom,
our professors not only instruct you on course material, but they also engage you
as equals through the language they choose. One of your first impressions of a class
is the syllabus outlining an instructor’s policies and expectations.
“A course syllabus is an invitation, and like any invitation, you want the invitee to feel as wanted and respected as possible.”
“A course syllabus is an invitation, and like any invitation, you want the invitee
to feel as wanted and respected as possible,” says Dr. Nichole DeWall, professor of English. “Trying to come across as strict or punishing is actually
counterproductive to creating a welcoming learning environment.” Something as simple
as adjusting the syllabus tone and including the rationale behind the rules paves
the way for a more comfortable classroom environment where everyone’s voice matters.
The conversation continues on a larger scale at McKendree’s weekly Brown Bag lunches,
which feature one or more guest speakers presenting on a wide variety of topics. Students,
faculty, and staff gather to ask questions, discuss, and learn more about everything
from world events and technology to music trends and unique personal stories. The
casual atmosphere gives you the chance to engage directly with speakers from around
the region and take part in a two-way dialogue.
McKendree’s living learning communities bring diverse students together under a common
interest. Whether you’re a first-generation student or just have a passion for the
arts or social justice, living learning communities enable you to live alongside others
who share a particular quality or interest. You’ll take part in unique field trips
and events that bring you closer together as a group.
Our Social Justice and Equity Committee (SJEC) connection groups are a very effective
way of connecting with people. In the group, you’ll have the opportunity to discuss
current social justice issues with fellow students, faculty, and staff in an open,
supportive environment. Share your views and learn firsthand how topics like racism,
sexism, and other inequalities affect people on a highly personal level. With students
from 31 countries and countless hometowns across the U.S., everyone at McKendree has
their own story to tell.
Global Awareness
Our campus community is also firmly committed to recognizing and drawing attention
to the stories of others from around the world and in our own backyard. Hunger and
Homelessness Week and Global Awareness Week are some of the most eye-opening experiences
for our students to experience life in a new way without even leaving campus.
Every November, learn about economic inequality throughout the world at the annual
Hunger Banquet. Join other students in an outdoor sleep-out on the quad to demonstrate
the harsh realities of homelessness. You’ll also hear presentations from a variety
of speakers and get the chance to volunteer at a homeless shelter, enabling you to
see the personal side of hunger and poverty.
In April, celebrate diversity and learn about international issues during our campus-wide
Global Awareness Week. Through activities, films, and discussions, you’ll see how
fair trade practices impact people abroad and how worldwide political events are changing
life for certain groups, such as women and people of different faiths. Experience
head scarf wrapping or a traditional Native American drumming ceremony and discover
how interconnected we all really are.
The McKendree Presents series is another way we draw students and community members
into a world beyond themselves. Featured at our own Hettenhausen Center for the Arts,
the Arts Midwest World Fest introduces viewers to world-renown musicians from places
such as China and Canada. After a week-long residency hosted by the Hett, the bands
perform in a public concert, bringing their cultural diversity and self-expression
to the campus community. The film series is also a staple at the Hett, and events such as the Black History Month Film Festival
give students another medium to experience diverse viewpoints.
McKendree recognizes the humanitarian efforts of its students, faculty, staff, and
alumni as well. The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Service honors their
achievements while bringing renewed awareness of Dr. King’s message for nonviolent
social change. Through this important event, we remember the great impact one person
can have in the lives of others.
Meaningful Action
As a student, you’ll not only experience diversity on campus; you’ll also have the
chance to participate in once-in-a-lifetime trips and activities to learn firsthand
from others in different life situations. Our study abroad program enables you to
spend a semester in one of more than a dozen countries while earning course credit.
See the sights and make lifelong friends an ocean away when you take this incredible
journey.
McKendree’s alternative Spring Break immersion trips are another great way to step
outside your comfort zone and experience life alongside a family from a different
culture. Our students have traveled to rural Nicaragua, a U.S.-Mexico border town
in Arizona, and the inner city of Memphis, Tennessee.
“In Nicaragua, we went to a sweatshop that served as the people’s main source of income, and it really showed us how what we purchase at home affects their life and family.”
“The immersion trips are all about relationship-building,” says Rev. Tim Harrison.
“We stay with host families in their homes. We live with them, eat with them, spend
time with them and their children. In Nicaragua, we went to a sweatshop that served
as the people’s main source of income, and it really showed us how what we purchase
at home affects their life and family.”
Even in our own community, people can lead very different lives as a result of poverty,
disability, nationality, and race. Service learning takes you outside the classroom
to see the issues discussed in class and volunteer your time to do something about
them.
For education majors, the Golden Apple Scholars program gives you a glimpse into the lives of students
and teachers at economically disadvantaged schools across the state of Illinois. Only
200 education students statewide are selected for this honor, and McKendree is proudly
home to a growing number. Golden Apple Scholars participate in an annual summer institute,
gaining teaching experience in real classrooms working with students whose life circumstances
make getting access to a quality education challenging.
Through our speech, our awareness, and our actions, we’re showing the world that,
at McKendree, diversity isn’t something that separates us, but instead enhances who
we are as individuals within a greater community.
Make It McKendree