Undergraduate Education – IU Bloomington Undergraduate Education

Jason Orsborne Honored with IU ACP Distinguished Faculty Award

Posted on December 9, 2024 by cargwill

We are excited to announce that Jason Orsborne, a dedicated Advance College Project (ACP) instructor, has been awarded the inaugural IU ACP Distinguished Faculty Award! Mr. Orsborne has been offering IU Elementary Chemistry I and Chem Lab I (CHEM-C 101/121) at Troy High School in Troy, OH, since 2013, consistently demonstrating excellence in his teaching and commitment to ACP’s mission.

Mr. Orsborne was officially recognized by Troy Byler, Director of the ACP, and the two ACP Chemistry faculty liaisons, Kim Arnold and Deborah Snaddon, in front of his peers on September 13th during the ACP Chemistry professional development day on the Indiana University Bloomington campus. His nomination was based on his outstanding achievements, including exemplary site visit reports, mastery of the ACP course curriculum, and over five years of experience teaching ACP coursework. His syllabus submissions are consistently timely, and he has attended at least four out of the last five professional development sessions, highlighting his dedication to continued learning.

ACP Chemistry Site Visitor, Yu Kay Law, praised Mr. Orsborne’s work, stating, “His teaching is engaging and rigorous, and his lab section is well designed.” Mr. Orsborne’s exceptional contributions also include timely grade submissions and adherence to all ACP instructor responsibilities.

With more than 800 ACP instructors offering IU courses across Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio, Jason Orsborne stands out for his exemplary dedication. As part of his award, he received a plaque of recognition, a bag of ACP swag, a $100 materials stipend, and a place of honor on the ACP website. Congratulations, Mr. Orsborne, on this well-deserved recognition!

two men smiling with one holding a glass award

Left to right: Troy Byler and Jason Orsborne

NSSE & BCSSE Survey Results 2024

Posted on November 27, 2024 by cargwill

The NSSE and BCSSE surveys help IU administration understand how students engage with their undergraduate education at the beginning and end of their time at IU.

Skip to the bottom to see the results overviews from the 2024 surveys!

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)

IU Bloomington administers the NSSE survey every three years to all first-year and senior students. NSSE consists of questions about:

students’ engagement with faculty
participation in extra-curricular activities
their school and work practices
other experiences they have while at IU Bloomington

In addition to questions about students’ practices, NSSE evaluates students’ perceptions of topics like diversity on campus and their satisfaction with IU’s academic services like advising. The data collected from the NSSE survey have been used to shape the administration’s understanding of its own progress and where IU Bloomington could still improve.

Explore the full results in Tableau →

Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE)

The BCSSE survey measures entering first-year students’ high school academic and co-curricular experiences as well as their expectations for participating in educationally purposeful activities during the first college year. BCSSE results, especially when examined alongside NSSE data from the following spring, can inform initiatives to enhance the first-year experience with recognized effective educational practices. BCSSE results may be used in many ways including:

academic advising
retention efforts
first-year program design and evaluation
accreditation and self-studies
faculty and staff development
recruitment

For additional information, please contact Dr. James S. Cole, BCSSE project manager.

NSSE & BCSSE Results Overviews

Highlights include the high-impact practices (HIPs) students are engaging with most and how well-prepared incoming students are for college academic tasks.

Thanks to Quinn West for making these helpful overview graphics! Click on each image to explore the full-size versions.

NSSE Survey Results

for a non-image-based data breakdown, please contact Quinn West at west3@iu.edu

BCSSE Survey Results

Experiential Learning Rollout in Progress

Posted on November 27, 2024 by cargwill

In 2013, the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education developed the Office of Engaged Learning to track and promote hands-on, experiential learning activities happening across campus.

In 2023, the IUB 2030 strategic plan determined that expanding experiential learning opportunities was necessary to provide an exceptional academic experience for all undergraduate students and uniquely prepare them for the careers of the future.

This decade of development is now culminating in the rollout of the Experiential Learning Activity (ELA) designation, which will mark equitable activities that involve (1) the application of academic knowledge to real-world experiences, (2) active engagement in enhancing career-relevant skills, (3) IU-based mentoring and supervision with regular, meaningful feedback, and (4) structured critical reflection.

Since summer 2024, the ELA designation has been further refined with provisional engagement and activity types that will track different kinds of experiences. These refinements create a shared framework for staff and faculty to articulate the value of different types of experiential learning.

Activity Types

Undergraduate Research or Creative Activity

Project Based Activities

Work Based Learning

Study Abroad/Study Away

Community Engaged Learning

Student Leadership & Employment

Engagement Types

Exploratory	Applied	Professional
Activities that integrate work contexts in short-term, limited ways, like field trips, observation, authentic case studies, career development modules, etc.	Activities that meaningfully engage with client-led projects, hands-on research, or simulations but that are less than full immersion or semester length.	Activities that focus on students spending a substantial amount of time in a workplace, with or without a small portion of class or university training time.

The current goal is to have every undergraduate student at IUB complete one ELA during their time at the university. In the future, that goal may specify which engagement types students should interact with over the course of their education. Ideally, there would be enough ELAs available that each undergraduate student could access one ELA a year.

The progression of these experiences will be recorded in an experience profile or record that students can access starting in December 2025. This interactive document will represent the skills students developed through their ELAs and will be shareable on LinkedIn, with employers, and with graduate schools.

The new experiential learning web presence should be live in early January.

Staff Spotlight: Anthony Guest-Scott

Posted on November 27, 2024 by cargwill

What is your name and what do you do at UE?

Anthony Guest-Scott. I am the Academic Coordinator at the Student Academic Center (SAC).

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

Oil Baron, or some sort of Tycoon (non-specific). No, really, for a career I would have to say either 1) something else related to making other people’s lives easier, more joyful, and more interesting, or, at the very least, helping to reduce their suffering; or 2) continuing what I started at 13—making music and teaching how to create it, most likely with a guitar in my hands.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

Magic.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

The things that mean the most to me don’t really feel like “accomplishments,” in the sense that they are outcomes I’ve achieved through skill, effort, and/or planning. Rather, those things seem more like wanderings and discoveries. I strolled (more like stumbled) into all the most important relationships and events in my life—my family, my wife Rebecca and kids Owen and Penny, my friends—and the many different kinds of work I’ve done, found them wonderful places to be, and promptly set up shop.

What do you do in your spare time?

I parent, read, find whatever time I can to experience music, and learn.

What is a favorite book, movie, and/or tv show that had an impact on you?

I’ll give you just three. For the head, I offer you Antonio Damasio’s The Feeling of What Happens. For the heart, Cheryl Strayed’s Tiny Beautiful Things. For everything, Norman Doidge’s The Brain That Changes Itself. I go back to all of these over and over again. Bring a box of tissues (seriously).

Where would you like to go on a dream vacation?

Andalucía in southern Spain, often held to be the birthplace of the 6-string guitar and the origin point for Flamenco.

What are some of your favorite things about working in UE?

The room to create, to be of service to others in need, and to do so in the company of people who are warm, wise, and from whom I have much to learn.

a pug curled up next to a pillow, sleeping

a pug cuddling with another dog on a couch

Bonus interview: Luna the Pug

What is your name and what are your daily tasks?

Luna Guest-Scott is my name. My daily tasks are substantial and important, and include:

Bending myself in half as I wag my whole body to greet my humans in the morning
Closely supervising Mom’s morning coffee
Skillfully feigning indifference as my breakfast is placed near me until everyone has left the room
The Pillow Game (where I scoot behind all the pillows on the couch and scrabble/flail around until all pillows have landed on the floor)
Ringing the bell to go out by hitting it with my paw (or to let my humans know one of the other dogs would like to go out)
Rooting through my toy bin to find the preferred coveted object (this usually requires first emptying the entire contents on the floor); I ask for this assistance with a special whine that always means “help”
Chasing Rosie the cat upon sight
ABT (“Always Be Touching” someone else in the house)

If you could be anywhere, doing anything, what would you be doing now?

Going out or coming in—stillness is overrated.

Where is your favorite place to nap?

I can’t choose just one—it’s either a) on the deck, spreading out to soak up the rays of a sunny afternoon; or b) snuggling my brother Sam by cramming my body into our small dog bed beside him.

What advice do you have for students adjusting to college in their first year?

When you’re learning a new skill—like, say, ringing a bell with your paw, here’s my two cents: Don’t just read about the bell and the sound it makes. You’ve got to go find a bell and hit that thing and hear it for yourself. Then, most of the time, a door opens, and a bigger place lies just beyond.

Staff Spotlight: Cargile Williams

Posted on November 27, 2024 by cargwill

a portrait of a person holding a miniature schnauzer

Welcome Cargile Williams to Undergraduate Education!

What is your name and what do you do at UE?

I’m Cargile (pronounced like an argyle sweater), and I’m the new Marketing & Communications Specialist.

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

I’d be doing public-facing ethics and teaching students to not only know what is good but also do what is good through ethical outreach and organizing. I already do some of this on the side through Philosophy for Humans, which I co-founded with a friend and colleague of mine. Once I get settled, I plan to start drafting a public-facing version of my dissertation and also developing my fiction writing skills.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

I think I’d continue to develop a few of my current skills: I’d like to get more comfortable at the top of my range when singing, I’d love to get more confident with chutes when skiing, and I’d like to re-develop my strength and flexibility with movement once my back is healed up.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I’m honestly pretty proud of myself for finishing the dissertation. It’s a weird process that produces a weird document in a context that sometimes feels like hazing, but I was able to use it to explore my own relationship to moral responsibility and how I think about character within relational contexts. Now that I’ve done the hard part, I know I can survive the publishing process for future book projects and structure my time effectively to complete a project of that size.

What do you do in your spare time?

I like to cultivate a variety of different hobbies and rotate through them: gardening, cooking, video gaming, reading, sewing, house decorating, hiking, language learning, etc.

What is a favorite book, movie, and/or tv show that had an impact on you?

The Mess Inside by Peter Goldie. It presents a surprisingly human philosophy of what narratives are, how narratives fit into our sense of self, and how we use narratives to understand our complicated lives.

Where would you like to go on a dream vacation?

Either Scotland or Japan. I’ve never been to Scotland, but the landscapes and castles would be so much fun to explore. I have been to Japan, and I’d like to go back mostly for the 7-Elevens in Tokyo. I’ll also be returning to the Appalachian Mountains a few times a year to visit the most beautiful place on earth—Roan Mountain.

What are some of your favorite things about working in UE?

I’m excited to work in a context where I can use my expertise gained through the philosophy Ph.D. to help clarify language, communicate ideas concisely and persuasively, and mentor student interns. Everyone has been very welcoming, and I’m really enjoying my current projects.

a miniature schnauzer regally lying on grass

a schnauzer catching a soccer ball out of the air

a schnauzer sleeping in the sun on a piano bench

Bonus interview: Kensie the Schnauzer

What is your name and what are your daily tasks?

My name is Kensie (short for Kensington), and I loudly bark at anyone outside of the house who is moving within my line of sight. I also demand pets at regular intervals and love rolling around in the grass on my back in the sun.

If you could be anywhere, doing anything, what would you be doing now?

I’d be chasing the soccer ball and playing defense. Or, I’d want to go on a hike, but only if I’m the first one in line leading the charge.

Where is your favorite place to nap?

Anywhere that’s in the sun or that is a spot my human normally rests in. I like to feel special and important, and I much prefer sitting on pillows if I can help it.

What advice do you have for effective marketing & communications campaigns?

If you bark loud enough and keep demanding attention for what you want, you will get so many pets and so much playtime. Do not give in. Do not compromise. Persevere.

IU Bloomington sends 11 students to system-wide undergraduate research conference

Posted on December 14, 2023 by lcnorton

Indiana University Bloomington sent 11 students to the 29th annual IU Undergraduate Research Conference on Friday, December 8, at the IU Southeast campus.

The students were accompanied by IUUR director Melissa Blunck, who stressed the importance of the conference and its emphasis on creative inquiry.

“It is a chance for students from all disciplines to share their research with the larger IU community,” Blunck said “Many students use IUURC as their first conference experience either attending, presenting a poster, or giving an oral presentation. I am thankful to have been able to travel to IU Southeast this year to see the amazing work our undergrads at IUB are doing and the undergrads at the other IU campuses represented.”

Students from across the IU system were invited to present their research through a poster or talk. In total, 186 students from five IU campuses gave 140 presentations at this year’s conference.

IUB’s Lilia Brunetti and Askar Mazitov were among the 8 presenters who received awards for outstanding poster presentations.

Brunetti’s presentation was titled “Modulation of FXR Response Genes by PFOA in a Pancreatic Cancer Cell,” with associate professor Barbara Hocevar assisting as a mentor. Mazitov’s was titled “The Effects of Nodule-Associated Bacteria on Clover Growth” with professor Jennifer Lau as mentor.

Staff Spotlight: Bailey Scott

Posted on November 17, 2023 by lcnorton

Welcome Bailey Scott to Undergraduate Education!

Bailey is an administrative assistant with UE who was just hired this month. Get to know her more below:

What is your name and what do you do at UE?

My name is Bailey, and I am an administrative assistant in the office.

What three traits define you?

I am funny, creative, and very honest.

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

I would like to eventually work for the National Park System as a park naturalist.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

I would love to learn herbology and other forms of natural medicine!

How do you define success?

To me, being successful means that you find meaning in the work you do and that you are content with the place that you have gotten to in life. For me personally, I think I will feel successful once I have a home on land where I can be in nature and grow my own food, and once I feel as though I have contributed back to the environment through my career.

What do you do in your spare time?

In my spare time I love to read and go hiking around Bloomington and Brown County.

What is a favorite book, movie, and/or tv show that had an impact on you?

The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards by Kristopher Jansma is a book that I read a long time ago that I still constantly reference back to.

Where would you like to go on a dream vacation?

I would love to hike the Camino de Santiago in Spain and France!

What are some of your favorite things about working at OVPUE?

I just started this week, but so far, I love how welcoming everyone has been!

Staff Spotlight: Kristin Londergan

Posted on September 25, 2023 by lcnorton

A woman with long dark hair and a yellow shirt smiles toward the camera

What is your name and what do you do at OVPUE/CEW&T?

Hi, I’m Kristin! I’m the Marketing Manager at the Center of Excellence for Women & Tech.

What three traits define you?

It’s been said that I have good sense of humor, I am deeply organized, and that I’m pretty even-keel, at least on the surface!

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

I’d probably be a teacher (I was originally an art education major in college before switching to communication).

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

The list is long but includes learning new languages, taking more art classes, learning to code, and becoming an expert knitter.

What challenging thing has happened (to) for you, and what did you gain from it?

My twenties. I learned to go easy on myself because I’m actually pretty great.

How do you define success?

Smashing the patriarchy (;

What do you do in your spare time?

A short list of things I like to do:

Borrow countless library books to start and maybe finish
Hang out in my garden
Tell my partner to look at something cute the cats are doing
Cook/bake recipes by Alison Roman
Move around in fun ways like hiking, riding my bike, swimming, and most recently, lifting up heavy kettlebells on my porch

What is a favorite book, movie, and/or tv show that had an impact on you?

Anything written by Mary Oliver, Ross Gay, or Robyn Kimmerer feels formative and magical to me.

Where would you like to go on a dream vacation?

Somewhere beautiful and quiet, perhaps in Europe. I’d stay for a few months, consume mostly pastries and espresso, sleep in a big cozy bed, and gaze out at the ocean from behind my stylish sunglasses.

What do you like about working at OVPUE/CEW&T?

I get to work on creative projects in a cool little house on campus with a lot of great staff and students!

Staff Spotlight: Christy Moore

Posted on July 24, 2023 by lcnorton

What is your name and what do you do at OVPUE?

Christy Moore – I’m the Executive Administrative Assistant to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education.

What three traits define you?

Loyal, stubborn and supportive.

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

Horticulturist or Crime Scene Investigator

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

How to investigate a crime scene…

What challenging thing has happened (to) for you, and what did you gain from it?

It would have to be when they found a tumor in my youngest child when he was 9. I was still new at being a single parent and was the one leading the charge so to speak. There were so many doctors appointments and tests leading up to the surgery. Thankfully, the tumor was benign. He is now 18 years old and other than typical teenage drama, he’s doing fine. And I must add, the level of support from my OVPUE colleagues through the entire experience was above and beyond.

How do you define success?

If I can make it through an important meeting without rolling my eyes or saying a blasphemy *joking!* If my work/life balance is healthy and I’m being supportive in my roles as a mom, friend, family member, and employee. It is important to me that people see me in a positive light and that they also feel seen by me. That’s success.

What do you do in your spare time?

I watch true crime while playing in dirt aka tending to my plants.

What is a favorite book, movie, and/or tv show that had an impact on you?

This one is extremely difficult to answer. I’ve always consumed books, literally the kid caught reading a novel tucked behind her math book. Maybe that’s why I don’t math… I loved reading to my kids as they were growing up. As a matter of fact, my daughter bought me hardback copies of two of my favorite children’s books that I read to them numerous times. I had donated them to a friend and always regretted it a bit. If you’re curious, they are “Hey Little Ant” and “Mom, I Wanna Iguana”. As for movies, nothing jumps out at me as being life changing. Honestly, it’s difficult for me to sit still for that long without doing something.

Where would you like to go on a dream vacation?

I’m SUCH a homebody. I wouldn’t mind going on a cruise though, just not a Disney one.

What are some of your favorite things about working at OVPUE?

I’ve been with OVPUE since it was created in 2009. Watching this unit grow and blossom with all the great initiatives for student success has been extraordinary to say the least. And the people, so many great individuals who will be life-long friends. I can truly say that I love my job.

Staff Spotlight: Vasti Torres

Posted on June 27, 2023 by lcnorton

Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Vasti Torres.

What is your name and what do you do at OVPUE?

I am Vasti Torres and as of July 1 I am the Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education.

What three traits define you?

These are the traits I like to think are most notable. First is that I communicate in a straight-forward manner. I like to get to the point and be honest about what I see occurring. Second would be my sense of humor – at least I find many things funny and like to think I can be humorous. And finally, I would say that I enjoy considering complex problems. Some take more time to solve than others, but I enjoy engaging with the processes needed to solve complex issues.

These types of questions always make me wonder if others agree with my self-assessment?

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

At one point I considered going back to school to be an architect. I would enjoy the creative and problem-solving nature of creating a building.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

There are many things I would like to learn. At this point in my life, I tend to desire creative things like playing an instrument and learning to draw. Both take talent so I am not sure I have that but I would enjoy learning.

What challenging thing has happened (to) for you, and what did you gain from it?

Life is full of challenges, but I must say that immigrating to this country and starting school without any knowledge of the English language influences the way I approach others and my comfort with ambiguity. I started school before there were English language learner courses, so it was a sink or swim type atmosphere. In case anyone is interested I do not recommend that type of approach.

How do you define success?

Few people really think about what would make them feel successful – that is why it often feels elusive. I define success by living my life goal – to be remembered as a good person.

What do you do in your spare time?

My main hobby is travel – I take vacations very seriously and try to make sure I have both short and long periods of time off to enjoy new places. I also enjoy casual biking and try to play golf when I can.

What is a favorite book, movie, and/or tv show that had an impact on you?

I do not tend to focus on a book or movie after I finish it – so this is difficult to answer. I will say that I am drawn to funny movies and mystery books. I enjoy reading fiction to relax and separate from my work life.

Where would you like to go on a dream vacation?

Not sure I have one place. Because I enjoy travel, I can say that I have been in 49 of the 50 states and a fair number of countries. The places still on my bucket list are: the Australian Barrier Reef, Greece, Turkey, Fiji and the Galapagos Islands.

What are you looking forward to about working at OVPUE?

I spent my career reading about and investigating student success in higher education – this is one of the few jobs where my main responsibility is helping undergraduate students be successful. OVPUE allows me to combine my research interest with my own personal passion – student success.