BLINN ADMINISTRATOR NAMED TO NATIONAL ADVOCACY RESEARCH BOARD

  

Dr. John O. Beaver, Blinn College dean of educational partnerships, has been named to the board of directors of a national research initiative that champions the importance of a diverse 21st-century education.

An initiative of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) was formed in response to the growing demand for college-educated workers and more engaged and informed citizens.

LEAP challenges the traditional practice of providing a broad education to some students and narrow training to others, and instead urges that all students have access to an education that provides broad learning which prepares them for citizenship and the growing global economy.

Last spring, Blinn announced its partnership with LEAP to produce highly-trained, well-rounded students. Beaver will serve a two-year term on the board of directors and fine tune the role of LEAP in Texas.

“LEAP is working toward a broader, qualitative education, which includes critical thinking and personal and social responsibility,” Beaver said. “We have to provide much more than job training. A comprehensive education benefits everyone, no matter their career goals.”

LEAP Texas is aligned with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to enhance students’ quality of learning and give them the skills to be strong communicators, team players and critical thinkers.

As the initiative continues to expand, it will focus on three key areas: leveraging the newly designed Texas Core Curriculum for Higher Education for improvement in undergraduate education; creating a capacity for large-scale, inter-institutional collaboration in robust and authentic assessment; and embedding high-impact practices in the undergraduate curriculum.

Registration is currently available for Blinn’s Summer and Fall semesters. For registration and financial aid information, visit: www.blinn.edu.