CENTERS OF DISTINCTION

Centers of Distinction at Hiram College were established as part of our Education that Works strategic plan in 2006. They represent academic structures that transcend individual academic departments and majors, extending the long-term strength of the College to provide engaged, transformative learning environments for our students. Centers offer students distinctive learning opportunities, in and out of the classroom; these experiences are designed to connect knowledge to face the challenges of work and life. Fundamentally, they are a tool for preparing students for the present and the future, for possibilities they can anticipate and for those they cannot. Students participate in Centers in a variety of ways: entering student academic competitions; hosting visiting scholars; organizing panel discussions; engaging in undergraduate research; and attending seminars and national conferences, to name but a few. 

The Lindsay-Crane Center for Writing and Literature

Areas of Distinction

• The Hiram College writing program specializes in creative nonfiction and is well-known for the expansive writing opportunities available in this genre for majors and minors, as well as for non-majors.
• A distinguished Visiting Writers Series that always brings writers into the classroom has featured authors Tim O’Brien,
  Ian Frazier, Donovan Hohn, Alissa Nutting, Roger Rosenblatt, Thrity Umrigar, Marvin Bell, Lynn Powell, Barry Lopez, and many others.
• The Lindsay-Crane Center runs writing contests in the genres of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry, giving students the chance to have their work judged by professionals and to receive public recognition for their achievements.
• The Lindsay-Crane Center is located in two unique buildings: an 1892 Queen Anne house, offering students a rare studio-environment in which to learn and work; and Bonney Castle, a former nineteenth-century inn offering cozy classroom and discussion spaces.
• Students are given numerous on-campus professional writing and editing opportunities, including editing the Hiram Poetry Review; writing for the Lindsay-Crane newsletter; reading their work publicly; and working with faculty in programs sponsored by the Lindsay-Crane Center (the Emerging Writers Workshop and community reading programs).
• The Lindsay-Crane Center works closely with students to identify and apply for internship opportunities with editors and managers of small presses, magazines, and journals, corporations, and arts organizations.
• Since the 1970s, Hiram College has been nationally known for its Writing Across the Curriculum program, and since 1990 has trained undergraduate writing assistants to help implement and sustain it, while also providing these students with professional teaching experience.

Primary Academic Programs associated with this Center 

• Creative Writing major
• Minor in Writing
• English major and minor
• Writing Across the Curriculum
• Writing Assistantships

Key Personnel

• Kirsten L. Parkinson, Ph.D., Director of the Lindsay-Crane Center, John S. Kenyon Professor of English,
• Kathy Luschek, Program Coordinator

The James A. Garfield Center for the Study of the American Presidency

The James A. Garfield Center for the Study of the American Presidency cultivates in students a deep understanding of the institution of the presidency and the individuals who have held the office. The Center also convenes conferences at which scholars examine presidents, theoretical perspectives on the presidency, and the leadership challenges that confront the chief executive in making domestic, economic, and foreign policy.

Areas of Distinction

• Each academic year, the Center engages a coterie of accomplished students of diverse academic backgrounds-Garfield Presidency Scholars-around issues that get at the very core of presidential leadership, both in theory and in practice. Across a program cycle. the Presidency Scholars scrutinize the life, values, decisions, and ultimate effectiveness of an American president of significant historical standing. Over the course of four years in the program, a student has the opportunity to engage in deep examination of four exceptional presidents.
• The academic inquiry is animated by the reading of several books on the president in question, focused discussions led by student working groups, interaction with guest speakers, and travel to Washington, D.C., and other destinations most relevant to a particular president's life. The desideratum is that students will come to profess profound appreciation for that president as a person, as a leader in a particular time and setting, and as a governmental actor within the broader and intricate constitutional system.

Primary Academic Programs associated with this Center (others may also be influenced by the Center)

• Political Science
• History
• Communication
• Public Leadership (minor)
• Ethics (minor)
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Philosophy

Key Personnel

• Douglas M. Brattebo, Director and Associate Professor of Political Science

The Garfield Center for Public Leadership

The Garfield Center honors James A. Garfield, student, teacher, and then president of Hiram College who became an incorruptible icon of American statesmanship and inspired the nation to establish the modern merit-based civil service system. The Garfield Center, grounded in the liberal arts education that Hiram College has maintained throughout its history, prepares students for leadership in matters of public policy, both foreign and domestic.

Areas of Distinction

• The innovative Garfield Scholars program attracts students from across campus, engaging them in matters of public policy by connecting them with scholars and expert practitioners both on and off campus.
• The Center serves to attract students and faculty from across campus by developing collaborative programs related to cross-disciplinary issues such as global warming, finance and economics, intelligence, security.

Primary Academic Programs associated with this Center (others may also be influenced by the Center)

• Public Leadership Minor
• Political science
• Economics
• Management
• Communication
• Sociology

Key Personnel

• James A. Thompson – Director
• Kathy Luschek – Operations Director

The Center for Scientific Engagement

Life has its own language at the molecular level, composed of DNA and protein sequences, and this information determines how cells and organisms function. Hiram College understands the increasing importance of molecular information in today’s world and the need for more young scientists who understand, interpret, and use this information to solve new problems and to communicate their findings in a way that increases the scientific literacy of our society. The Center for Deciphering Life’s Language involves undergraduate and high school students in novel research projects as part of the classroom in order to teach basic scientific principles, excite students about getting the most out of their biology education, and encourage students to seek out further research experiences beyond the classroom.

Areas of Distinction

• National recognition for undergraduate involvement in novel research as part of courses
• Strong disciplinary and interdisciplinary teaching and research in the natural sciences
• Strong research outreach to area high school students via collaborative research projects with high school classes during academic year and Hiram Genomics Academy summer research program.
• National recognition for undergraduate involvement in genomics and bioinformatics research

Primary Academic Programs associated with this Center (others may also be influenced by the Center)

• Biology
• Biochemistry
• Physics
• Neuroscience
• Nursing
• Computer Science – Bioinformatics – Computational Biology

Key Personnel

• Brad Goodner, Director and Edward Smerek Professor of Science, Department of Biology
• Kathy Luschek, Coordinator

The Center For The Study of Nature and Society

The Center for the Study of Nature and Society (CSNS) promotes conservation with action through education and research programs that sustain and enrich life. Environmentalism was an outgrowth of ecology which, in turn, had a foundation in economics. Today, sustainability requires a combination of these and all other disciplines to achieve balance for the world to continue as we know it. Sustainability requires conservation, or wise and responsible use and stewardship, of all resources (renewable and nonrenewable). It also includes action through courses, research, land management, operations, and community engagement that promote this type of conservation. The CSNS works to make conservation and sustainability understandable and accessible to everyone.

Areas of Distinction

• The Waterfowl Propagation Center Partnership between Hiram College and Akron Zoological Park is the first of its kind in the country. The College’s Endangered Waterfowl Conservation and Propagation Center serves as an animal holding/husbandry facility for endangered species (Madagascar teal and White-winged wood duck), and students perform all aspects of animal husbandry, facility maintenance, research, water quality testing, and required reporting practices for Species Survival Plans in collaboration with the Akron Zoo.
• The old growth beech-maple forest is the second largest remaining uncut stand in Ohio and is thus an invaluable natural resource for study.
• Animal rehabilitation experiences through the curriculum and hands-on training.
• New academic areas of concentration for the Environmental Studies major include natural systems, human systems, and communicating complexity.

Primary Academic Programs associated with this Center (others may also be influenced by the Center)

• Biology
• Environmental Studies

Key Personnel

• Jim Metzinger, Associate Director of the James H. Barrow Field Station
• Matthew Sorrick, Director of Science Education

The Center For Literature and Medicine

The Center for Literature and Medicine is the home of a distinctive interdisciplinary program that serves undergraduates, healthcare professionals and the wider community.

The College's unique biomedical humanities major gives the students important advantages in preparation for medical school and other graduate programs.

The mission of the Center is to examine thoroughly questions of human values in healthcare contexts through literary works and to do so within clinical settings, medical and other health professional schools, and the liberal arts environment

Founded in 1990, the Center for Literature and Medicine provides interdisciplinary programs, courses, and summer seminars integrating humanities and health care. Through the study of the humanities, and in particular, through literary works, the Center examines critical healthcare issues. This work has application in clinical settings, academic medicine, health policy, and the liberal arts environment, and serves to deepen participants' ability to recognize, understand, and address ethical and humanistic issues in healthcare contexts.

What distinguishes the Center from conventional medical ethics programs are its special emphases:

• Using literary works to raise humanities issues in medical settings;

• Developing techniques for teaching literary works in a variety of health care environments, from medical schools to nursing homes;

• Using readers' theater as a method for understanding different perspectives of patients, families and health care professionals; and

• Applying narrative theory and practice to health care interactions; for example, the patient as story, the doctor as reader.

Primary Academic Programs associated with the Center (others may also be influenced by the Center)

• Biomedical Humanities major and minor 
• Nursing

Key Personnel

• Erin Lamb, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Humanities and Co-Director of the Center
• Sandy Madar, Professor of Biology and Director of Academic and Strategic Initiatives 
• Kathy Luschek, Coordinator

The Center For Integrated Entrepreneurship

• The Integrated Entrepreneurship Program (IE) is not housed within a business program – it seeks to engage ideas and enterprise concepts from all academic disciplines.
• IE and the Center are housed in the Burton D. Morgan Entrepreneurship Center of East Hall, a residence hall with suites that form a learning community of students with an interest in entrepreneurship.
• The Center is a resource for students to research and develop their entrepreneurial ideas into start-up businesses. In the Center, students have access to workspace, desk space, wireless internet, computer/printer, business software, whiteboards, chalkboards, storage space, resource materials, and a network of experienced entrepreneurs. 
• The Center hosts two annual idea competitions – ideablitz! and ideabuild! – that are open to all students. Participants have access to significant mentoring by faculty and area entrepreneurs, cash prizes to help develop their concepts, and regional competitions.
• The Center’s E-Network is a rich resource for students, providing mentoring, guidance and internship opportunities.
• Through its partnership with the Regional Economic Growth Corporation (REGC) the Center co-hosts business basic workshops for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the broader community. REGC also provides its small business counseling services to students on site and at no charge.
• A growing support system for Student Run Ventures, which are college owned, faculty championed, curriculum connected and student run campus-based enterprises. These include: The Terrier Bakery, The Olive Branch, Art with Heart and The Terrier Trader.
• The Center is a member of the Northeast Ohio Entrepreneurship Education Consortium , allowing Hiram students to participate in a regional idea competition and a weeklong entrepreneurship immersion experience.

Academic programs associated with the Center (others may also be influenced by the Center)

• Entrepreneurship Minor
• Integrated coursework across the curriculum
• Experiential learning opportunities for any major

Key Personnel

• Kay Molkentin, Center Director
• David J. Kukurza, Academic Program Director and Visiting Professor of Integrated Entrepreneurship

The Center for Global Interaction

The Center for Global Interaction is the newest of the Centers of Distinction.  Our mission is to build on Hiram College’s long-standing strength and commitment to fostering global perspectives, encourage, coordinate, and publicize explorations of the intersections of language study, international understanding, and students traveling abroad or coming from abroad to enrich Hiram’s learning environment. Through global engagement students acquire knowledge in order to bridge differences and address complex global issues of our times.  

The Center is inherently interdisciplinary because it draws together faculty from all specialties to:

• provide an education for all students that promotes an understanding of cultural and geographical diversity

• foster an ability to overcome linguistic barriers  and embrace cultural difference through language learning

• offer a full range of courses emphasizing global perspectives in the fine and performing arts, social sciences, and humanities

• sponsor a robust study abroad program for which Hiram has been recognized for over 65 years, where students and professors travel and learn together in locations on six continents 

• promote an International Studies Minor

• promote and sustain our existing exchange programs (Kansai Gaidai University, Japan, Bogaziçi University, Turkey, and John Cabot University, Italy), and establish new relationships

• recruit international students world-wide to come and find at Hiram a welcoming and diverse learning community 

• sponsor co-curricular globally-related events and activities

Academic Programs Associated with this Center

• Study Away

• Peace Corps Prep Program

• Modern Languages

• International Studies Minor

• Asian Studies Minor

• Core Curriculum requirements, especially Experiencing the World (EW), Social and Cultural Analysis Methods (CA), and Understanding Diversity at Home (UD)

Key Personnel/Steering Committee Co-directors

• Dr. Ella Kirk, Professor of French

• Dr. Lisa Safford, Professor of Art

The James H. Barrow Field Station

Jim Metzinger (2012), Co-Director, James H. Barrow Field Station
B.A., Hiram College

Jennifer Clark, Co-Director, James H. Barrow Field Station
Ph.D., Kent State University

The James H. Barrow Field Station was established in 1967 to provide Hiram College students and visitors the opportunity to fully engage with the natural world through hands-on learning experiences that illuminate how life works and to promote the conservation of all life. For over 45 years, the Station has grown and developed from its initial 75 acres into an active research and educational facility of over 500 acres that not only enhances the College’s science and environmental studies programs, but also provides a means for both students and the general public to increase their understanding and appreciation of natural history and their role in our environment. Experiences gained at the Field Station allow students to develop essential skills in research, teaching, and leadership that are carried forward into their professional lives.

The Station comprises 533 acres, including about 150 acres of mature beech-maple forest; a large stretch of Silver Creek; a cold-water stream; two built ponds; old-fields of varying ages; young and intermediate aged forests; and a five-mile interpretive nature trail. The Station also benefits from the Kennedy Observation Building for classes, meetings and viewing wildlife and the Frohring Laboratory building, which was renovated and expanded in 2007, with a modern and spacious teaching lab and several smaller spaces for student/faculty research, and for animal research and wildlife rehabilitation. The Station also has natural history displays, including live animal exhibits, and an endangered waterfowl conservation center for the care, research, and conservation of internationally and regionally endangered birds such as the Madagascar teal, the white winged wood duck, and the trumpeter swan. Student involvement in all aspects of the Station makes such research possible and guides its direction by collaboration among students, faculty, and staff. Students who are involved in the projects often gain valuable experiences and make contacts with other students and faculty through presentation of their work at professional meetings.

The Field Station’s buildings, experimental fields, and natural and semi-natural areas are maintained entirely by college students under the supervision of an excellent staff. Student workers also gain experience in the practical aspects of operating an educational facility. Teaching experience is gained through the nature education outreach programs, which are developed and executed by Hiram faculty and staff, with full collaboration of the students. These programs are designed to educate pre-college students about the natural history of northeastern Ohio and about such critical issues as habitat preservation and conservation of natural resources. Alumni often credit their experiences at the station as inspiration for further study in science, education, and environmental studies. In all activities, direct involvement of students in the learning process is the key to success.

Northwoods Field Station, Hiawatha Campus

Co-Directors:

Jenn Clark, Director of the Center for Science Education
TBA, Campus Visit Coordinator

The Northwoods Field Station, located in the Hiawatha National Forest in the upper Peninsula of Michigan, serves as a headquarters for trips in the spring, summer, and fall. The station is twelve miles from Lake Superior at the western boundary of the Pictured Rocks National lakeshore and provides a wilderness setting for special courses, field research in the summer, and general visits by students and alumni.

Hiawatha Campus is for those who enjoy interacting with the great outdoors. Emphasis is on living in harmony with nature. The camp has a beautiful lodge and six sleeping cabins, built by Hiram students and faculty in the late 1970's. Facilities can house up to 24 people. Although "rustic" (there is no electricity, cell phone access is very limited, and composting outhouses are the preferred method of sanitation), the main lodge is outfitted with a modern kitchen and indoor plumbing, including flush toilets and showers (powered by hand-pumping from the well).

The camp is on the shore of Cherry Lake and is surrounded by federal forest lands, meadows, bogs, a river, and more than a dozen other undeveloped lakes, all within a two-mile hike of the station.

Course offerings have included field biology, field botany, geology, environmental studies, natural history, and photography. Other recent offerings include: astronomy, storytelling, writing, literature, and leadership. The Spring Three-Week term has been especially successful with team-taught interdisciplinary courses about subjects as diverse as water and Shakespeare.

Marine Science Opportunities

Dennis J. Taylor (1979) Professor of Biology
B.A., Hiram College;
Ph.D., Cornell University

Students who are interested in Marine Science can enroll in Hiram College courses with built-in marine field experiences. Courses include but are not limited to marine ecology (Gulf of Mexico), and fisheries biology (Alaska). In addition, many Hiram College students pursue internships as part of their graduation requirements for a biology major at sites ranging from the North Atlantic to the Caribbean and Florida Keys. Students also engage in independent research in marine biology with faculty. Hiram College is affiliated with the Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML), through which students may participate in summer courses and internship opportunities. Shoals programs are administered by Cornell University and the University of New Hampshire on Appledore Island in the Gulf of Maine. Details about SML programs, facilities, and financial aid can be obtained by contacting Professor Dennis Taylor, a member of the SML summer faculty since 1982.

STUDENT RESOURCES

Eclectic Honors Program

1. Enrollment Policies:

Required Courses:

HONR 10000 Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies for the Eclectic Scholar

This course will be required of all new students to the program, & not required of any current students in the program. This course is 1-credit and P/NC.

HONR 30000 Reflecting on Urgent Challenges

HONR 30100 Addressing Urgent Challenges

Students may take the two courses in any sequence, and in any semester before the spring semester of their senior year.

Students are expected to earn a B- or higher in each to progress through the program.

Students from the class of 2021 and after are required to take both of these courses; the classes of 2019 and 2020 are required to take at least one, but encouraged to take both.

HONR 48000 Eclectic Scholars Honors Capstone

This course will only be offered in the spring and required of all students in the final spring term before graduation. Students who wish to graduate in the fall must complete the course the previous spring.

Students may take the capstone course concurrent with HONR 30100 BY PERMISSION ONLY.

2.  All students who complete the four-course cycle will satisfy their non-team taught INTD graduation core requirement.

3.  Maintaining enrollment:

Beginning with students starting the program Fall 2018, scholars are expected to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 to remain in the program, an increase from the current 3.3 minimum GPA standard for students entering prior to the 2018-2019 AY., or a demonstration of exceptional intellectual engagement in or outside the classroom. Students no meeting these criteria will be placed on probation for the following semester, and subsequent low performance will result in removal from the program.

4.  Entering the program after the first year:

Students demonstrating exceptional intellectual engagement are encouraged to explore this program; however, the College reserves the right to limit the size of the program. Students will only be considered for entry into the program as a first or second year student. Interested students should contact a member of the Eclectic Advisor Committee (EAC) to explore their options.

5.  Matriculating to the Honors Capstone:

Same GPA threshold as above. Specific requirements of the Eclectic Capstone are discussed below.

6.  Form of the Honors recognition on the academic transcript:

Honors students receive the special designation, in cursu honorum ('in a course of honors'), on their diplomas. This is in addition to any other honors earned, such as cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude. In order to graduate in cursu honorum, a student must have a GPA of 3.5 at the end of senior year, and successfully complete the Eclectic Honors Capstone, as determined by the Eclectic Advisory Board.

7.  Code of Conduct:

Academic dishonesty cases with a negative judgment by the Associate Academic Dean's office will result in removal from the Eclectic Scholars Honors Program. This applies to the first offense. Conduct issues emanating from outside of the classroom that draw into question the personal ethics of Eclectic Scholars may also result in removal from this program, as determined via consultation between the Dean of Students Office and the EAC.

8. Honors privileges:

Students admitted to the program can elect to take advantage of Honors housing, and on overload course per year with satisfactory academic performance (no grade below a B- in prior term), the Eclectic Scholarship, and private study space. Students are eligible for junior-status registration for one class per semester starting in their second semester at Hiram College, conditional upon their superior academic performance in their first semester and subsequent terms.

9. Graduating with Eclectic Honors:

Student must complete an Eclectic Honors Capstone under the advisement of a faculty member, which is submitted to the Eclectic Advisory Committee for evaluation. These interdisciplinary projects may layer on top or integrate with one's major capstone, but must reflect broader perspectives regarding a phenomena derived from examination across multiple 'ways of knowing'. Students may register for HONR 49800 in either of their last two semesters.

Students will develop a one to two page prospectus for the Eclectic Advisory Committee (EAC) that delineates the nature of the interdisciplinary project they will align to their major capstone. The EAC establishes and maintains the assessment tool for Honors projects, under the advisement of the Academic Program Committee. Guidelines and forms (including assessment rubrics) for projects may be found on the website.

Emerging Scholars

Stephanie Simpson, Director
B.A., Flagler College;
M.Ed. Cleveland State University

Hiram College’s Emerging Scholars Program gives promising students the boost they need to succeed in college.

Incoming freshmen selected for the program are accepted to Hiram College on a conditional basis.  With limited spacing, the program accepts students on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Hiram’s Emerging Scholars Program provides specialized academic support to keep students on track of their studies. Designed to help students succeed at Hiram, the program requires Emerging Scholars to:

• Live on campus
• Take prescribed courses
• Attend mandatory weekly tutoring and success coaching sessions
• Participate in biweekly faculty advising
• Attend two mandatory Emerging Scholars events
• Complete an end-of-year Emerging Scholars Reflection essay

Emerging Scholars who complete the program have the preparation they need to graduate from Hiram College with a bachelor’s degree in four years.

Computer Resources

The computer facilities at Hiram College include the Ellucian Banner software package for administrative use, and a variety of workstations and servers for file storage, email, word processing, and general office automation. These computers are networked via fast Ethernet to all campus buildings and offices, including the residence halls. Wireless connectivity to the network is available in primary classroom buildings and residence halls. Some personal computers are available for student use in multiple computer labs located in the library, residence halls, and other locations across campus. All students are encouraged to use their laptops and other computer facilities for their academic work.

Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC)

Hiram College is affilated with Army ROTC through John Carroll University and Air Force ROTC through Kent State University.  Students interested in pursuing either of these options should contact the Hiram College Registrar's Office for further information, or the ROTC units directly on their respective campuses.

Study Away

Brittany L. Jackson (2008) Assistant Director of Strategic Academic Initiatives and Study Away Coordinator, 136/137 Hinsdale Hall
B.A., Hiram College;
M.A., Hiram College

The opening of the Office of Extra Mural Studies in 1970 established the College’s early commitment to international education. Today Hiram’s study away programs offer students an even greater array of opportunities. Program participants live and learn in cultures that are different from their own. Students learn about life as others live it, whether that is in a country that appears to have a culture very similar to that of the U.S., for example, Great Britain, or one that stems from a different tradition, such as China. The typical program centers on the disciplines of Hiram College faculty, who offer courses in a host country. Since 1970, more than 120 Hiram College faculty members have led over 4,000 students on educational programs to Europe, South and Central America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

Students apply to participate in these programs. While it is expected that most students who apply will participate, acceptance is not guaranteed. Criteria for selection are not limited to, but may include, grade-point average, class year, recommendations, and participation in previous programs. For the most part, there is no language requirement for these programs, the principal exceptions being those sponsored by the foreign language department.  Students participating in a program in a non-English-speaking country are, of course, encouraged to study the local language.

Students are charged normal fees for tuition depending on the length of the scheduled program.  Program costs include travel to and from the program site, housing, in-country transportation, site fees, and at least two meals per day, based on the location, nature, and length of the program. Financial aid is applied to programs directed by members of the Hiram College faculty. Students who elect to study in programs offered by other academic institutions are not permitted transfer of Hiram College scholarships and grants to the sponsoring institution.  **Study Away course fees:  Students are responsible for all field trip fees at the time of registration for the trip.  Once the trip expenses have been incurred by the College, trip fees related to the incurred expenses will not be refunded, even if a student Withdraws from (or swaps out of) the course.**  Please see the Study Away Refund Policy http://www.hiram.edu/campus-life/resources/student-accounts/study-abroad-refund-policy/) for more information.

The College’s academic calendar, The Hiram Plan, provides students with opportunities for study away each semester and summer.

Students enrolling in study abroad programs offered outside of Hiram College purview must have the courses they intend to take approved by the appropriate department(s) prior to enrolling in the program to ensure accurate credit is awarded.

Twelve-Week Session: During the twelve-week session, students complete three courses while spending an extended time abroad. A variety of disciplines and sites are available in the twelve-week session. Each of the modern foreign languages offers its majors, as well as other students interested in foreign languages, the opportunity to study in an appropriate country. These programs are offered on a rotating basis. The French and Spanish programs are centered in French and Spanish speaking countries, respectively. Students may be taught by Hiram faculty, live with native-speaking host families, and visit places of literary, historic, and cultural importance.

Summer or Spring Break Session: Overseas programs offered in the summer or during spring break may or may not provide academic credit. For additional information, please contact the study away office.

Three-Week Session: Students may elect to study away during the three-week sessions, which fall in December and May. Participants complete a single course of intensive experience in the host country. Students select courses encompassing a variety of disciplines.

Exchange Programs: Semester-long overseas programs are available to Hiram students who have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours. Credits earned are transferable.  Program offerings include Kansai Gaidai University in Japan, Bogazici University in Turkey, and John Cabot University in Italy. 

To learn more about overseas programs, visit www.hiram.edu/academics/study-abroad.

Hiram students who wish to participate in an overseas independent study must go through a process, beginning with the study away office, in order to qualify for a transfer of credits.

STUDENT LIFE

Elizabeth M. Okuma, Vice President and Dean of Students
B.S., Bowling Green State University;
M.Ed., University of Georgia;
Ph.D., Colorado State University

Shelley Gordon, Administrative Assistant
B.A., Hiram College

The primary goal of the Student Life Division is to know and understand students and to address student learning and living needs.  Through direct student contact, staff members engage with, challenge and support students on their journey toward graduation. 

Under the leadership of the vice president and dean of students, the division is responsible for student academic support services, campus activities and involvement, campus safety, career and internship services, citizenship education, commuter and transfer student services, counseling, health and disability services, campus emergency response services, ethnic diversity affairs, family/parent communications, first year programs (e.g. orientation, Institute Days), senior celebration planning, Greek clubs, housing and residential education, international student services, leadership and mentor programs, retention initiatives, student event planning and welcome center services.

Additional Student Life Information and Policies can be found in the Student Handbook.

Career and Academic Development

Bethani Burkhart, Director, Career and Academic Development
B.A., Tiffin University
M.H. Tiffin University

Kristina Kamis, Coordinator of Academic Development
B.A., Kent State University
M.Ed. Kent State University

Career and Academic Development - Academic Development

Mission: The Career and Academic Development program is committed to helping the diverse population at Hiram become more effective and empowered learners and professionals. We promote understanding of course concepts, reinforce successful habits, provide high quality career and academic development experiences, and encourage active independent learning to help students and alumni reach their educational and career goals.

The following academic services are available to students free of charge: 

Academic Counseling: Students who take advantage of this service will work one on one with professional staff to establish personally meaningful goals, develop an individualized self-management system, and learn effective study strategies based on his/her unique learning style. Students who participate will be engaged in a team effort with their professors, their faculty advisor, and other essential college resources to assist them in achieving their academic and personal goals.  

Peer Tutoring:  Academic Development offers a variety of free tutoring options for all students. Academic Resource Center at Hinsdale (ARCH) Tutoring is a drop-in peer tutoring service that occurs Monday-Thursday from 8-10pm in Hinsdale Hall. Student may come in at any time to ask questions and receive assistance with course material and study skills. One-to-one peer tutoring is also available. The student meets with the same tutor for up to an hour a week to work on a specific subject. All tutors, who have taken and passed the course with an A or B, are hired and trained by professional staff, and are available for most subjects.

Student Success Programming: Designed to assist all students, Academic Development offers many presentations and workshops throughout the year on a variety of academic success topics. Staff collaborate with instructors, residence hall staff, and campus clubs and organizations to plan a variety of events.

The Writing Center: Directed by Dr. Jeffrey Swenson and located in the Lyndsay-Crane Writing House, the Writing Center exists to support the school's comprehensive commitment to writing. Students in all courses are encouraged to bring papers to the Writing Center at any stage in the writing process for feedback. Writing assistants - skilled writers of almost every major trained to help students improve their writing - work with Hiram students on papers, writing assignments, capstone projects and other written work. The Center is open in the afternoon and evening Sunday through Thursday. We also have satellite hours in the library on Monday and Thursday evening.

Career and Academic Development - Career Planning

Hiram College recognizes that career planning is an important part of college. Career and Academic Development offers students opportunities to develop lifelong skills in self-assessment, career research, and job search techniques. Career and Academic Development offers individual career advising and caching and classes in career planning. The Career and Academic Development website includes extensive resources for career exploration and job searching, including access for students and alumni to Hiram CareerNet, our online employment and internship database. A career library is available to all students and provides information about choice of majors, occupational outlook, and job opportunities.

Internships are an important part of the career planning process. Students work with their advisers and with Career and Academic Development to plan their internships. Hiram students have learned from internships in such diverse settings as the International Crane Foundation, the Smithsonian, NASA and the Cleveland Browns. As students near graduation, they may participate in a wide range of activities to learn lifelong job-seeking skills. Workshops on resume and job-search writing, interviewing, and marketing liberal arts skills are held throughout the year. In addition, employers and graduate school recruiters visit the campus to recruit students for graduate school and fill-time and summer jobs. Career and Academic Development participates in multiple consortiums to provide our students and alumni access to employers through job and internship fairs throughout the region.

Office of International, Commuter, and Transfer Student Services

Nicole Gatrell, Director, International, Commuter, and Transfer Student Services
B.A., Kent State University;
M.A.Ed., Baldwin Wallace University

The Office for International, Commuter, and Transfer Student Services is dedicated to providing support to prospective and current international, commuter, and transfer students.

International student support includes a wide range of topics that include immigration matters, social and cultural differences, financial matters and personal concerns. Commuter and Transfer Student Services strive to ensure the success of our commuter and transfer student population and connections to Hiram College.

The Internship Program

Bethani Burkhart, Director, Career and Academic Development

Hiram College is committed to experiential education. Through internships, students have opportunities for a variety of intensive learning, working situations to assist in their total educational and individual growth. These experiences are part of a career development process which helps students clarify values, develop skills, and set personal and academic goals. Through the academic program, Hiram College clearly defines knowledge, concepts, and competencies required for successful completion of a liberal arts education. Hiram College’s internship program permits students to bridge the distance between the theories they have learned in the classroom and application of their knowledge. Further, the program enables students and the college itself to be aware of procedures, methodologies, systems, and techniques employed in working environments, and the ways these may influence contemporary liberal education.

Each academic department may offer field experiences and internships. Field experiences are designed for students to observe a work situation, and to contribute, when possible, to the functioning of the work environment. By working 40 to 80 hours at the cooperating institution, students may earn one to four semester hours of academic credit for the term in which they are enrolled. Internships are more intense and require the active involvement of the students in the work situation at the cooperating institution for a minimum of 120 hours. A maximum of eight semester hours of academic credit are given for the successful completion of the internship. The same four-credit internship with identical course content or placement may be taken only once.  Students with exceptional circumstances and opportunities may petition the associate dean for an exception to this policy.

Many departments assist students in the placement process for the internship program. The departments establish prerequisites for the application procedure in setting class rank, grade-point requirements, and judgments regarding social and personal maturity. Prospective interns are required to have a faculty advisor who will monitor the experience, grade the academic requirements, and coordinate departmental efforts with the campus-wide program. Some internships, appropriate for liberal arts students, do not fall directly under the jurisdiction of one department. These opportunities are coordinated by the Director of the Career Center who also helps students plan and prepare for their internship experience.

Campus Safety

Anthony Hans, Safety Officer

Kevin Joyce, Safety Officer

Robert Lax, Safety Officer

Carl Lipcsik, Safety Officer

Ron Loveland, Safety Officer

K. Samuel Adams, Technical Specialist

Nikole Benjamin, Administrative Assistant

The Office of Campus Safety is committed to making the Hiram College environment as safe as possible for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to the campus. Campus Safety Officers collaborate closely with the Hiram Village police department and fire department to provide comprehensive public safety services. Campus parking is also under the auspices of Campus Safety. Information on campus parking policies can be found on the College website or online in the Student Handbook. While safety relies on people making sensible individual choices, the department complements individual choices with educational programs and services such as property engraving, escorts after dark, and personal safety programs. The Office of Campus Safety is located on the 2nd floor of the Kennedy Center. You can reach the office by calling 330.569.5188, or 330.569.3211, option 1 or by pressing 0, option 1 on any campus phone.

Citizenship Education

Ed Frato-Sweeney, Director of Residential and Citizenship Education
B.A., M.A., Miami University

Citizenship Education coordinates all student conduct procedures, training, hearings, and communications.  It also initiates efforts to educate students about voting and other citizenship opportunities, and produces the Hiram College Student Handbook.  The director’s office is located on the top floor of Bates Hall (Hayden entrance). 

Office of Campus Involvement

Sarah Dowd Dyer, Director of Campus Involvement
B.S., University of Louisiana

Web address: 
http://www.hiram.edu/campus-life/get-involved/clubs-and-organizations

The Office of Campus Involvement  (OCI) seeks to engage, inspire, and empower the students and student leaders of Hiram College. OCI strives to provide opportunities for students to get involved and find their place in the Hiram community.  OCI supports many aspects of campus life including student organizations, leadership development, and major event programming.  

Hiram College has nearly 90 registered student clubs and organizations, including academic societies, cultural groups, sports clubs, political action and special interest groups. These clubs and organizations provide students with endless opportunities to experience new activities, ideas and beliefs, develop public speaking and leadership skills, and to meet and interact with other students, faculty, staff and community members who share similar interests. Serving as a resource, OCI assists students and student organizations in various areas related to program planning and organization development. The Director of Campus Involvement also advises the Kennedy Center Programming Board, a student run organization that plans many of the comedians, artists, excursions, and events throughout the year. 

Our mission at Hiram College is to enable students of all ages to develop as intellectually alive, socially responsible, ethical citizens ready for leadership and for continuous personal and professional growth. The Office of Campus Involvement provides a variety of opportunities for students to enhance their leadership skills and empowers them to assume roles in all forms of leadership on campus and beyond. Programs such as the annual Emerging Leaders Retreat and yearly Student Leadership Awards ceremony recognize the importance of student leaders on campus.

Lastly, OCI supports major events and traditions on campus including the Involvement Fair, Welcome Week, Homecoming, and Springfest. The Involvement Fair is an opportunity for students who are interested in getting involved to connect with student organizations. Welcome Week takes place in the first week of classes and aims to engage students, during their first week on campus for the fall semester. Homecoming is a weekend full of activities including a parade, bon fire, and the homecoming dance. Lastly, Springfest is a cluster of activities that culminate during the spring semester.     

Office of Civic Engagement

The Office of Civic Engagement at Hiram College strives to enable students of all ages to develop as intellectually alive, socially responsible, ethical citizens ready for leadership and for continuous professional growth. The Office of Civic Engagement is a collaborative partnership with Hiram's Center for Engaged Ethics and seeks to engage students in opportunities to connect lessons from the classroom with the needs of our community, all the while helping students to reflect on ethical issues and consider how they will utilize their Hiram education in the future to better their communities.   Engaging in a process of Awareness, Reflection, and Action, students engage and serve in the community through diverse service learning courses, annual days of service, alternative spring break trips, individual community service opportunities, and participation with service clubs, athletic teams, sororities and fraternities.  Community partners include Hiram House Camp which serves urban youth and was founded in 1898 by Hiram Alumni, Hiram Farm Living and Learning Community which is an organic farm in Hiram serving adults on the Autism spectrum,  several area schools and community centers, the Hiram Community Garden, several animal and land preservation related organizations, Hattie Larlham which serveschildren and adults with developmental disabilities, Robinson Memorial Hospital, and area organizations serving the elderly.   

Service Learning Courses

Service Learning, as defined by Learn and Serve America, "is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities."

Service Learning Courses (SL) are 1-4 credit hour courses which fulfill the following criteria:

• Provide academic content and experiences whose student-learning outcomes are enhanced by activities beyond the traditional classroom
• Provide service activities, which by design reinforce course learning objectives & enhance student learning
• Identify and provide a service, such as volunteering of time and giving of resources, to members of a local, national, global or ecological community
• Offer structured opportunities for reflection
• Enhance civic responsibility and create a broader understanding of opportunities for civic engagement within the discipline being taught
• Provide student preparation and support for service activities
• Respect and acknowledge the sustainability of the service and relationship with the community partner(s)
• Maintain mutual respect and reciprocity between students and the community partner
• Include systems for student, course, and community partner evaluations
• Include a minimal of 20 hours of service, including at least five direct contact hours with an agency and/or its clientele.  Up to 10% of service hours may include transportation and/or an orientation given by the agency. 

Diversity and Inclusion

Detra M. West, Associate Dean of Students/Director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
B.S., Valdosta State University;
M.A., Cleveland State University

Web address: http://www.hiram.edu/campus-life/get-involved/diversity

Diversity at Hiram encompasses acceptance, respect, collaboration, empowerment, and inclusion.  Diversity also means understanding that each individual is unique and that our commonalities and differences make the opinions, ideas, and  contributions we have to offer all the more valuable.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) is organized to work in a focused way with individuals and groups to advance the College's long standing goal of attracting and sustaining a vibrant and healthy multicultural community.    Throughout the year, ODI actively engages in a variety of programs and strategic initiatives that are intended to promote mutual understanding and respect for all members and guests of our diverse community.

Counseling Center

Kevin P. Feisthamel, Director of Counseling, Health and Disability Services
B.A. University of Connecticut
M.A. John Carroll University
Ph.D. University of Akron
Web address:
http://www.hiram.edu/resources/health-counseling-and-disability-services/counseling-services

Emotional health is important to an overall sense of well-being. The Counseling Center is available to help Hiram students to be able to fully participate in both their academic life and their campus involvement. College can be the best of times, but there also may be times of challenges, stresses, and distresses. The Counseling Center staff is available to provide assistance and support to students during difficult times in their lives or simply to provide a listening ear.

Problems and concerns that interfere with a student’s ability to focus on coursework or to enjoy the many opportunities for learning and having fun outside the classroom are the kinds of issues that students often bring to the Counseling Center. The focus of the Hiram College Counseling Center is to help students with the short-term issues that are typical of this age. Students who have mental health issues that are long term in nature, that are chronic, or that require specialized treatment or monitoring will need to seek treatment with a private mental health professional in one of the neighboring communities.

On-campus counseling services are free of charge to full-time, traditional students. Fees for off-campus services will be the financial responsibility of the student. Students are also responsible for providing their own transportation to off-campus appointments.

Information shared with a counselor remains confidential and in no way reflects upon the student’s academic record. The Counseling Center does not release information without the student’s knowledge and consent, unless state or federal law mandates release of that information or there is clear indication of threat to the safety of the student or to the community at large.

Disability Services

Kevin P. Feisthamel, Director of Counseling, Health and Disability Services
B.A. University of Connecticut
M.A. John Carroll University
Ph.D. University of Akron

Web address:
http://www.hiram.edu/resources/health-counseling-and-disability-services/disability-services

The College makes every effort to provide reasonable assistance to students with permanent or temporary disabling conditions. In providing support services to students with special needs, our goal is not only to provide the support that is needed in order to have the opportunity for academic success here at Hiram, but also to help develop both the functional skills and the skills of self-advocacy that will help students in their lives after Hiram.

In order for accommodation requests to be considered, the following documentation must be provided: a self-disclosure form identifying the specific diagnosis of the disability; current documentation of the disability (a copy of the most recent IEP or 504 plan is helpful, but typically does not contain all of the documentation needed); educational, developmental and medical history relevant to the disability; copy of the most recent reports or evaluations containing the actual scores of testing/assessments; specific information as to how the disability impedes college life and academic performance; and suggested accommodations. The College reserves the right to require more detailed or more current documentation when necessary to consider accommodation requests. Students are encouraged to contact the Director of Disability Services early in their college career to discuss any anticipated special needs.

The Hiram College Library

David Everett, Library Director
B.A. Centre College
M.A. Montana State University
M.L.S. Syracuse University

The Hiram College Library offers an exciting mix of the old and new, especially in its collections, where print and physical items compete with a growing digital collection. The library has a physical collection of more than 200,000 books, nearly 200 current print periodical subscriptions, more than 10,000 CDs from all music genres, and 2,500 videos.

At the same time, the library offers access to more than 136,000 e-books, 70,000 periodicals (with more than 7,000 current titles), and thousands of digital images, videos, and sound files.

Opened in 1995, the Library offers a variety of physical spaces for student use, ranging from quiet study space for individuals, to group study rooms, to areas for group collaborations. The library offers 16 public-access computers, as well as laptops that are available for checkout at the Circulation Desk for use within the library. Media Services, located on the lower level of the building, offers additional technology options, such as scanners, a printer capable of poster size, and a 3D printer.

The library is a member of OhioLINK, a consortium of 121 academic libraries and the State Library of Ohio. The combined catalog of OhioLINK members provides members of the Hiram College community with access to more than 50 million books and other library materials. Students, faculty, and staff are able to borrow items through the OhioLINK catalog under the rules set forth by the OhioLINK community.

Instruction in how to use the library’s many resources is part of the First-Year Program. Additional formal instruction is offered, and reference librarians are available to assist library users. Many of the library’s digital resources are available 24/7 from wherever Hiram students, faculty, and staff have Internet access.

Hiram Library

Registrar's Office

The Registrar’s Office pledges to maintain the highest level of academic integrity and ethical behavior, delivering exceptional administrative service to all individuals. The Office commits to the integrity, confidentiality, and security of institutional records; to the development and implementation of effective policies and management systems; and to the accurate interpretation of such information to all constituencies.

Services provided by the Registrar’s Office

The Registrar’s Office provides many services to the Hiram community, including the following:

• Enrollment verification
• Transcripts
• Verification of Good standing
• Registration and Class Schedule
• Declaration of major, minor, and advisor
• Processing of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and all transfer credit
• Processing grade mailers upon student request

Academic records

Hiram College is committed to the protection and confidentiality of student educational records, adhering closely to the guidelines established by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which is a federal legislation established to regulate access and maintenance of student educational records.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords certain rights to students in respect to their education records, including the right to inspect their education records; to request an amendment of the records that the student believes are inaccurate; and to control disclosures of their records except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. It is important to note that all rights to access move to the student when that student (regardless of age) is in a post-secondary educational institution; parents, spouses, and significant others have no inherent right to access to student education records. Education records, for the most part and with certain exceptions, include all records maintained in any medium which can identify the student.

Please visit the Registrar’s Office website or see below to view Hiram’s Annual Notification to Students regarding their FERPA rights and the exceptions to the requirement of prior student consent for release of student record information.

Directory Information

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), Hiram College may release, on an unlimited basis, a student’s Directory Information, which is defined as that information not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Directory Information includes:

• Student’s name
• Local and permanent addresses
• Email address
• Telephone listing
• Date of birth
• Dates of attendance
• Class level (undergraduate/graduate, first-year, sophomore, etc.)
• Degrees conferred
• Honors and awards received
• Major field(s) of study
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Weight and height of members of athletic teams
• Final theses/Capstones titles
• Photograph
• Most recent previous educational agency or institution attended

Hiram students may withhold the release of their Directory Information by notifying the Registrar within the first week of the fall semester using the Request To Withhold Directory Information Form available in the Registrar’s Office or on our website. Such a request to withhold information remains in effect until revoked in writing by the student, regardless of whether the student is a current, withdrawn, or graduated student. Please note that such a request is binding for all of the above Directory Information listing and to all parties other than for those exceptions allowed under the Act.

Students should carefully consider the consequences of any decision made to withhold directory information as any future requests for such information (even those received after graduation) from other schools, prospective employers or other persons or organizations will be refused. Hiram College will honor the request to withhold all directory information, but cannot assume responsibility to contact the student every time a request is received. Regardless of the effect upon the student, Hiram College assumes no liability for honoring the student’s instructions that such information be withheld. Any questions can be directed to the Registrar’s Office, Student Service Suite, Teachout-Price Building, or PO Box 67, Hiram OH 44234; 330.569.5210.

Annual Notification of Students Rights Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), students enrolled at Hiram College are hereby notified of their rights to their education records:

1. Students have the right to inspect and review their education records within 45 days of the day Hiram College receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Registrar's Office written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Registrar will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the Registrar's Office, the student shall be advised of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

a. A student is defined as any person for whom an education record is maintained by Hiram College and who has begun attending classes at Hiram College.

b. In general, an education record is defined as any records in any medium directly related to a student and maintained by the institution or by a party acting for the institution. An education record is any record in handwriting, print, tape, microfilm, electronic file or other medium maintained by Hiram College.

The following exemptions are not part of the education record or subject to this Act:

i. Personal records maintained by the College staff/faculty if kept in the sole possessions of that individual, and the information is not accessible or revealed to any other person, e.g. faculty grade book, advising file.

ii. Employment records not contingent on the student’s enrollment.  (Therefore, student worker records, evaluations, files are part of a student’s education record).

iii. Law enforcement records that are created by a law enforcement agency for that purpose.

iv. Medical and psychological records used solely for treatment.

v. Alumni records containing information relating to a person after that person is no longer a student at Hiram.

2. Students have the right to request that the College amend an education record that the student believes to be inaccurate. Students should write to the Registrar, clearly identifying the part of the record they want changed and specifying why it is inaccurate. If Hiram College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the student shall be notified of the decision and advised as to his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. Students have the right to provide written consent before Hiram College discloses personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests.

a. A school official is a person employed by Hiram College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom Hiram College has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, collection agent, degree conferral agent, document managing agent, and placement sites for internship, clinical, or similar student work/study opportunities); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks; consultants, volunteers or other outside parties to whom Hiram College has outsourced institutional services or functions that it would otherwise use employees to perform. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

b. As allowed within FERPA guidelines, Hiram College may disclose education records without consent to officials of another school, upon request, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

4. Students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Hiram College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, 20202-4605.

5. At its discretion, Hiram College may provide Directory Information in accordance with the provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. Directory Information is defined as that information which would not generally be considered harmful or invasive of privacy if disclosed. Designated Directory Information at Hiram College includes the following: student name, permanent address, local address, temporary address, electronic mail address, telephone number(s), date of birth, dates of attendance, class level (undergraduate/graduate, first-year, sophomore, etc.), degrees conferred, honors and awards received, major field(s) of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of athletic team members, final theses/capstones, photograph, most recent previous educational agency or institution attended.

Students may withhold Directory Information by notifying the Registrar in writing within the first week of the academic semester the request is to become effective. (A request form to withhold Directory Information is available in the Registrar’s Office). Please note that such withholding requests are binding for all information to all parties other than for those exceptions allowed under the Act. Students should carefully consider the consequences of any decision made to withhold directory information as any future requests for such information from other schools, prospective employers or other persons or organizations will be refused. Hiram College will honor the request to withhold all directory information, but cannot assume responsibility to contact the student every time a request is received. Regardless of the effect upon the student, Hiram College assumes no liability for honoring the student’s instructions that such information be withheld.

Documentation of FERPA violations is maintained in the Registrar’s Office and in the Office of the Vice President and Dean of the College.

6.As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education's FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records — including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information — may be accessed without your consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities ("Federal and State Authorities") may allow access to your records and PII without your consent to any third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is "principally engaged in the provision of education," such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution. Second, Federal and State Authorities may allow access to your education records and PII without your consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when we object to or do not request such research. Federal and State Authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive your PII, but the Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without your consent PII from your education records, and they may track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you that they obtain from other Federal or State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.

Academic Records of Deceased Students

Upon a student’s death, education records are no longer protected under FERPA. As such, the disposition of records pertaining to a deceased individual is not a FERPA issue but a matter of institutional policy. Hiram College maintains full discretion in deciding whether, and under what conditions, education records of deceased students should be disclosed.

In general, the College will not release education records but may do so under the following conditions:

• The Registrar’s Office will release such records if the College receives a valid subpoena requesting such records.
• The Registrar’s Office may choose to release such records with the written authorization of the executor of the deceased student’s estate or next of kin, if an executor has not been appointed. Such individual would need to provide proof of the student’s death (i.e., death certificate or obituary notice). The request will be reviewed by the Registrar and the Academic Dean of the College, or their designates, who will make the determination on a case-by-case basis.  Requests should be sent to Hiram College Registrar’s Office, PO Box 67, Hiram, OH 44234.

Religious Life

Christopher McCreight, Chaplain
B.A., Hiram College
M.Div., Emory University

The Hiram College religious tradition is well-represented by James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States, who gained local renown as a lay preacher through his debates with itinerant atheists. Hiram has a continuing relationship with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and a special scholarship fund exists for children of Disciples of Christ families and ministers. Because of this tradition, current religious life at the College is open and free of any sectarian emphasis.

Organized opportunities for worship and religious education, fellowship, and service exist for Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim students. All are welcome. The College Chaplain, along with student groups, seeks to plan programs of interest to all students and to assist any student to express his or her religious tradition. Special attention is paid to both tradition-specific and interfaith programming in the Fisher All Faith Chapel and Meeting House.

The College has a special relationship with the Hiram Christian Church, which is adjacent to the campus. The church welcomes persons of many religious traditions, and students may retain membership in their home churches while affiliating as associate members of the Hiram church.

The College Chaplain is available for personal and spiritual counseling, as well as for advising religious groups and assisting Religious Life programming.

Residential Education

Ed Frato-Sweeney, Director of Residential and Citizenship Education
B. Phil., Miami University
M.A., Miami University

TJ Wasserman, Assistant Director of Residential Education
B.A., Heidelberg University
M.Ed., Kent State University

Kelly Johns, Coordinator of Housing Operations
B.A., Kent State University

Andrew Palmer, Resident Director
B.A., Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Katherine Snyder, Resident Director
B.A., University of Akron

Danielle Thompson, Resident Director
B.S., Friends University

Craig Workman, Resident Director
B.A., Kent State University

Web address http://www.hiram.edu/campus-life/life/residence-life 

The Office of Residential Education at Hiram aims to supplement as well as complement the classroom experience of each student. A goal of our Residential Education program is to motivate students to become interested in the process of their own education and development. In the classroom, the professor is concerned with the development of the intellect. In the Residential Education Office, the staff is concerned with the total effectiveness of individuals in dealing with all aspects of their environment. The staff is concerned with the students’ ability to relate to others, solve problems, make decisions and compromises, and above all, to better understand who they are, through increased awareness of their interests, aptitudes, abilities, and limitations.

The staff is responsible for providing activities and programs that will enhance the educational process and provide interesting and entertaining opportunities for students to enjoy. If you have any ideas, questions or concerns, please stop by or call the office.

The Residential Education Office is located in Bates Hall. The telephone number is 330.569.5232.

Special Events

Martha Schettler, Director, Special Events and Catering
B.A., Slippery Rock University

Student Health Services

Gayle Galan, M.D., Medical Director
B.A, Case Western Reserve University;
M.D., Case Western Reserve University

Asha Goodner, APRN-BC, FNP, Director of Student Health Services
B.S., University of Richmond;
B.S., M.S., Virginia Commonwealth University

Marjie Billock, RN

Tricia Fincham, Health Center Coordinator
B.A., Hiram College
 
Web address:  http://www.hiram.edu/directory/departmental/health-center

Hiram College Student Health Services, located in the Julia Church Health Center, offers primary health care for a residential college community. In addition, we integrate primary care with epidemiological and educational services that both prevent and heal. Good physical/mental/spiritual health and healthy habits enhance one’s ability to learn and achieve.

Appointments are available Monday through Friday with a nurse practitioner and once a week with a physician. A physician is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Health education programming is available at various locations on campus throughout the academic year.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM: THE HIRAM PLAN

Hiram College uses an innovative academic program which is designed to strengthen the educational partnership between faculty and students that has always defined a Hiram education. The Hiram Plan combines the best aspects of a traditional semester calendar with the benefits of the intensive educational opportunities offered through concentration on a single course.

Through the Hiram Plan, each academic semester is divided into two sessions: one of twelve weeks and one of three weeks. During the twelve-week session, students usually enroll in three courses of four semester hours each. The longer session provides a suitable format for courses which cover a broad range of material, allows students to integrate what they learn in their concurrent classes, and provides opportunities for substantial research and writing projects.

During the three-week session, each student enrolls in one three- or four- hour seminar or course, each of which will have a limited enrollment. Each faculty member will teach only one course or seminar during the three-week session. These intensive classes provide students and faculty with numerous special opportunities that are not possible in the twelve-week sessions. The students and faculty participating in a seminar can, for example, meet at any time or location mutually agreeable. Faculty have developed special topic courses which include field trips, experiential learning, and numerous study abroad opportunities. The three-week sessions provide students with an intensive learning opportunity, which is useful preparation for work or graduate and professional studies after Hiram. Perhaps most importantly, the small class sizes and daily class meetings experienced in the three-week session enable students and faculty to form close, educationally meaningful relationships that often last a lifetime.

HIRAM CONNECT

Hiram Connect, effective Fall 2015, requires new first-year students to integrate and apply classroom learning with high-impact out-of-classroom experiences, strengthening intentional career exploration and personal development through reflection.

Over the course of their time at Hiram, students will develop critical reflection skills that will enhance their ability to analyze Hiram Connect experiences and their lives beyond college. Experiences such as study abroad or study away, research, and/or internships will drive students to analyze key concepts from their coursework in order to refine or challenge previously held assumptions and expectations, articulate their personal growth in relation to future goals, and consider their relationships to their communities and the world.

Decisions about what to major in, how to complete their required Connect Experience, and what classes to take should not be taken lightly. To guide students in making the best possible decisions for themselves and their futures, Hiram Connect facilitates meaningful reflection at four important academic milestones, and throughout the curriculum.

Detailed information to better understand the Four Steps/Components of Connect can be found at http://www.hiram.edu/connect/

THE FIRST-YEAR PROGRAM AND COLLOQUIUM

Hiram prides itself on easing the transition from high school to college and begins this journey with Summer Orientation. Students and their families are invited to campus during the summer, where students will get together with one another, meet with staff and current students, and advise with a faculty member who will assist them in choosing and registering for their fall classes. New students will then arrive about a week before classes begin for “Institute,” where they will discuss a common reading as an introduction to college discourse, participate in social events, and gradually adjust to living away from home. In addition, during Institute week, each student has another opportunity to discuss with their advisor their academic interests and college graduation requirements, with the ability to adjust class schedules.

The First-Year Colloquium: One of the students’ three classes during their first 12-week term will be a four-hour Colloquium.  The Colloquia are a series of seminars on special topics across the liberal arts and sciences, designed to introduce students to college-level writing, critical thinking, and oral communication. Each Colloquium consists of a small group of First-Year students, an upper-class teaching assistant, and a professor. This Colloquium group, formed during the Institute, serves as the first step in the transition to college life. The First-Year Colloquium (FRCL) course is an integral part of Hiram’s general education curriculum and is a requirement for graduation. Failure to complete this course with a passing grade will result in an incomplete graduation status and will require the successful completion of two First-Year Seminar courses at Hiram College or some other appropriate writing equivalency approved by the Associate Dean of the College. Students with appropriate transfer credits will complete Foundations of the Liberal Arts in place of both the Colloquium and the First-Year Seminar, while students in College Credit Plus or Professional and Graduate Studies will complete Writing in the Liberal Arts (WRLA) in place of the Colloquium.

First-Year Colloquium Description: The Colloquium provides an exposure to college-level intellectual inquiry through an engagement with interesting and important ideas. Each course is centered on some idea (or theme or topic) or series of ideas fundamental to understanding and living. Through the careful and considerate examination of the course topic, the student will learn the following:

• Ideas have complexity and generality
• Ideas are connected to one another, and depend on and illuminate one another: knowledge is interdisciplinary in nature
• Much goes into understanding something well: students need to develop the capacity of critical inquiry 
• Histories and traditions of systematic inquiry can guide (and obscure) insight and understanding
• Reflective learning integrates these ideas into various spheres of students’ own lives—coursework, career, calling, character, and community

First-Year Colloquium Course Objectives: The Colloquium does not merely tell students about ideas. It rather challenges them to be actively engaged in thinking their way into ideas and traditions, guides them into developing their abilities at reasoned critical reflection about those ideas and traditions, and prompts them to connect that reflection to experiences beyond the course. Through the examination of the content of the Colloquium course, students will be challenged to develop their:

• ability to read, interpret and connect important material and experiences
• ability to think critically
• ability to write: students will write to learn
• ability to communicate orally: students will speak, participate in discussion, and present ideas
• ability to identify, evaluate, and use information appropriate for scholarly research
• ability to take advantage of the curricular and co-curricular opportunities at Hiram College

Course Description

FRCL 10101: FIRST-YEAR COLLOQUIUM 4 hour(s)

The Colloquium provides an exposure to college-level intellectual inquiry and the liberal arts through an engagement with interesting and important ideas. Each course is centered on some idea or series of ideas fundamental to understanding and living. Through the careful and considerate examination of the course topic, the student will learn that ideas have complexity and generality, that knowledge is interdisciplinary in nature, that much goes into understanding something well, that histories and traditions of systematic inquiry can guide (and obsure) insight and understanding, and that ideas inform various spheres of students' own lives--the personal, the vocational, and the public. Students in the FRCL are required to complete assigned readings, give at least one presentation, participate in class discussion, and to write two 3-5 page short essays and one 5-page essay with research.

Select Examples of FRCL Sections Offered:

MONEY, SEX & CONSPIRACY THEORY

In 1964, American historian Richard Hofstadter identified conspiracy theories and the ‘paranoid style’ as an endemic part of US history and politics. Since then, this paranoid view of the world has grown exponentially, largely because of the Internet where ideas can now reach millions, allowing new communities of like-minded conspiracy believers to blossom overnight. Conspiracy theories can be defined as secret plots by powerful people or organizations to carry out (usually sinister) goals. Dealing with the public’s widespread belief in such nefarious narratives has presented journalists, historians, and scientists with a growing challenge. When it becomes a global trend to explain major events by referring to conspiracy theories, however farfetched these may seem, that trend merits a thorough examination.  Some of the theories that we will discuss include but are not limited to conspiracies pertaining to the Illuminati bloodline, ritual oaths, the media and music industry, political assassinations, eugenics, the new world order, professional sport, and more.  Students will be required to complete and be prepared to thoughtfully discuss all course readings, to participate in curricular and co-curricular activities at the college, to give two oral presentations, (one will be your fashion show!) and to write two three-to-five page essays and one five-page essay with research.

KING ARTHUR THEN AND NOW

Why have stories of King Arthur and his knights have fascinated people for over a thousand years? Was there a real King Arthur? When do the stories begin and what was the true history of that time? Each era has reinterpreted the Arthurian legends in ways that reflects its values and priorities. What do recent versions of King Arthur tell us about our own culture? We will explore these question, and how they remains relevant for our society today, through readings, film, and social media. In some cases the knights of Arthur are depicted as super-human champions, and in others they are deeply flawed characters. We will deal with themes like leadership, violence, romantic love, gender roles, social class and economics, and how fictional characters influenced the ideas and behavior of real people. Enduring legends like those of King Arthur can tell us a great deal about ourselves and our world. Students will be required to complete and be prepared to thoughtfully discuss all course readings, to participate in curricular and co-curricular activities at the college, to give at least one oral presentation, and to write two three-to-five page essays and one five-page essay with research.

REBELS AND REFORMERS IN AMERICAN HISTORY

This course will introduce students to leading American activists and reformers. We will explore the ideas, the struggles, and the social impact of various rebels and reformers who led different movements for social change in the United States. We will pay specific attention to several reform movements, including the antislavery movement in nineteenth-century America, religious fundamentalism in the early 20th century, the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, and the modern movement for immigrant justice and immigrant rights. Students will examine the social conditions and perceived problems that gave rise to each movement as well as the movement's strategies for change. Students will also consider what made each reform movement more or less effective in achieving its goals, and what impact the movement had on the wider society. Students will reflect on their own experiences with movements for social change, how they have been affected by reform movements and if and how they may want to participate in social change movements. Students will be required to complete and be prepared to thoughtfully discuss all course readings, to participate in curricular and co-curricular activities at the college, to give at least one oral presentation, and to write two three-to-five-page essays and one five-page essay with research.

OUR CYBORG SELVES: TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS

In this course, students will discover ways in which various technologies have changed and continue to change the ways in which humans interact with each other. As far back as the invention of the book, which revolutionized human communication, technology has influenced the evolution of human relationships—for better and for worse. As a learning community, we will consider both obvious modern technologies, such as cell phones, computers, cloning, and virtual reality, but also less obvious technologies, such as the printing press, wheel, and microwave oven, and how they have modified the ways in which we interact with each other as well as even what we define as human. We will evaluate our own personal use of technology and society’s use of technology in our reading and our writing. Assigned readings will include the novels Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore and Frankenstein as well as numerous articles. Students will be required to complete and be prepared to thoughtfully discuss all course readings, to participate in curricular and co-curricular activities at the college, to give at least one oral presentation, and to write two three-to-five page essays and one five-page essay with research.

WRLA 10101: WRITING IN THE LIBERAL ARTS (WRLA) 4 hour(s)

Writing in the Liberal Arts [WRLA] provides an exposure to college-level intellectual inquiry through an engagement with interesting and important ideas. Each course is centered on some idea, theme, or topic fundamental to understanding and living. Through the careful and considerate examination of the course topic, the student will learn the following: • Ideas have complexity and generality • Ideas are connected to one another, and depend on and illuminate one another: knowledge is interdisciplinary in nature • Much goes into understanding something well: students need to develop the capacity of critical inquiry • Histories and traditions of systematic inquiry can guide (and obscure) insight and understanding • Reflective learning integrates these ideas into various spheres of students’ own lives—coursework, career, calling, character, and community Students will be required to complete and be prepared to discuss thoughtfully all course readings, to give at least one oral presentation, and to write at least three essays—with at least one including research--totaling approximately 15-20 pages of formal and revised written work.

FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR and FOUNDATIONS OF THE LIBERAL ARTS

Following their Colloquium, most first-year students will enroll during the 12-week spring semester in a First-Year Seminar (FSEM), a four-hour course. Students who start Hiram having already received credit for a Colloquium will alternatively take the Foundations of the Liberal Arts (FDLA) in their first term. Students will improve their ability to acquire and integrate new knowledge with roots in one or more of the disciplines taught in the College. These seminars seek to improve the students’ college-level writing and analytical abilities by emphasizing research across disciplines. These courses are an integral part of Hiram’s general education curriculum and is a requirement for graduation. Failure to complete an FSEM or FDLA with a passing grade will result in an incomplete graduation status and will require the successful completion of another First-Year Seminar OR Foundations course at Hiram College or some other appropriate writing equivalency approved by the Associate Dean of the College.

First-Year Seminar Course Objectives: Like Colloquia, the First-Year Seminar does not merely tell students about ideas. Rather, students are challenged to be actively engaged in thinking their way into the ideas and traditions, students are guided in developing their abilities at reasoned critical reflection about those ideas and traditions, and students learn information literacy and are guided through systematic systems of research and writing about those ideas and traditions. Through the examination of the content of the seminar, students will be challenged to develop their:

• Ability to write—students will write to learn
• Ability to communicate orally—students will participate in discussion and present on ideas to provoke understanding
• Ability to think critically
• Ability to read and interpret important material
• Ability to gather, evaluate, and properly use research
• Ability to recognize and analyze ethical issues
• Ability to take advantage of the residential setting of their education — to learn from others and to understand that knowing is social

Students in all First-Year Seminars will complete assigned readings, give at least one oral presentation, participate in class discussion, and write 25 pages total of formal, research-driven writing in three or four essays.

Course Description

FSEM 10201: FIRST YEAR SEMINAR 4 hour(s)

General education requirements at Hiram include two courses taken during a student's first year: Colloquium and First-Year Seminar. All first-year writing courses are small, discussion based, writing intensive classes designed to introduce students to Writing Across the Curriculum and to the concept of the liberal arts. First Year Seminars are often more discipline-specific than Colloquia and introduce students to writing in a particular field. The content of the course will obviously vary per section, but the academic purposes will remain essentially the same: to pay close attention to academic writing, to analyze and discuss a relevant literature, to promote thinking and inquiry, and to equip students with research skills that permit them to investigate important questions and hypotheses. Students in the First-Year Seminars will complete assigned readings, give at least one presentation, participate in class discussion, and write three 5-page essays and one 8-10 page research essay.

Select Examples of FSEM Sections Offered:

Sport and Literature

Through the study of non-fiction and autobiography, this course seeks to expand our cultural understanding of the importance of Sports. The Highlight and the Celebrity Profile, which are the primary sources of sports information, minimizes the complex social dynamics between different sports, athletes, and fans. At an immediate level we see sport as entertainment or an actual pastime that is a pleasant diversion from our regular routines. However, we will also use ethics to look at the darker side of Sports as well. The violent nature of some physical sport has been an important element of what sports that we consider as ‘mere’ entertainment. We will discuss biography, race, class, and gender in relation to our fondness for violent and non-violent entertainment. I have chosen works that emphasize the traditional aspects inherent in Sport such as determination, toughness, and winning and losing. We will also look at the way that the literature of sport portrays its human contestants off the field. Sport reaffirms our status as humans that are part of a social group, but sport also is a means of achieving a kind of immortality. Thus, what is the connection between sport and the fact that the Greek Gods and Goddesses lived on Mount Olympus?

Madness in the Media

It has been argued that portrayals of mental illness in the media shape public attitudes, knowledge and beliefs about what it means to live with a mental disorder. We will explore this question by examining the ways in which mental illness is depicted in the media and how this compares to personal narratives of mental illness. We will also discuss how media portrayals have changed over time and whether media has been used effectively to reduce negative perceptions of mental illness.  

Enduring Political Questions

This course tries to answer enduring political questions such as the following: What is human nature? Is the existence of the state (e.g., government) justified? Who should govern? How should property and wealth be distributed? What is the relationship between liberty and equality? And, is violent political change ever justified? These types of fundamental questions will be explored by reading the works of prominent political philosophers and thinkers. Students will be asked to link the content of these important works to their own lives and current events. A central lesson emerging from this course is that “politics” should not necessarily be viewed in pejorative (e.g., negative) terms. Instead, “politics” is an integral and unavoidable part of human existence, interaction, and organization. The answers to these enduring political questions ultimately affect the type of society and polity in which we live, and that we which to create for the future.

Tuskegee and Baltimore: A Thousand Perspectives

In 1932, Taliaferro Clark proposed a six to nine month study of untreated syphilis in African-American males. In 1951, George Gey requested a tissue sample from a colleague in order to develop a human tissue cell line. Clark’s proposal would become the infamous Tuskegee experiments and would lead to the establishment of the U.S. Office of Human Research Protection. Gey’s request would develop HeLa cells and most of the medical advances of the last fifty years. The goal of this class is to examine these cases, and others, to determine how these small experiments spiraled into such controversial programs and understand the mindset of the individuals involved.