ONE Northwood University

Jan 25, 2008

The EXCEL program

Northwood Colleagues:

One of the activities about which we can be most proud is the EXCEL program. We at Northwood work hard to make sure our graduates leave our campus understanding leadership means a commitment to both their businesses and their communities. The EXCEL program, developed in 1998, helps serve that purpose. Through the program, each student receives a Student Development Transcript (SDT), a document equivalent to the academic transcript. The SDT is an official document of a student’s extra-curricular activities and is submitted along with the academic transcript whenever a scholarship committee or prospective employer requests a NU transcript. Together, the SDT and academic transcript are the NU transcript.

Unlike other universities with similar programs where students might not put value into volunteer activities until graduation is at hand, we wanted our students to have four years of activities on their transcripts. We thought the best and most accurate way to do this was to make the program mandatory, starting on a student’s first day at Northwood.

No matter how much or how little a student puts into the program, even if a SDT shows no activities, it will be issued along with the academic transcript. If blank, it will appear as if the student participated in nothing outside of the classroom. A SDT listing club memberships, arts workshop participation, or employment and volunteering accompanying an academic transcript of Bs and Cs will be more impressive than the academic transcript alone. Many people who recruit recent college graduates for employment have said they are more impressed by someone who had average grades with a variety of extra-curricular learning experiences than by someone with straight As and few experiences outside the classroom. An important part of the EXCEL experience enforces Outcomes Number 9 and 10* as we place the responsibility for updating and maintaining the SDT with the student.

On each campus, over 60 opportunities are offered each year which allow students to participate and, in turn, accumulate EXCEL credit. With a goal of participating in at least five EXCEL activities each year, students choose from activities which include professional development, leadership, volunteer work, involvement in the arts, and involvement in organizations or campus activities.

In Florida, Carol Wagmeister oversees EXCEL; in Michigan, it’s Alisha Beckrow; and in Texas, Dalia Arellano is in charge.

EXCEL works for many reasons. First and foremost, this program receives full support from all faculty, staff, and administration. Not a day goes by that EXCEL is not mentioned in a class, in a meeting, in a campus email or voicemail, in an advertisement for a campus activity, in recruiting new students, or in a casual conversation. And, just as important, it has the support of the student body.

Greta Henglein, Dean of Students at the Florida campus, is eloquent about EXCEL. “In the 25 years that I have been working in higher education, I have never encountered a program like our EXCEL Student Development Program. Most universities do emphasize educational programming and volunteer service for their students, and most universities have a co-curricular transcripting option for their students. I am not aware of any universities, though, which stress out-of-classroom learning so much that they have established a Student Development Transcript for every single one of their students. It is also unique that this transcript always accompanies a student’s academic transcript, whenever a student requests that their transcripts be sent to scholarship and admissions committees, and prospective employers.

“In the organizations and activities category, a student at most universities can indicate they have been a member of an organization and it will be documented as such on their co-curricular transcript. At Northwood, students cannot have their involvement in campus organizations documented on their transcript unless they have participated in 75% of that organization’s meetings and activities (95% if they hold leadership positions in that organization). In this way, Northwood is setting a much higher standard than is typical, in terms of student organization involvement.”

Students love the opportunity to go beyond the classroom. John Fischetti, Class of 2007, says, “The EXCEL program has helped open my eyes to new experiences both on and off campus and has helped me develop into a better leader and a better person.” From the Class of 2009, J. Akeem Saunders encourages all students to participate, “because they truly do enrich your college experience by broadening your horizons and refining the skills you need in order to become an effective leader and business person.”

When students make a commitment to attend Northwood University we, in turn, make a commitment to them. As our mission states, we develop the future leaders of a global, free-enterprise society. In order to do that, we must educate the whole person. We promise a transformation of character, from student to graduate to leader. The EXCEL program plays a large role in this transformation.

I applaud all who make EXCEL a vital part of the Northwood experience. Please join me in celebrating this very successful program and commending the people who make it happen.
Keep up the good work.

Keith A. Pretty, J.D.
President and CEO
Northwood University
4000 Whiting Drive
Midland, MI 48640
989.837.4203 (phone)
989.832.9590 (fax)

pretty@northwood.edu

*Outcome Number 9: Are effective self-evaluators
*Outcome Number 10: Are action oriented.

Jan 25, 2008
	The EXCEL program Northwood Colleagues: One of the activities about which we can be most proud is the EXCEL program. We at Northwood work hard to make sure our graduates leave our campus understanding leadership means a commitment to both their businesses and their communities. The EXCEL program, developed in 1998, helps serve that purpose. Through the program, each student receives a Student Development Transcript (SDT), a document equivalent to the academic transcript. The SDT is an official document of a student’s extra-curricular activities and is submitted along with the academic transcript whenever a scholarship committee or prospective employer requests a NU transcript. Together, the SDT and academic transcript are the NU transcript. Unlike other universities with similar programs where students might not put value into volunteer activities until graduation is at hand, we wanted our students to have four years of activities on their transcripts. We thought the best and most accurate way to do this was to make the program mandatory, starting on a student’s first day at Northwood. No matter how much or how little a student puts into the program, even if a SDT shows no activities, it will be issued along with the academic transcript. If blank, it will appear as if the student participated in nothing outside of the classroom. A SDT listing club memberships, arts workshop participation, or employment and volunteering accompanying an academic transcript of Bs and Cs will be more impressive than the academic transcript alone. Many people who recruit recent college graduates for employment have said they are more impressed by someone who had average grades with a variety of extra-curricular learning experiences than by someone with straight As and few experiences outside the classroom. An important part of the EXCEL experience enforces Outcomes Number 9 and 10* as we place the responsibility for updating and maintaining the SDT with the student. On each campus, over 60 opportunities are offered each year which allow students to participate and, in turn, accumulate EXCEL credit. With a goal of participating in at least five EXCEL activities each year, students choose from activities which include professional development, leadership, volunteer work, involvement in the arts, and involvement in organizations or campus activities. In Florida, Carol Wagmeister oversees EXCEL; in Michigan, it’s Alisha Beckrow; and in Texas, Dalia Arellano is in charge. EXCEL works for many reasons. First and foremost, this program receives full support from all faculty, staff, and administration. Not a day goes by that EXCEL is not mentioned in a class, in a meeting, in a campus email or voicemail, in an advertisement for a campus activity, in recruiting new students, or in a casual conversation. And, just as important, it has the support of the student body. Greta Henglein, Dean of Students at the Florida campus, is eloquent about EXCEL. “In the 25 years that I have been working in higher education, I have never encountered a program like our EXCEL Student Development Program. Most universities do emphasize educational programming and volunteer service for their students, and most universities have a co-curricular transcripting option for their students. I am not aware of any universities, though, which stress out-of-classroom learning so much that they have established a Student Development Transcript for every single one of their students. It is also unique that this transcript always accompanies a student’s academic transcript, whenever a student requests that their transcripts be sent to scholarship and admissions committees, and prospective employers. “In the organizations and activities category, a student at most universities can indicate they have been a member of an organization and it will be documented as such on their co-curricular transcript. At Northwood, students cannot have their involvement in campus organizations documented on their transcript unless they have participated in 75% of that organization’s meetings and activities (95% if they hold leadership positions in that organization). In this way, Northwood is setting a much higher standard than is typical, in terms of student organization involvement.” Students love the opportunity to go beyond the classroom. John Fischetti, Class of 2007, says, “The EXCEL program has helped open my eyes to new experiences both on and off campus and has helped me develop into a better leader and a better person.” From the Class of 2009, J. Akeem Saunders encourages all students to participate, “because they truly do enrich your college experience by broadening your horizons and refining the skills you need in order to become an effective leader and business person.” When students make a commitment to attend Northwood University we, in turn, make a commitment to them. As our mission states, we develop the future leaders of a global, free-enterprise society. In order to do that, we must educate the whole person. We promise a transformation of character, from student to graduate to leader. The EXCEL program plays a large role in this transformation. I applaud all who make EXCEL a vital part of the Northwood experience. Please join me in celebrating this very successful program and commending the people who make it happen. Keep up the good work. Keith A. Pretty, J.D. President and CEO Northwood University 4000 Whiting Drive Midland, MI 48640 989.837.4203 (phone) 989.832.9590 (fax) pretty@northwood.edu Outcome Number 9: Are effective self-evaluators Outcome Number 10: Are action oriented.