Brooks College 2014-2015 Annual Report
A Message from Dean Anne L. Hiskes
It is my great pleasure to present the 2014-2015 Annual Report of the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies. The contents of this report represent only a fraction of the activities and events that comprise a busy academic year in a dynamic college such as the Brooks College, and only a sample of the achievements and recognitions of the college’s talented students, faculty, and staff.
This report, like reports of past years, organizes Brooks College events and activities under four separate themes — interdisciplinary innovation, reframing the world, applying sustainable practices, and connecting with community. These recurring themes resonate deeply with the Brooks College mission and vision. Together they describe what the college is all about — preparing a diverse population of learners to address the complex, “wicked” social problems of an ever-changing and interconnected world, and to make a difference.
A perfect example of the convergence of these themes to achieve a transformative learning experience may be found with the new Civil Discourse course — Detroit’s Public Dialogues: Listening Across Differences, Seeing Beyond Stereotypes, Talking Among Communities — taught in Fall 2014 by the first Padnos/Sarosik Endowed Professor of Civil Discourse (see page 5). A second outstanding example of this kind of integration is found with the new sustainable food systems certificate program, which is also open to community members who are not pursuing a degree. Participants in the program gain hands-on experience and learn about the environmental, economic, and social justice dimensions of local and global food systems (see page 21).
While the themes of interdisciplinary innovation, reframing the world, sustainability, and community engagement have always applied at least individually to Brooks College programs, I believe that the college has been making steady progress toward embedding all four themes simultaneously within each of its programs. Throughout this report, the reader will also see a trend toward increasing opportunities for students to be self-directed, active learners. This is the overarching message of the 2014-2015 Brooks College annual report — how interdisciplinary innovation, community engagement, sustainability education, and the reshaping of worlds all come together to create a vibrant learning environment where students develop 21st century problem-solving skills.
I invite you to read this report and enjoy the unfolding of the Brooks College vision.
