Initiatives of the CAS Strategic Plan
The college will elevate interdisciplinary and intercultural programs and promote transformative experiential education focused on addressing pressing global challenges through: endowed professorships/chairs; competitive grants to support existing and new projects/programs; furthering student participation in programs via scholarships; organizing and bolstering existing and new programming and opportunities for student experiential learning; annual symposia and/or workshops.
The most challenging real-world problems facing humanity are multifaceted and require interdisciplinary approaches to address. Bridging boundaries between disciplines and borders between communities is critical for personal growth, deeper understanding of complex issues, and building relationships across difference for students and faculty. More support is needed for study abroad programs led by St. Thomas faculty (especially shorter term trips) that have profound impact on student understanding of complex multicultural issues. Current interdisciplinary work is spread across the college in uncoordinated fashion; coordination through a center would enable synergies to be leveraged and facilitate activities that draw positive attention to the university. Endowed chairs/professorships help with faculty retention and recruitment, and provide budget relief that can provide the means for broader support of programs and people.