Stephens exemplifies cross campus collaboration

As a reporter mostly covering higher education you hear a lot of buzzwords, such as “interdisciplinary” and “collaboration.”

Honestly, I haven’t heard those used much around Stephens, but then again when something is so engrained in your nature, maybe you don’t have to sit around and talk about it?

Because the cross-campus collaboration I see at Stephens is really incredible. I’m not even sure everyone on campus sees how incredible it is.

A few examples:

* Last week, I wrote about how a student studying creative writing (I can’t tell you her major because she actually worked with her adviser to customize it to meet her specific needs–how cool is that?) teamed up with a film student to create a PSA for the children’s school operated by the education department.

* The whole campus got together to collect and donate recycled goods to our theatre department for their upcoming production of “The Tempest” (I am so excited about seeing that).

*A graphic design student, Kate Rudder, also created the awesome poster being used to promote “The Tempest.” It’s seriously awesome – check it out.

*A design student also works with writers to come up with covers for Stephens’ award-winning literary journal. (Design students get other professional opportunities — students in Kristen Brown’s class designed Columbia’s Artrageous Fridays! posters.)

* Everyone on campus was invited to help critique fashions last week (I’m not stylish enough yet to participate in that one).

*Our journalism students and film students are teaming up tomorrow. I’ll tell you more about that one later.  (I have to be strategic about these things, you know.)

Now maybe that doesn’t seem like a lot of examples of interdisciplinary work, but keep in mind I’ve only been here a month. Ask me in a few months and I’m sure I’ll list at least 20.

Actually, you don’t have to ask me. I’m not above bragging about how interdisciplinary and collaborative we are.