Purdue astronaut Donald Williams remarked, “For those who have seen the Earth from space and for the hundreds and perhaps thousands more who will, the experience most certainly changes your perspective. The things that we share in our world are far more valuable than those which divide us."
Like the experience of seeing the Earth from the moon, when we allow ourselves to experience new perspectives we open ourselves up to what unites us. In step with Purdue’s rich history of expanding how we view the world, the Perspective Project seeks to unite the unique viewpoints of instructors, staff and students in a pioneering initiative to incorporate well-being concepts into the academic curriculum.
As a Perspective Project partner, you will work with campus colleagues to integrate the Steps to Leaps pillars into the classroom. Partners can be either Instructor Partners, Purdue instructors interested in incorporating the S2L pillars into their classroom, or Resource Partners, campus staff interested in leveraging their services to complement how the S2L pillars are woven into the classroom experience. Partners work together on the mutual goal of enhancing the academic experience by bridging academic curriculum and well-being constructs. In doing so, learning becomes more personal and reflective while instructor and resource partners gain new insights into their students' well-being and the services campus has to offer.
For more information on becoming an instructor partner, email Heather Servaty-Seib, PhD, senior associate vice provost for Teaching and Learning, professor of Counseling Psychology.
For more information on becoming a resource partner, email Will Evans, senior assistant director wellness, or Stephanie Knight, director, Roger C. Stewart Leadership and Professional Development Department.
Instructor and Resource Partners will work together to weave the pillars into the classroom. Students will be given reflective opportunities to make connections between their academic pursuits and personal well-being. Instructors will gain a deeper perspective of their students’ well-being and experiences through these reflections. Campus resource professionals will be allowed to share campus services that contribute to students’ pursuit of well-being. By sharing their unique perspectives, instructors, staff and students will create a richer human experience at Purdue and beyond.
Examples of past Perspective Project courses are available here.