“High impact practices” (“HIP”) is a buzz word in higher education. Such practices are alleged to produce motivated students and loyal alumni of the university. Activities that have a high impact on students include:

• Varsity and intermural sports,
• Studying and traveling abroad,
• Research with a faculty member,
• Internships,
• Capstone courses.

As graduation day approaches on Saturday without the usual ceremony, I am thinking of the students I would like to be saying goodbyes to, especially the bloggers from my social media classes and a group of honors students, formerly known as the COBE Fellows that I escorted to Manhattan to visit businesses and see the sights of the big city when they were rising juniors.

I hope that both activities, blogging for a semester, and visiting the business capital of the world, were high-impact! I have been looking through a semester’s worth of blogs this week, but have also thought of that first Fellows group, most of whom are graduating from Radford on Saturday, COVID-style.

The NYC Adventure

Two years ago the COBE Fellows visited an impressive group of financial, fashion, consulting companies and even a supranational organization. We stayed a few blocks from Times Square for a week with no problems (at least that the students let me know about.)

After a nightmare in planning and logistics for me, putting the trip together, two members of the group really stepped up and handled the logistics in NYC, allowing me and a guest chaperone, Teresa Dickens, from career services, to enjoy the trip and interact with our local hosts.

COBE Fellows were invited into a private briefing at the UN, treated to several meals by kind alumni, gained significant business insight, and had a fascinating trip.

Of course, the students went to see the bull of Wall Street…

Even the trip from Roanoke to Penn Station and back via Amtrak was memorable. Business, culture, fun, and fellowship was packed into 5 days.

Was it truly a high-impact experience?

Reflecting on the week, it clearly was a high-impact experience!

I hope it was for the students also…