The Journal

Issue date: 9/20/07 Section: Opinion/Editorial

Since students were freshmen, they've been told to get involved - whether by voting in elections, joining a student organization, being an athlete or just coming to events on campus. Students have heard time and time again that there's more to college than just going to class. Unfortunately, there seems to be an entire school that either has never heard or never heeded this advice.

The School of Education, small in its student membership - about 30 freshmen have declared a major in education this fall - is not only small, but isolated.

The students call Webster Hall home; they're likely to have cars and even more likely to live off campus. The need for transportation is apparent because, after freshman year, education majors are likely to have a course that's neither at Webster University because there's no space for class, nor at any of its other three St. Louis locations because the courses are designed around being in classrooms. Because everyone spends two semesters away from Webster at practicums and student teaching, students spend even less time with other students and on campus.

With a combination of classes, coursework that sometimes depends on observations in classrooms and time spent living off-campus at residencies away from Webster, students aren't likely to make a special trip back to school just to be involved in campus activities. Some education majors should be commended for their contributions to life on campus, such as participating in organizations, committing to sports or working for students' interests on SGA. But their leadership efforts can buckle under the strain of seniority.

While it's perfectly logical to feel that schoolwork takes a priority over involvement, the two can be coordinated. It falls to the students to feel that both are important; otherwise, one suffers more than the other.

In the four weeks since classes began, I've seen only a few education students at events on campus. Granted, I myself can't attend every event, I've nonetheless seen a marginal involvement on the behalf of the education department, with a majority of the participants being underclassmen.

Just because students feel busy, doesn't mean they can't make time for things that matter. If nothing besides classes matters to you, what kind of role model are you setting for younger students?

Perhaps it's the realization that life on the outside is about to begin that we limit ourselves in our endeavors. I believe that it's when we are closest to the end that we want to make our mark.

So, my suggestion to students - whether or not you're an education major, whether you're a freshman or a senior, don't forget that you're a part of Webster University. Whatever you do, whatever choices you make, influence not only who you are but what Webster University can be because of you. Get involved - because there's more to college than just going to class.





Joanna Imbeault, a senior elementary education major and a education senator for SGA, is a contributing writer for The Journal

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