GREENVILLE, Pa.—Thiel College faculty and staff members presented the College’s Tomcat Way, a new development model for undergraduate success, at a national conference in Dallas this spring, and the new program was also profiled in the organization’s journal.
President Susan Traverso, Ph.D., Liza Schaef, Pastor Brian Riddle ’07 and Greg Q. Butcher, Ph.D. recently presented the Tomcat Way at the 2022 Network for Vocational Undergraduate Education conference in Dallas, Texas. As described by the organizers, under the theme “Called into Community: Vocation, Engagement, and Difference,” the 2022 NetVUE Conference [examined] how attention to vocation and calling can draw us into deep engagement with the needs of the world, meaningful reflection on difference, and more sustained attention to the ways that these issues shape how we, and our students, think about our future directions in life.
Thiel’s session provided an opportunity to share key aspects of the developmental model with faculty and staff from other NetVUE member schools. A discussion following the session provided the team with helpful feedback that will be incorporated into future work.
The article on the Tomcat Way was published in Intersections, the journal for the network of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America colleges and universities.
The Tomcat Way is Thiel College’s developmental model for undergraduate student success. It was created as an innovative and rewarding college experience that empowers every Thiel student to become both a scholar and a leader. The Tomcat Way is how the College blends academic and experiential learning into a community-wide learning laboratory that cultivates leadership, informs one’s personal view regarding vocation and promotes self-development in an exciting, innovative and dynamic way.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.