McMaster Discovery Program – The Student Support Team Dear Arts & Science Students, As you know, the McMaster Discovery Program offers free, university-level, non-credit courses to adults living in Hamilton who have experienced barriers in accessing higher learning opportunities. Launched in the fall of 2011, the MDP has been a great success, and we look forward to Sept. 2015, when Dr. Ann Herring, Dept. of Anthropology, will offer the “People and Plagues of Hamilton” course again. Please see the Arts & Science Program website <www.artsci.mcmaster.ca> for further information on the MDP. The McMaster Discovery Program strives to:       Create opportunities for Hamilton community members to take part in a process of learning and discovery Facilitate access to knowledge in a supportive and exploratory environment Nurture a passion for lifelong learning Promote the well-being, confidence and dignity of the participants Provide a bridge to other learning opportunities in the participants’ journey Foster engagement and mutual learning between McMaster staff, students and faculty and the communities of which they are a part Patrick Byrne, the MDP coordinator, would like to recruit four enthusiastic, compassionate, community-oriented Arts & Science students to form the 2015 MDP Student Support Team. The role of Student Support Team member may be for you if you: - Believe that everyone should have the freedom to learn and access knowledge - Care about and want to learn more about community-engaged education - Are interested in being more involved with the Hamilton community - Enjoy working with people of different ages and abilities, from all walks of life - Enjoy facilitating group discussions and activities - Are flexible and open to new ideas and modes of expression - Are willing to enter into unknown territory that may take you out of your comfort zone Expectations: - Meet with Coordinator Patrick Byrne and instructor Ann Herring before the course begins to talk about roles and responsibilities and to prepare for the work ahead - Attend all of the lectures and workshops of the course (Saturdays, Sept. to mid Dec. 2015) - Attend weekly planning meetings with instructor and coordinator (at a mutually agreeable time) - Be familiar with the course material so that you can engage with and support students - Facilitate discussion amongst the Discovery Program students about the lectures - Provide group and one-on-one support for individuals with their projects/assignments - Reflect on your involvement and provide feedback to the MDP Advisory Committee that will help us evaluate so that we can continue to improve and develop the program - Assist the coordinator with planning, organization, and communication duties as required University students have a lot to learn from adults in the community who share a passion for learning but have not been able to attend university because of certain barriers they have experienced. They have a wealth of knowledge and creativity that this course will nurture. You will have a supportive role, but you are not “TAs” in the sense that you will not be instructing the students or grading any of their work. You will accompany them, help them get used to the demands that come with a university class, and encourage students on their individual educational journeys. Their personal success and their experience in feeling valued, listened to, and supported are the top priorities, and you will play a role in facilitating that. This is much more than an experience to add to your resume; hopefully, it will be one that is transformative for you and the students of the course, where you can use the skills you already have, build on them and develop new ones, and be part of a rich educational experience that will be of benefit to the larger Hamilton community. This is quite a significant commitment of your time and energy, and a stipend will be provided in recognition of your involvement. You will be supported along the way by Patrick, by Dr. Herring, and by Dr. Wilson. If you are interested in applying to be a member of the McMaster Discovery Program Student Support Team, please respond to Patrick Byrne [email protected], with a copy to Dr. Wilson at [email protected]. Please attach a copy of your resume, and a 1-page explanation of why you want to be part of this team and why you believe you would be a good fit for this role. Thank you for considering this opportunity. We look forward to hearing from you!