Urban Studies Professors Present in Washington DC

Urban Studies professors Dr. Tom Conroy and Dr. Tim Murphy, along with Dr. Alex Briesacher (Sociology) and associate vice president Mary Jo Marion (Civic Engagement) presented at the annual meeting of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities in October.

Their panel, The Devils in the Details: The Complexities of Early College Partnerships, focused on the wide-spectrum of Early College models in the US and other areas of complexities including demographic shifts and "unharmonized" visions of EC programs. Altogether, they argued, these different levels of complexities contribute to confusion and disarray in programs that negatively affect the missions of many programs and/or lead to confusion of objectives.

Well-received by attendees, the session made the case that the area most controlled by individual institutions was the "unharmonized" aspects, which is addressed when institutions create and communicate clear objectives for Early College Programs that incorporate the needs of all stakeholders.

While in the nation's capital, the WSU presenters also got a chance to visit some of the sites, such as the White House and Washington Monument at night (left). Click here to see some of their favorite items currently on display at the National Portrait Gallery.

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