The University of Arkansas, USA
Title: Building Bridges between Vocation and Higher Education
Drawing upon the scholarly literature and his own experience creating and leading a professionally focused gateway to higher education program Professor Pijanowski will present how these programs are constructed and offer exemplary models for how they can serve students and communities. When done well these collaborations have dramatic positive effects on student learning, motivation, and higher education attainment. Moreover, students who complete these collaborative programs are better positioned for job placement after graduation and when coordinated with industry leaders can serve as valuable workforce pipelines. We will explore lessons learned from decades of various versions of these partnerships in the United States with an eye towards how it may be successful in a Georgian context.
Bio
John Pijanowski, Ph.D., is a professor and former administrator with over 25 years of experience as an educator. In 2018 Dr. Pijanowski served abroad as a Fulbright Scholar conducting research and teaching in Kutaisi, Georgia. He recently served as President of the Teaching Academy, Co-Director of the Wally Cordes Center for Teaching and Faculty Support Services, Chair of the Campus Faculty, and Chair of the Faculty Senate at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Pijanowski created several ethics courses including The Moral Mind in Action, Moral Courage, Teaching Character, and Leadership Ethics and regularly teaches courses Organizational Behavior and Administrative Decision Making classes in the Educational Leadership program. In 2010 he was honored with the college’s top faculty award for outstanding service, teaching, advising and research and in 2011 honored by the university with the Charles and Nadine Baum Faculty Teaching Award – the highest teaching honor at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Pijanowski earned his Bachelors in Psychology from Brown University and a Master’s and Ph.D. from Cornell University in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education.
Dr. Pijanowski’s research focuses on how people translate moral thinking into moral action, self care, and leadership development. He has led a National Science Foundation funded effort to develop ethics curriculum and teaching guides for future scientist across the United States, and has consulted with several national agencies and universities on developing ethics curriculum. Professor Pijanowski regularly leads workshops and gives talks on ethics across the United States and internationally.