The Graduate School
Why Southwestern University?
At Southwestern University, Preparing Future Faculty interns will find an educational environment that is primarily student-centered. This is characterized by small classes that favor discussion over lecture, opportunities for research and creative collaborations with students, and personal interactions with students on a daily basis. On many small campuses, this devotion to students may also require that faculty be less engaged in their own professional growth. At Southwestern, however, we believe our students are best served by faculty who are able to combine teaching excellence with a scholarly and/or creative agenda that ensures their continued growth in their respective fields. In fact, in our faculty handbook we state that "an effective teacher is one who actively engages in scholarly and/or creative endeavors and who views intellectual and creative vitality as an integral element of effective teaching." Observing this model of the "teacher/scholar" in a small, residential, liberal arts institution would be very beneficial to graduate students who are considering teaching at a national liberal arts college.