JCU Undergraduate Bulletin 2005-2007: Centers/Institutes -- Programs

Programs

Program in Applied Ethics

The Program in Applied Ethics has been designed to support teaching, research, and community service in applied ethics. Its purpose is to enhance ethical decision making by increasing awareness of the ethical issues that confront individuals and society today and by providing intellectual resources for understanding and resolving these issues. The program encourages an interdisciplinary approach to ethics that seeks to include all interested faculty, students, and other members of the university community. A major component of the program is Ethics Across the Curriculum, an initiative which integrates a wide variety of ethics issues into other courses where this is appropriate. The activities of the Program in Applied Ethics also include campus visits by prominent figures in ethics, public lectures, conferences on ethical issues, faculty and student workshops, and other opportunities for professional development in applied ethics. Director: Dr. Paul Lauritzen, Department of Religious Studies.

The Bishop Anthony M. Pilla Program in Italian-American Studies

Established with the support of the Northern Ohio Italian-Americans (NOIA) and the Boler Challenge Grant in 1997, the program is named for the Most Reverend Anthony M. Pilla, Bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland (M.A., JCU '67; D.H.L., Hon. JCU, '81). Through its course offerings, the program examines the achievements of Italians and Italian-Americans who have contributed to American intellectual history, culture, philosophy, religion, and science. It emphasizes an understanding of the meaning of family, fidelity to one's heritage, hard work, success in the face of obstacles, and the role of the spiritual in one's life. The interdisciplinary undergraduate liberal arts program sponsors the Bishop Pilla Lecture Series and publishes its bilingual magazine Mosaico each year. Director: Dr. Santa Casciani, Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Cultures.

Carroll-Cleveland Philosophers' Program

The Carroll-Cleveland Philosophers' Program –"Where Children Create Their Own Life's Meaning" -- is a cooperative project between John Carroll University and the Cleveland Municipal School District (CMSD). Funding comes from John Carroll, the CMSD (through an Ohio Department of Education Challenge Grant), the Cleveland Foundation, and JCU Alumnae. From 2001 to 2004, the program provided a unique educational experience for underserved and court-adjudicated children, delivered at John Carroll and grounded in the philosophies of "gifted education" and "service learning." Today, CCPP serves forty-five CMSD high school students as a weekly enrichment program, including philosophy discussion, service learning, and artistic experiences.

The mission of the program is to provide CMSD students with an alternative approach to education which will, through unique and enriching learning experiences, inspire self-discipline, foster the love of learning, promote academic excellence, support emotional growth, enable "giftedness," and encourage the social skills necessary for life-long achievement, success, and happiness.
This experiential, research-based curriculum is taught cooperatively by John Carroll students and faculty, CMSD faculty, and teachers with expertise and experience in gifted education programs.
For more information on how to become a teaching assistant in the program, please contact the office at (216) 397-4455. Director: Dr. Jennifer Merritt.

Literacy Specialist Project

John Carroll is the hub of the Literacy Specialist Project, a statewide professional development initiative launched in August 2000 by the Ohio Department of Education. The goal is to disseminate foundational knowledge of literacy content and pedagogy to K-3 classroom teachers through collaborative study and application of a core curriculum.

The curriculum focuses on developing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions essential for excellent literacy teaching. Professional development is carried out through a network of university field faculty, school-based literacy specialists, and K-3 classroom teachers. Field faculty meet monthly with literacy specialists to guide study of the curriculum and coaching of teachers. Literacy specialists meet in three-hour sessions with small groups of teachers about fifteen times during the academic year. Fieldwork follows each session as a way for teachers to apply concepts to everyday practice. Literacy specialists also provide in-class coaching to support teacher development of skillful practice. For further information, contact the Literacy Specialist Project office at (216) 397-4318. Director: Dr. Cathy Rosemary, Department of Education and Allied Studies.