Hendrix College Graduate Lauren Daly Named Presidential Fellow

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Luaren Daly

CONWAY, AR (06/20/2011)(readMedia)-- Lauren Daly, an English (literary studies) major from St. Louis, Mo., is one of six Hendrix College students to be recently named Presidential Fellows, a new post-graduate program sponsored by the College for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Fellows are placed with a sponsoring office for two years to gain valuable work experience, exposure to key campus and community leaders, quality conversation and the possibility of competitive summer professional development funds.

Daly, who graduated from Hendrix on May 14, 2011, will work in the Hendrix Murphy Foundation Programs in Literature and Language.

"Many graduating seniors are pursuing 'gap year' experiences where they hope to find meaningful, but short-term employment, before pursuing graduate or professional school. Programs like Teach for America, Americorp, and City Year are capitalizing on some of our best talent to staff important service programs across the country," said Dr. Karla Carney-Hall, Vice President for Student Affairs. "We are confident that entry-level professional positions at Hendrix could benefit from similar energy, campus knowledge, and leadership experience to contribute to our campus priorities."

The Presidential Fellowship Program further builds upon Your Hendrix Odyssey: Engaging in Active Learning, the College's engaged learning initiative, which requires all students to complete a minimum of three hands-on learning experiences (e.g. internships, international study, undergraduate research, etc.).

"We believe that we can create a post-baccalaureate Odyssey-like experience that further enhances a student's leadership and professional development through full-time employment with the College," she said.

Fellowships are 10-month appointments, available for two years with quality performance. Each Fellow is assigned a mentor to work closely with him or her within the office environment. Regular reflection on professional growth and development is expected. Performance evaluations will be conducted throughout the program. All fellows will meet monthly to participate in professional development workshops and discuss their professional plans. Workshop sessions will include a topic selected by the speaker or the group. Each Fellow is eligible to compete for funding for summer professional development opportunities that support his/her future life goals.

Hendrix, founded in 1876, is a selective, residential, undergraduate liberal arts college emphasizing experiential learning in a demanding yet supportive environment. The college is featured in the 2010 edition of the Princeton Review as one of the country's best 371 colleges, was identified as the nation's top "Up and Coming" liberal arts college for 2011 by U.S. News and World Report, and is ranked among 45 "Best Buy" colleges by the 2011 Fiske Guide to Colleges. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. For more information, visit www.hendrix.edu.