Academic Distinction projects give students hands-on experience

The end of the semester is full of projects, final exams and assignments. For some students, there can be a little extra going on in the form of an academic distinction project.

An academic distinction project is a special assignment done outside of a major’s regular curriculum, which allows a student to graduate with the Academic Distinction award. A student must have 75 credit hours completed, with a 3.25 GPA in the department of their major and a 3.0 overall GPA in order to qualify. A student must also organize a committee made up of two professors from their major and one from outside their major.

History and anthropology professor Steven Hoffman said the project gives students the chance to show off what they have learned in a tangible form.

“It’s a real opportunity to have a professional culminating experience that is a mark of distinction,” Hoffman said. “The degree itself is a credential, and that’s great, but this is an indicator of quality that can be another stamp on a resume.”

Hoffman said not many students have taken on a project or even know the opportunity is available. He also said many faculty members may not be aware of the project or know to suggest it to their students, just as he was once unaware of it.

“The first time I heard about it was when a student brought it to my attention, so I think students just aren’t aware it exists,” Hoffman said. “When I tell students about it, I’m talking about something they don’t know about.”

According to students, another contributing factor to students not doing these projects is taking on the extra workload.

It is a seven-step process, beginning with the Application for Academic Distinction in the Department of the Major form. Then, a student must propose the project to the chair of their department, organize their committee, receive approval of their project proposal and conduct an oral defense of their project. Finally, the department chair and dean will review the project, and then the student will submit an electronic copy of the finished project to the Collections Librarian in Kent Library.

Graduate historic preservation student Allyson Ingli completed an Academic Distinction in 2020 by creating a virtual traveling trunk. She said it is essentially an interactive learning tool used by schools to teach Missouri history through the eyes of Lewis Houck, the namesake of Houck Fieldhouse and Stadium on campus. She also said her project took an immense amount of work.

“It took about 100 hours, because you have to fill out the paperwork, get your committee put together, and meet with them regularly,” Ingli said. “That alone takes a lot of time, and my project took quite a lot of time, especially with the research aspect.”

Senior historic preservation student Grace Hiller completed her project over the founding families of Cape Girardeau on April 2 and said completing the Academic Distinction project is worth the extra workload.

“I would definitely encourage other students to take on an Academic Distinction project,” Hiller said. “I think it makes you feel more confident in the stuff that you do know, and it allows you to share it with other people.”

For more information on the Academic Distinction project, visit the page on the University website.