AIS Evaluation: Student Comments What follows are comments volunteered by students who have completed the Academic Integrity Seminar. Volunteered comments were not required for seminar completion or drawn from AIS survey data. We are grateful for the feedback--even more so for the opportunity to have a positive impact on our students' lives and academic careers. Please click here for additional information about seminar content. Featured comments: The seminar wasn't what I expected Massachusetts Institute of Technology (October 2014) Student comment: I found the seminar to be far more interesting and engaging than I had expected. I have spent around 24 hours in total (over the course of a week and half) working on the assignment; I learned a lot and I had a number of memorable moments. Stanford University (August 2014) Student comment: "Although the readings were far more diverse than I had been expecting, this was one of my favorite aspects of the class. This diversity made it so that there were some articles that really resonated with me, and I also think it was important to gain exposure to pieces that I wouldn't have read ordinarily. It definitely helped my critical thinking skills. Overall the seminar was very thought provoking and some of the readings are sure to stick with me for a long time." AIS Readings can influence life decisions: Purdue University (May 2014) Student comment: "For me after reading these two [Nobel Prize acceptance] speeches... Electrical Engineering deeply engages me for sure now. Earlier I was in kind of quandary but now everything is pretty much clear." Page 1 of 85
George Mason University (August 2014) Student comment: "Thank you so much for your hard work. You have done a great job putting this seminar together. The readings were very interesting. I thought about my life, the things I deal with and have dealt with while reading. I was able to find some solutions. I enjoyed Lincoln's reading the most. I was also going through depression and had find nothing to motivate. After reading Linclon's story, I got some motivation to follow my dreams and live for them if nothing else. I appreciate your time and effort very much." Important ideas merit further reading/discussion: University of California at Berkeley (November 2014) I wanted to truly thank you for your kind words and thought provoking responses. I'm taking my time to read through a lot of the posts you've shared with me and hope to continue reading them all, and some of the books you've recommended, over this Thanksgiving break. Your comments were really inspiring and truly kind... I've had more than a few situations here where people have been condescending or looked down on me when I've made it clear being a veterinarian is my career path. So I want you to know your words really meant a lot to me and even though I was required to do this seminar, that I'm really, really glad I did because it put a lot of things in perspective for me. Stanford University (February 2014) Student comment: "Thank you so much for your detailed and in-depth feedback. I just finished reading through it all, and I plan to look into some of the reading you suggested. My favorite was the Abraham Lincoln reading. After your comments, I want to go back and read it again. I really appreciate the time and attention you granted my responses. I didn't expect that. Stanford University (September 2013) Student comment: "Thank you very much for the excellent set of readings and questions. I very much enjoyed the seminar and had several very enlightening discussions with family and friends, especially on Tolstoy's theories of life." Maybe the liberal arts are useful after all: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (December 2013) Student comment: "I was always a person interested in science and engineering, I always Page 2 of 85
neglected liberal arts. But now thanks to you I have a different view about studies on liberal arts. It can be beneficial to a person to shape his thoughts and philosophy. I think in a way, this mistake of mine has made me realize and find out a lot about my hidden and neglected interest. [Also], your review about Shattered Glass made me rethink my views and I watched it again to get a deeper sense of the message." AIS tutors are partners in learning: Babson College (July 2013) Student comment: "Thank you so much for your insightful responses. I have written papers throughout my 3 years of college, but I have never received such extensive and valuable feedback from any other professor. Thank you so much for your thoughtful responses. I hope I have an opportunity to be taught by you in the future. I am glad that I received your guidance during this course." An international student perspective Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (August 2014) Student comment: If I were to choose my favorite one from all the AIS readings, I would definitely choose "the Gamesman." I feel that it is a very typical kind of personality that we can find around us in our daily lives. I consider it especially applicable to the Chinese society. China is a rapidly developing country with the biggest population worldwide. As a result, Chinese people are under widespread psychological pressures coming from the highly competitive society (such as the need of social recognition and the expectations from parents and friends). I think that in this sort of society, the Gamesman kind of personality is more easily to be found. Student comments in chronological order Lehigh University (November 2014) Thank you so much for your timely response... I have read through all of your notes, and found each segment to be extremely thought-provoking. I will certainly try to at least practice my writing every day, and I will most certainly continue my studies of computer science. I have found the Academic Integrity Seminar to be not only educational, but also very engaging. Thanks for all of your help along the way Towson University (November 2014) Page 3 of 85
At first, I thought that this seminar was going to be a punishment that I had to go through because I cheated. After completing this, I feel that this was a revelation of the effects and outcomes that lying can do to someone. What I really like about the seminar is that all the questions were circled around what lying can do to someone. University of South Carolina (November 2014) Overall this was a great seminar. It really got me thinking about some important topics and offered a new view on some of those topics. I am going to take away a lot of experience from this seminar. University of South Carolina (November 2014) This seminar truly helped me to reflect upon my actions and how they impacted me and the people around me. I found the statement of gratitude to be especially helpful. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you, Towson University (November 2014) The assignments in the seminar really did make me look back on my decisions I have made, whether they be good or bad. They have helped me to rethink my values and morals in life and has made me more aware of how to achieve success and happiness. I think that the seminar was very helpful in addressing the importance of academic integrity. Appalachian State University (November 2014) I somewhat enjoyed this seminar because it made me consider my social environment and offered different ways of becoming a conscious citizen. It asked questions that were thought provoking and interesting. It did not help me decide how I define a good life, but it did give me some things to consider how I want to develop my role in the future. I m still young, still idealistic, still distracted. But I am learning more in one way or another each and every day. Thank you for your time and thoughts. University of South Carolina (November 2014) Page 4 of 85
Thank you or time and the seminar. It was very helpful and informative. It taught me a lot of tips in order to be successful. Also, things what not to do in certain situations. Purdue University (November 2014 ) Thank You so much for giving me such a detailed feedback. I thought the seminar was very insightful and helped me understand certain things about life that are very essential to for my developmental growth. University of South Carolina (October 2014) I thought the workshop and the assignments that were required to be completed were extremely eye opening and engaging. They really called attention to the importance of integrity and ethics in, not only the workforce, but also in the way you interact with people throughout your life. I enjoyed taking this workshop and I have taken away many lessons from this experience. George Mason University (October 2014 ) It has been an enlightening experience and wish that I could have taken it in a different circumstance and much earlier on in my academic career. University of Central Arkansas (October 2014) In telling you all what I thought of the seminar, this is an interesting question to ask individuals. Most individuals are irritated or frustrated that they have to participate in this seminar often due to some form of plagiarism or academic dishonesty. If I could be honest, I am definitely irritated that I have to participate in this also as being a graduate student this is one less thing I needed to carve time out to complete, however, I understand the purpose for this seminar. I believe that it was a good seminar and evokes quite a bit of thoughtful responses and reflections. I enjoy that there were options to encourage mindful participation by choices related to what your interests may be. I enjoy that I did learn several things from this seminar and critiquing some of the articles and videos. Washington State University (October 2014) I think the seminar was good and it helped me a lot to understand the actually meaning of integrity and how it is really important in our life. The questions were helpful in order to build more knowledge about Page 5 of 85
this topic and the solution we can choose in the future. Santa Clara University (October 2014) Thank you for this program, as it has opened my eyes to the real possibilities of my future. University of North Georgia (October 2014) I thought the seminar was very well put together and thought provoking. It honestly didn't feel like a punishment at all. I thought it was interesting and I'm glad I had the chance to read and watch what I did. I learned some new things and thought about some things more deeply than I have before and in a different way especially about the pleasure vs. happiness discussion and Darwin's eyes. University of North Georgia (October 2014) I thought this seminar was very thought-invoking overall and the Alan Greenspan speech particularly resonated with me. East Stroudsburg (October 2014) In my opinion the Academic Integrity Seminar was daunting at first, but once I started reading the assignments and allowing myself to give thought to each of the questions I realized it helped with a lot of self-reflection. I felt I could be true and honest with my answers, and I learned a lot about restoring my own moral foundation. Some of the assignments were hard to relate to and understand at first, so my only criticism is to have more options. With that said I appreciate the opportunity of having a second chance with my education, and the seminar helped significantly. University of North Georgia (October 2014) Thank you so much for taking the the time to read and reply to all of my answers. I almost was not expecting such a sincere and complex response. I thought this would be just a routine checkoff and automatic response. It meant a lot that you actually took the time to read and respond to everything I had to say! I actually really enjoyed some of the readings. I think you are part of a really great seminar and you're doing a fabulous job. Page 6 of 85
University of South Carolina (October 2014) This seminar was actually pretty awesome and made me take on some good new insights going into it I was dreading the work but I really feel as I have benefited from it as you can probably tell by deeply engaged I was in the assignments. George Mason University (October 2014 ) "I have invested more time/energy than what I otherwise would have invested, if it wasn't for the topics. I actually enjoyed completing this seminar. I enjoy writing, and I would like to write a book one day. So, I made the best of it, and took this assignment as a way for me to take a step towards it in a more serious way. Thank you for your encouraging comments; they made me feel good about the work I have done. I will show my gratitude piece to my family and friends as you suggested." George Mason University (October 2014) I just want to thank you for this seminar it has really helped me see the error in my ways, the Lincoln speech especially has helped motivate me. University of California at Berkeley (October 2014) "It is clear in their speeches that both Feynman and Camus are striving for 'cause greater than themselves.' Honestly, I had no desire in doing work for the humanity, for the greater good. It was simply a concept that did not occur to me. However, after reading all the articles in this seminar, my mind has been slowly changing... For now, the thought that striving for personal fame and success is what a successful life means is disappearing. In a way, it liberates me from trying to achieve meaningless goals. I am deeply engaged in the thought that I should strive for something greater than what I have been striving for before. I do not know and not have figured out what it is yet but I believe that I soon will. Vanderbilt University (October 2014) "[Y]our seminar was enlightening and truly helped me become a better human being. It was both comprehensive and rewarding." Massachusetts Institute of Technology (October 2014) Page 7 of 85
I found the seminar to be far more interesting and engaging than I had expected. I have spent around 24 hours in total (over the course of a week and half) working on the assignment; I learned a lot and I had a number of memorable moments. Towson University (October 2014) Initially, I believed this Seminar was just busy work to make my school feel they provided adequate punishment for what I consider an honest mistake and not intentional plagiarism. However, after reading the assignments and thinking through the questions, I believe I have reignited a desire to succeed through the most honest and moral methods possible. I particularly enjoyed the Statement of Gratitude. I think that question helped to remind me of the good things and people in my life. While slightly juvenile, the Help Henry exercise provides a real world example of how our actions can negatively and unknowingly affect our future. Stanford University (September 2014) Thank you for your insightful feedback. As far as my thoughts on the seminar, I thought it was excellent. The questions were posed in such a way that I felt like I was put in a good place to continue to reflect and think after I had answered the question. I feel like overall, the questions put me in a good frame of mind and shifted the focus from me making a mistake and needing to complete this seminar, to what I can learn from my mistakes. Learning from my mistakes is something I often take for granted, but it is very valuable and I believe this seminar put me in a perfect reflective state to do so. It was evident that a lot of thought went into your feedback, and I really appreciate this. George Mason University (September 2014 ) First of all I would like to thank you for your feedback on my work and your kind comments about my writing. I'd also like to express my sincere thanks to the program you have created, it has definitely opened my eyes and some of the readings in this seminar are things I will carry on for the rest of my life. All the readings were very helpful and I learned a lot from reading them and how to make your self a better person. I will try the writing exercise that you recommended and see how it works. University of South Carolina (September 2014) I have to say that I was really dreading having to take this seminar but I actually really enjoyed coming up with my statements of gratitude and watching the Shattered Glass film. Both piqued my interest and made me dwell on some important topics. Page 8 of 85
University of North Georgia (September 2014) No bad comments about this seminar, I thought it was great. I love how there are options on what answers to answer and you can view different point of views. This is a great seminar. Thank you. University of Nevada - Las Vegas (September 2014) I thought the seminar was informative and it helped me to expand my knowledge on integrity. University of Nebraska Lincoln (September 2014) I am so grateful for your detailed and excellent comments about my response. Even though my English proficiency is limited sometimes, I am stilled encouraged and inspired through this assignment. This unforgettable experience bring me hurt but also courage to continue to do the right things in my future life. Give you and your family my best wishes! East Stroudsburg University (September 2014) I thought the seminar was helpful and stayed focused on the issues of honesty and integrity. I feel that some of the section readings were a little difficult to understand such as the statement of gratitude reading. I feel that another selection could have been chosen that would relay the same message. Overall, I feel that the seminar was well put together and stayed on point throughout each section. Stanford University, (September 2014) It was a really great opportunity for me to reflect my life and prepare my thoughts for the ultimate life s goal. I often forget about the importance of social trust and the influence of what I have done. It really helped me to remind this. Also, I m not a native English speaker. So every subject to read and write was a really hard obstacle to overcome for me. I really felt that I wanted to give up working on the answers, but when I tried not to, I began to fall into those subjects and started feeling that it was interesting and beneficial. This seminar was a really good chance to go back to my basics. George Mason University (September 2014) I would recommend all the readings, particularly Shenk's article and "The Survivor: An Anatomy of Life in the Death Camps by Terrence Des Pres. Shenk's article shows completely different Lincoln, at least for me. I did not know that Lincoln was suffering from depression and moreover, managing it. After finishing Page 9 of 85
this seminar, I would like to read the complete "Survivor", especially because my grandparents were the children of the war and I have visited 2 of the concentration camps while living and studying in Germany. I did learn a lot from this seminar and it did help me to understand myself better. Vanderbilt University (September 2014) I have read your comments and they are insightful and helpful. I have learned a lot from this seminar, and I really appreciate all the work you have done for me. Thank you very much. Babson College (August 2014) I was not sure what to expect when I began the Academic Integrity Seminar. I can honestly say that I am a better person after engaging with the material and thinking critically about the topics. I think this sort of exercise should be required of all students pursuing higher education. Thank you so much for giving me the time and opportunity to think and reflect. I appreciate all of your feedback and am confident that I will enjoy the additional materials and exercises you suggested. Babson College (August 2014) After completing the ethics seminar I have high praise for the course. I thought it was an excellent combination of self-reflecting on personal incidents and external situations, which allowed me to gain a boarder perspective on the importance of ethics. I particularly enjoyed the variety of sources used to portray the importance of ethics such as, court cases and even a movie. Overall I thought this was a great seminar and definitely helped to have a greater understanding of proper moral ethics. Again I truly enjoyed the seminar and thank you for everything. Stanford University (August 2014) Thank you for your thoughts and comments regarding my completed seminar. I got more out of this seminar than I initially expected, and am glad to have completed it and been able to receive feedback on Page 10 of 85
my work. I think the piece I enjoyed writing the most was also the most difficult to write about. In Question 7, I discuss the problematic lifestyle that ultimately leads into becoming Maccoby's gamesman, and it became an eye opener for me to sit down and acknowledge the very real threat of becoming a tired gamesman. I think the seminar is structured well provided many different avenues for uncovering my individual thoughts, ideas and beliefs. Stanford University (August 2014) Thank you so much for your insightful comments. I was happily surprised by the depth of the readings and relevance to day to day life. I also really appreciated your tailored and extensive feedback. I will be following up on the links you shared. Stanford University (August 2014) Although the readings were far more diverse than I had been expecting, this was one of my favorite aspects of the class. This diversity made it so that there were some articles that really resonated with me, and I also think it was important to gain exposure to pieces that I wouldn't have read ordinarily. It definitely helped my critical thinking skills. Overall the seminar was very thought provoking and some of the readings are sure to stick with me for a long time. Vanderbilt University (August 2014) Initially, I was really dreading having to complete this seminar. However, once I began answering the questions and reading the articles, I soon realized that this seminar was much more than I made it out to be. While it was rather time-consuming, I now believe that this was time well spent. This seminar goes beyond teaching solely about plagiarism and instead delves straight into the very core of human nature. The tutor comments I received after submitting my answers were much more thoughtful and detailed than I had anticipated and I really appreciated this feedback. Thanks so much! Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (August 2014) If I were to choose my favorite one from all the AIS readings, I would definitely choose the Gamesman. I feel that it is a very typical kind of personality that we can find around us in our daily lives. I consider it especially applicable to the Chinese society. China is a rapidly developing country with the biggest population worldwide. As a result, Chinese people are under widespread psychological pressures coming from the highly competitive society (such as the need of social recognition and the expectations from parents and friends). I think that in this sort of society, the Gamesman kind of personality is more easily to be found. Also, thank you for your helpful suggestions on my student life and career life. I like one of your favorite sayings too: Why are things as they are and not otherwise? It s like an ultimate question of science comparing to other how questions. I guess we take for granted so many things in our daily life that we gradually forget everything appear as it is for a reason. Thank you also for the suggestions about writing Page 11 of 85
journals regularly to gain insights into the society around me. I think it is a great way to collect creative ideas and to stay sensitive to the world. This is a truly a wonderful seminar. The reading materials are carefully selected and of high quality, coming from a broad range of authors from ancient Chinese philosophers to modern Nobel prize winners. The topics of the materials are also very diversified, ranging from public speeches to films to stories of great people. These materials are very interesting to read and very thought provoking. Through reading and thinking about them, I not only deepened my understanding about social values and human ethics, but also gained a lot of useful psychological knowledge. Thanks again for this great reading journey. Florida International University (August 2014) At first, it was really hard for me to even begin the seminar while taking classes, working and doing clinical rotations. As I sat down to complete each task, I started to really concentrate on what was demanded of me and started to enjoy the work. I learned that President Lincoln was very depressed in life. I could never have imagined this. I also learned a lot about reading in between the lines and interpreting the work of others. The seminar was very intense but I actually enjoyed seeing my results at the end and your comments. Coastal Carolina University (August 2014) I thoroughly enjoyed the seminar, especially the film and the Friendship, Fidelity, and Academic Integrity speech. I really like how all the assignments came together to teach me a valuable lesson on honesty, hard work, and self thought. Though some of the material was hard to grasp at first, I stuck with it and learned from each assignment. I honestly believe that every student should complete this seminar, it provides wonderful lessons to excel in school and also in the real world. The assignments made me think about how I want to assess my life when I'm older, knowing that my success came from honest work and giving it my all in every aspect of life. I just wanted to thank you for opening up my eyes to these extremely important lessons. Scheck Hillel Community School (August 2014) I just want to tell you that I am glad to have the opportunity to take this seminar, it really helped to show me what I did wrong and how bad it is. George Mason University (August 2014) Thank you so much for your hard work. You have done a great job putting this seminar together. The Page 12 of 85
readings were very interesting. I thought about my life, the things I deal with and have dealt with while reading. I was able to find some solutions. I enjoyed Lincolns reading the most. I was also going through depression and had find nothing to motivate. After reading Linclons story, I got some motivation to follow my dreams and live for them if nothing else. I appreciate your time and effort very much. Coastal Carolina University (August 2014) I think this is a good method in getting the students to critically think about certain things and situations. I enjoyed the Shattered Glass movie because it was a good lesson and had a good moral to the story. This seminar has really made me think and has helped me in understanding the importance of fidelity and integrity not just in the classroom, but also in business and in life in general. George Mason University (August 2014) Thank you so much for your hard work. You have done a great job putting this seminar together. The readings were very interesting. I thought about my life, the things I deal with and have dealt with while reading. I was able to find some solutions. I enjoyed Lincolns reading the most. I was also going through depression and had find nothing to motivate. After reading Lincoln's story, I got some motivation to follow my dreams and live for them if nothing else. I appreciate your time and effort very much. University of Maine (August 2014) How ironic that you would include that video of Michael Jordan! Michael Jordan is my favorite athletes and one of my biggest idols. He is the epitome of what it means to work tirelessly until you achieve your goals. Posters of MJ and his motivational quotes can be found on the walls of my apartment. The last quote in the video you posted, (I have failed over and over and over again in my life; and that is why I succeed" -Michael Jordan) was the quote I used to close out my high school valedictorian speech... I thought the readings really made me think about a variety of different ethical situations and make me apply it to instances in my own life. I also really enjoyed the movie "Shattered Glass". I believe I now have a broader understanding of ethics and have benefitted from this seminar. Thank you once again! Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (August 2014) I found this seminar very inspiring. It led me to think deeply about humanity, moral values, as well as human ethics. I think that all the reading materials are well chosen. In particular, I am very impressed by the article about Lincoln's life. I am deeply moved by Lincoln's courage to face his personal mishap as well as his adaptive skills to turn them into achieving his life goals. In all, from this seminar, I learned a Page 13 of 85
profound lesson on how to live a meaningful life and how to build trust with others. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your guidance and encouragement as well as providing me with further reading materials. University of Nebraska - Lincoln (August 2014) Overall, the seminar instilled in me a great amount of renewed and refreshed integrity and fidelity. While the readings that corresponded to each seminar question/answer were not all that entertaining, they all relayed an easily understandable meaning. Some readings interested me more than others; some were more relatable, and others were not. My favorite seminar questions/answers were those regarding friendship and its values and the statement of gratitude. The friendship answer made me realize how truly blessed I am to have such wonderful and inspirational people in my life. I am beyond grateful because I know many people who are not nearly as fortunate as I to have such a solid, core group of friends. The statement of gratitude reminded me how important it is to express thanks day in and day out. So much of what others do for me goes unnoticed and unrecognized, but I hope to make an effort to make those things more noticeable and recognizable by expressing my thanks more readily. Stanford University (August 2014) Thank you for your thoughtful replies to my answers. Overall, I enjoyed completing this seminar. It got me thinking about "proper values" such as integrity and honor, which I surmise was the whole purpose of being assigned this seminar. So Kudos to AIS. Coastal Carolina University (July 2014) Overall, the seminar was successful and helped me understand my mistake. The seminar taught me that integrity is crucial in almost every situation. It helped me understand that in an educational or economical environment, morals mean everything. It also taught me that trust is key to cooperation, which is necessary for success. Material success may seem important to most, but the satisfaction gained from ethically gaining this success is actually the most important. East Stroudsburg University (July 2014) My thought about the seminar is good, i strongly believe that it is fair for students who tend to be in this situation. I think all the questions are self explanatory and they are helpful. Page 14 of 85
University of Central Florida (July 2014) Thank you for taking the time to review my work. Your seminar was truly an insightful experience and offered me a great learning experience about myself. I was able to reflect on those support systems that helped me get to where I am today and for that I am greatly appreciative. Babson College (July 2014) Thank you for the wonderful and insightful comments. I really appreciate it, and was definitely not expecting this! Your responses were the best part of the entire seminar process. University of Central Florida (July 2014) Upon doing the seminar, I realized that this seminar was never meant to feel like an assignment but rather a reflection on oneself... It has given me even greater insight on my cognitive process and thoughts that guide me through my everyday decisions. I agree that reading/writing about Abraham Lincoln may have been the most interesting part of the seminar, but the Nobel prize articles were also a joy to read... Thank you, the seminar was well worth the time it has cost me but also that insight it has left me with. Stanford University (July 2014) Thank you for you detailed and individual response! I thought that the seminar was very interesting because I have never done something like this before where I had to give such personal responses. It really caused me to think deeply about topics that I had not given much thought to before. I really like your suggestion of making a diary for one week. I also think it will be beneficial. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (July 2014) I thought your seminar was a great way to reevaluate my life at the crucial age of 23. The various activities and questions made me reexamine certain areas of my life that I have not thought as much about lately. It truly was a learning experience and I feel like I am a better man because of it. Page 15 of 85
University of Maine (July 2014) It is very meaningful that you take such care with your students work. Your passion as a teacher drives others, I can be very sure of that. Your reflective comments mean a lot, as well as the grammatical comments, and I thought his class was a great class, and I look forward to taking classes of a similar nature because of the effort you've put in to make it so enjoyable. I personally enjoyed writing the gratitude statement. It seems that you forget to thank people in the chaos of life and that was a nice reflection and reminder that people deserve thanks even for the small things. I had a teacher, in second and third grade, who was this passionate about teaching. I've never had someone quite like that until now. Teacher's like that drive students to do good honest work, and to be the best person they can possibly be, so thank you. I hope other students enjoy such a great experience like I did. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (July 2014) I wanted to thank you for this opportunity to do this seminar. As I felt enjoyment more than a punishment. I really liked the articles which were selected for me because they helped me to express myself. Therefore, hopefully it will show the truth about me. And I appreciate the fact that you've found some of my answers interesting as I appreciate your responses. Again, I am thankful for this chance. University of Wisconsin - Madison (July 2014) Considering the circumstances, I think that this seminar is much needed. For someone like me that has made these types of mistakes, it comes as an eye opener to me. I know can appreciate what I have in my life and to focus on the little things. Not focusing is what got me here in the first place and I know never to make those mistakes again. University of South Carolina (July 2014) I thought that this seminar was great learning experience. It made me really dig deep and think about what is going on in my life right now. I wouldn t change anything about this seminar. University of Maine (June 2014) Page 16 of 85
I thought that this seminar was very eye opening. It really made me think about myself and even taught me some historical things. I thought that it was run smoothly and I thank you for your response to my answers. Florida International University (June 2014) To say this has been challenging is an understatement. This has been one of the hardest tasks I have had in school. I am grateful I did it regardless. Thank you. East Stroudsburg University (June 2014) I thought the seminar helped me a lot...i think this seminar is really going to help me in the future when I have to take my English compositions class this fall. Purdue University (June 2014) I enjoyed this seminar! I think I may start keeping a daily journal again! I think my favorite part was either Lincoln or the "Shattered Glass movie. I also really enjoyed reading the feedback. Mary Washington University (June 2014) The seminar at first glance seemed like a lot of work that was not interesting. However after the first two questions I realized that it was more interesting than I thought. The seminar on a whole as taught me a lot. It was a great experience reflecting on the thoughts presented. The questions focused on gratitude, hard work and dedication, allowed me to measure my own sense of gratitude. Stanford University (June 2014) Thank you for taking the time to send such thoughtful, detailed, and personalized comments to my responses. I've saved the google doc for future reference. I enjoyed all of the readings for the various questions, but my favorite ones were question six (the one regarding the movie about Steven Glass) and question four (the one about thanking those around you for what they've done). The later made me think especially hard about how I've lived my entire life up until this point. I've been influenced and surrounded by so many amazing people, and the question really made me reflect on that. Page 17 of 85
University of Nebraska - Lincoln (June 2014) I thought this course was very well put together and it's material was relevant to the subject. It was a good way to reflect back on yourself and think about things. What I found really interesting was why we as humans have whites in our eyes and other animals do not. I had never really thought about it or noticed that. Every single one of these readings come back together and support the idea that without practicing honesty and integrity a truly good life will never be yours to keep. East Stroudsburg University (June 2014) I actually really enjoyed completing this seminar. At first it seemed a little overwhelming but it wasn t so bad once I broke it down and focused on one assignment at a time. My favorite part of the seminar was reading the article, Lincoln s Great Depression. I could relate well to this article because I have been diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety and the article helped me to solidify my feelings about the condition. I don t see depression as a negative thing but I know it has a negative connotation and I do not usually tell people I am being treated for it. The only people who know are my parents, my best friend and my boyfriend because I think once people find out it would change their thoughts about who I am as a person and I don t want that. This article allowed me to see that I really can use the condition to my advantage and something I have always told my family is that having depression makes me appreciate life so much more because I know what it feels like to have really bad days but that makes having good days that much better. This seminar was also kind of therapeutic for me in a way. I feel I was able to portray myself through this work as I see myself and it helped me to realize that what other people think of me shouldn t matter as much as it has in the past, because only I know exactly who I am and only I have experienced my journey, no one else, which leaves no room for others to judge me. Vanderbilt University (June 2014) Thank you for your comments on my answers to this seminar. I greatly enjoyed reading and viewing the extra articles and quotes that you sent with the comments. It is so nice that you took the time to include these extras that pertained to me and what I had said. To be honest, I enjoyed this seminar much more than I had expected to. I have always been an advocate of reflective thinking. As a matter of fact, I have been writing in a personal journal for a while now, and this seminar gave me a lot to ponder. Page 18 of 85
I most enjoyed writing the statement of gratitude and reading Des Pres' "An Anatomy of Life in the Death Camps". The statement of gratitude truly made me think about the people in my life who are responsible for helping me be the person I am today. For anyone completing this seminar, I think it's so important that they reflect on this. I thank you for including this part in the seminar. As for the excerpts from Des Pres, you should know I am a major history buff, especially when it comes to WWII and the Holocaust. I had never thought of human moral sense as an evolutionary survival strategy before, and I loved reading what Des Pres had to say. The insight he had truly was my favorite part of the seminar. It was something I had never considered before, but in the end, it did make perfect sense. The book is actually now on my list of books to read this summer. Overall, I think the seminar is extremely well put together. I like that it addresses various topics and time periods regarding human integrity. It made me think holistically about the matter, and most importantly, it did not seem at all repetitive. Thank you again for your comments and suggestions; they meant a lot to me. Stanford University (June 2014) Thank you for your insightful comments. I just wanted to say that this seminar was an excellent opportunity to reflect on my character and how it has developed over these past few years at Stanford. This seminar has allowed me to step back from all my daily activities and really think about who I am and the person I truly want to be. The questions in the seminar helped me distinguish what motivates me to do good and what drives my achievements. Thank you Gary for organizing this excellent program. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (June 2014) This was a good course that really helped me remember a lot that I was taught when I was younger. It really shows how much of a child one can look when trying to cover up lies. I think my favorite assignment was the Broken Glass movie. Even though Glass was 24, he acted like a 12 year old trying to keep from getting a spanking. University of Nebraska-Lincoln (May 2014) Overall, I enjoyed this course more than I thought I would at first glance. The readings were not too difficult, and they were relevant to my life. I really like the way this course was set up because it allowed for interpretation and self-reflection instead of lectures or someone trying to teach lessons. The concepts in the class resonated with me more because of this and I think I learned more this way. Overall, I thought this course and the readings were Page 19 of 85
very interesting and fit well with the class purpose! East Stroudsburg (May 2014) I can honestly say that when I was first assigned this Seminar I didn t want any part of it. I wanted to get out of it so bad. What a three-sixty I ve turned since then. I loved this seminar and it really helped me realize the big picture in life. If I kept living the way I am I may never be happy, I particularly liked Schilz s article on the lawyers and that really helped me understand how trust and honesty go a long way. Shattered Glass is a great assignment as well for it demonstrates the consequences of cheating the system. Overall I thought every assignment was very useful and I enjoyed reading through and reflecting the reading upon my self. I can honestly say this seminar really helped my outlook on my future and life in general, and I thank you for that. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (May 2014) I thoroughly enjoyed the seminar. At first I didn't think I would, but I feel that I actually learned a lot from it. I think it will help lead me in the right direction in life. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (May 2014) I find this seminar very useful and I am very sure that I learned a very good lesson through this. I will implement and will keep up all that i have learnt in this seminar throughout my life. I will take this opportunity to change myself and will guide all my friends with whatever I learnt in this seminar. Vanderbilt University (May 2014) I put a lot of time and thought into answering the questions and providing my input on the articles, and I greatly appreciate you doing the same for my answers. I enjoyed completing the seminar. It was very well done, and gave me an opportunity to look at work in a wide variety of fields. It was put together in a way that allowed me to examine parts of these pieces of work that I had never paid attention to before. The well thought out tutor comments provided even more insight into the details that I had taken away from the seminar. University of North Georgia (May 2014) Page 20 of 85
This was a great program! It really allows you to take a step back and remind yourself who you are and to move on and be strong in who you are. Also, by thanking and remembering what those important people taught you. East Stroudsburg University (May 2014) I believe the Academic Integrity Seminar was a very educational experience that forced my to put a lot of thought into my answers. Everything was different for each assignment but it all tied back into the same concept of integrity and it was well organized. I do not believe the seminar needs to be fixed in any way because it was created very structurally sound from the beginning. University of Illinois - Urbana (May 2014) Lastly, my statement of gratitude brought everything full-circle by allowing me to really reflect on the people who have been fair and just with me. Babson College (May 2014) Thank you very much for taking your time and leaving me comments. I was able to learn a lot more about different perspectives on humanity through this exercise. Your comments also allowed me to rethink my own analysis from different perspective. Thank you. Babson College (May 2014) The seminar itself, when I was going into it, I felt like it was designed to be a punishment from my school. But as I finished it, it was quite refreshing for my mind. I enjoyed spending quiet time with just me and my thoughts and hashing out how I feel about these things. It was great. University of South Carolina (May 2014) I think that this seminar is very informative with interesting concepts to read and learn about. I personally think that the [gratitude statement and the question on how a good life is defined] are very reflective and caused me to think about my actions and my future actions. Thank you for the opportunity to take this seminar. Page 21 of 85
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (May 2014) Everything happens for a reason. I plagiarized, yes it can be seen as a huge mistake but I choose to look at it a lesson learned. The course has made me a better person which in turn is helping me live a good life. It has helped me handle adversity with my academics and that lying is never the route one should take. In the end when you go to bed at night think of all the positive, be thankful for the things that you have that others don t. Once someone can master that, that is when you start living a happy life. University of California at Berkeley (May 2014) I really enjoyed this seminar as it not only discussed the morality and integrity of academic related issues, but also it inspires me in a lot of ways. Personally, I especially like those two speeches from the Nobel Prize Laureates. Those speeches give me a fresh understanding of the reason beyond those diligent and hardworking attitude. Also, they show their sides of story as ordinary people with the pure interest in their fields. Carolina Coastal University (May 2014) I really enjoyed the seminar because it allowed my to think outside the box and really think about my work. Lindfield College (May 2014) Generally speaking, I enjoyed this seminar very much. The readings were very intellectual and allowed me to think profoundly about my own interpretations and experiences of ethics, as well as the role of ethics in personal relationships and society. I especially enjoyed the article about Abraham Lincoln; as someone who also suffers from depression, his experiences and state of mind felt somewhat like reading a biography on myself. The seminar s questions were all valid and not patronizing or simplistic. George Mason University (May 2014) The seminar has taught me many valuable life lessons in life. I thought it would be a waste of my time or something I had to do, but now reflecting upon the readings and questions I realized that I am looking at Page 22 of 85
myself in a different perspective. I feel more inclined to learn more about myself and better myself. I never really tried to learn about myself. I always learned academics and did sports, but to truly understand myself and just to sit and be in a piece of mind is what I achieve for now. I need to better myself individually because I need to get rid of my laziness and let my potential shine. The seminar has allowed me to do that because I understand the morals and ethics behind academics as well as life in general more better. I will continue to thrive, be a honest man, and better myself to my potential. George Mason University (May 2014) I enjoyed the seminar and the readings were a great help in understanding personal values and ethical reasoning. I learned a lot from the Shattered Glass movie and the Abraham Lincoln readings. Arizona State University (May 2014) I really enjoyed this seminar and the writing assignments. From these assignments I totally have a new knowledge and understanding of honest and integrity. This experience will influence my whole life. As what you said, we do not only need specific plans for everyday but have a big picture for the whole life. Being a honest person especially to my heart is my faith. Once I know the place I would like to go then whatever I do, just go to the right place where I want to go would be the best thing for the whole life. Thanks for your encouragement and your support! University of Nebraska - Lincoln (May 2014) I think seminar is a good place for me to review myself. help me to think about what is right and what is wrong. University of South Carolina (May 2014) Overall, I really appreciate having the opportunity to have gone through this process and think it's a great reminder/educational tool....i hope you're able to implement this program across the board at many universities and professional programs. University of North Georgia (May 2014) Page 23 of 85
As I was reading this over again, this is something I really needed to do and I want to thank you for giving me the guidelines for really opening up and reading research and blogs from people I've never even heard of. I feel as though I have a different outlook in life and I appreciate you for it. It was a wonderful seminar. Arizona State University (May 2014) I thought that seminar was really beneficial. I really enjoyed the readings and videos that you provided to strengthen the basic core fundamentals of honesty, integrity, and trust once again. The questions were really difficult in making me think critically of the mistake I did, to learn from it, and be able to build back the reputation and trust that I lost. I thought that none of the questions or readings or videos should be replaced because it was a great learning experience for me to focus on the present. University of North Georgia (May 2014) This seminar was definitely a learning experience for me. I learned to be thankful for what I have and that I should not squander it. It was very interesting and fun for me because I had very intellectual talks with my mom about topics closely related to some of those in the seminar. I will say that the assignments were unlike any others I have ever done, but by far some of the most helpful in an ethical sense. George Mason University (May 2014) I enjoyed the seminar and the readings were a great help in understanding personal values and ethical reasoning. I learned a lot from the Shattered Glass movie and the Abraham Lincoln readings. University of Maine May 2014 I've learned a lot from this seminar. It helped me to do more critical thinking. I will take take your advice and start writing more. Page 24 of 85