Philosophy

Some things fall into the category of "hard to define, but you know it when you see it, or hear it, or otherwise experience it." Excellence, is one of these things.

The Process of Excellence, as we call it, is meant to convey the on-going nature, the multiple and often repetitive steps involved in the creation of that which may be called excellent.

In the Process of Excellence Showcase, typically the first Friday in May, we pause to publicly share what we have accomplished in our journey toward excellence. We show our artifacts, our landmarks, which show where we have been and guide us to where we are headed. The process of excellence is difficult; it can drain the mind and body and spirit. Therefore, we pause to recognize and congratulate each other for the work thus far so that we may be renewed and encouraged to continue.

At the annual showcase we recognize two levels in the process: a spark of excellence; and, a more on-going, continuous display of excellence. A spark of excellence is a single project, or work - an essay, a science project, or a speech, for example. It is a shining example of a burst of high quality. Response to this work is akin to, "wow". The second level we recognize is high quality work that has been performed in multiple settings and in multiple ways. A single project, for example, that was done in an entry level course, expanded on in a higher level course within the same discipline, and involved a significant component from another discipline. Not just a single spark, but multiple sparks collected into a brilliant whole. Response to this work is akin to trying to say "wow", but being jaw-dropped speechless. These are the ends toward which we work.

The public acknowledgment of the work and the self satisfaction from doing the work are the rewards given at the Process of Excellence Showcase. However, a Process of Excellence committee will review work submitted for consideration and, as resources are available, will reward in a more tangible way the people who have achieved either of the two levels of excellence. Certain subcommittees have formed to specially review on-going works in discipline-specific areas. These areas are: Behavioral Sciences; Natural and Physical Sciences; Mathematics; and, Communications. This is not a competitive process of one body of work versus another. The Process of Excellence committee is not charged to identify the best of all the works submitted. The committee is charged to identify those works which are sparks and those works which are examples of on-going excellence. If no work submitted meets either level, then no recognition is given. If all works meet a particular level, then all works receive recognition.

September 5, 2001