An article published in the Omaha World-Herald explores the “new” Hastings College with an in-depth feature. The first few paragraphs are below, but the full article is available here.
Hastings College’s ‘New Deal’ aims to better prepare students and secure institution’s future
By Rick Ruggles / World-Herald staff writer
Hastings College has lived through plenty of changes in its 137 years, but few have been as profound as the transformation students will see this school year.
In an effort to prepare students for an evolving world and to secure the college’s future in the higher education marketplace, administrators have made big changes in their school’s schedule, technology and travel opportunities.
Hastings College now requires each sophomore to take a college-funded trip to a foreign land such as France, Peru, Spain, Honduras, Great Britain or Canada. Hastings has converted from a traditional schedule to the block system in which a student takes only one or two classes in terms much shorter than semesters.
And each student will receive an iPad Pro and an Apple Pencil, paid for by the college (valued about $1,000), so that everyone has solid computer technology and is working with the same equipment. Professors are expected to use the technology in their classes.
