Learning beyond the classroom
Serving the whole student means creating opportunities for learning, growth and connection in all aspects of campus life
Editor’s note: In this month’s UND LEADS letter, Senior Instructor Rob Warren and economics student Alberta Naa Darkoa Ampah share their perspectives on Learning, one of the five core values of the UND LEADS Strategic Plan. Their reflections focus on what it means to “serve the whole student” and how learning and personal growth extend beyond the classroom.
As readers know, UND Today highlights UND LEADS core values in our issue published on the last Tuesday of each month. This month’s issue focuses on Learning, highlighting stories and perspectives that reflect this core value and its role across the University.
To continue the monthly UND Today series, our next UND LEADS issue will focus on the Equity core value.
Comments or questions? Contact Nikki Krueger, UND Today editor. Thank you for reading!
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At UND, learning doesn’t stop when students leave the classroom.
It happens through the organizations they join, the relationships they build and the challenges they encounter. It can mean learning to lead a team, resolve a conflict, ask for help or navigate an unfamiliar situation. These experiences help students develop skills that extend beyond their academic disciplines and prepare them for life after college.
That broader view of learning is reflected in UND LEADS, which calls on the University to “serve the whole student” with opportunities that support growth and creativity while building life skills such as setting goals, working as part of a team and making responsible choices.
For senior instructor Rob Warren and economics student Alberta Naa Darkoa Ampah, serving the whole student happens through relationships. As an adviser to student organizations, Warren sees students develop as leaders, innovators and thinkers. Ampah, a resident assistant and student leader, helps fellow students navigate everything from campus resources to deeply personal challenges.
Below, Warren and Ampah share how experiences beyond the classroom can become an important part of a UND education.
Learning from the broader world
Rob Warren, senior instructor, Nistler College of Business & Public Administration
Students come to UND to learn, but this learning does not just take place in the classroom. It also takes place in their day-to-day interactions with other students and faculty. A key part of their learning experience comes in terms of the extracurricular activities they take part in, whether it’s Greek life, playing a sport or participating in a student-run club. I believe such participation makes them both better students, because they are constantly learning new lessons, and stronger members of the community.
As a faculty member at UND, I see my role as going beyond the classroom and helping them learn lessons from the broader world. I try to accomplish this in a variety of ways, ranging from taking time to talk with students about the issues, both school and personal, facing them to actively supporting them outside the classroom.
One of the ways I provide this support is by serving as an adviser to multiple student groups. Serving as an adviser is incredibly rewarding, as I get to witness the development of the students as leaders, innovators and thinkers. I also get a chance to provide them with the benefit of experience by providing advice on how to best handle the unexpected issues that occur when running an organization.
I find such interactions make me a better person as well, since I see things from the perspective of the student, and this helps me to better understand their positions and motivations.
Learning about ourselves
Alberta Naa Darkoa Ampah, economics student and resident assistant
To me, serving the whole student means showing up with a genuine commitment to being a resource in every sense of the word and recognizing that every person who walks through UND’s doors carries a story shaped by their culture, identities and transitions. Having navigated moving countries, learning new systems and speaking multiple languages, I understand how overwhelming it can be to adjust to a new environment. That experience has shaped how I act in my role as a resident assistant.
I don’t only encounter questions about roommate conflicts or housing logistics; I’m often asked deep, introspective questions that help people discover parts of who they are. These conversations can start with something simple, like needing directions or help finding the right office, and other times they turn into late-night discussions where a resident shares something deeply personal, something they may not have said out loud before.
I’ve become someone residents can rely on, the person who usually has an answer or at least knows exactly who to connect them to. For many students, especially those adjusting to new environments, that sense of familiarity and clarity is imperative.
These moments remind me that learning isn’t only academic; it’s emotional, social and internal. When residents trust me enough to open up, they’re also learning about themselves, understanding their boundaries, their values and what they need to grow. Helping students navigate UND’s network, whether through counseling services, academic support, cultural organizations or simply listening, is a form of learning support in itself.
Ultimately, serving the whole student means taking my role seriously, not just as a job but as a commitment. Every interaction has the potential to shape someone’s growth, and that’s the part of the work that matters most.
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>> Questions or comments about the UND LEADS Strategic Plan? Your thoughts are welcome! Please contact Ryan Zerr, associate vice president for Strategy & Implementation, or Brandon Wallace, senior financial accountant, the co-chairs of the UND LEADS Implementation Committee. You also may offer your thoughts by visiting the UND LEADS Strategic Plan home page and clicking on the “Provide your feedback” link.
Thank you for your support of the UND LEADS Strategic Plan!
