'Presentation U' Makes Students the 'Ultimate Presentation'

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Video by UK Public Relations and Marketing.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 6, 2012) — Do you know what the University of Kentucky's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is?

If you don't already, then you will soon. The word about UK's QEP, "Presentation U," is getting out, and soon everyone will be aware of this of this important campus-wide initiative (because ultimately, it affects everyone).

Presentation U is the title of UK's QEP, which is one of 12 core requirements the university takes on to reaffirm its accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).  SACS reaffirmation of accreditation is mandatory for the university. The QEP is being developed to receive SACS' evaluation during spring 2013.

Presentation U represents the many different opportunities students will soon have to improve their presentation and communication skills across various platforms. The intention is to improve the student learning experience with a focus on developing integrated oral, written, visual and multimedia communication skills. While many students utilize similar services at UK currently, such as the Writing Center, the Study, the MC3 Lab, eStudio, and the Hub, Presentation U will unite and augment these programs, while also offering a unique service to faculty in developing opportunities in their courses for students to learn these skills.  

Why presentation skills? According to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, nearly 76 percent of employers say written communication skills are highly important when hiring recent college graduates. And over 67 percent of employers require strong verbal skills.

"There is an ongoing recognition that students need to communicate better," says Amy Gaffney, a UK professor of communication who originally helped determine the concept of Presentation U. "Employers have come back to university officials saying that they wish their students could do this, and UK needed to answer the call. Communication skills are so embedded in what professors do that sometimes they have a hard time teaching those types skills to students." 

This fall, information about "Presentation U" is being distributed to the UK community through various sources, so all students, faculty and staff will have a general knowledge and understanding of the QEP. Awareness of Presentation U as the university's QEP is an important factor SACS considers when reaccrediting the university.

Additionally, Presentation U continues the commitment of UK Core's Composition and Communication learning outcomes beyond the freshman or sophomore year, working with faculty and staff who choose to institute new communication-based curricula or to formalize programs already in place. 

"UKCore does an excellent job of meeting basic communication needs for our incoming students," said Diane Snow, professor in the UK Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and co-chair of the QEP committee. "Presentation U will 'take it to the next level' through vertical integration of communication skills building in the students' majors, specifically for juniors and seniors."

Like the "Presentation U" page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PresentationU

MEDIA CONTACT: Jenny Wells, (859) 257-5343; Jenny.Wells@uky.edu