North Central College student participates in integrated learning panel

The consortium is focused on merging liberal education, professional studies and civic engagement.
The consortium is focused on merging liberal education, professional studies and civic engagement. | File photo

North Central College senior Jack Ryan was among nine students who took part in panel discussions on integrated learning held Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

The participating students were from New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U), a national consortium of independent colleges and universities focused on merging liberal education, professional studies and civic engagement. The panel shed light on the effects of integrated learning.

“Students sharing this knowledge allows others to see what is possible when we integrate learning to include both liberal arts and Abe professional studies with a focus on being a contributing global citizen,” NAC&U President Nancy Hensel said.

Ryan, a mathematics major who is also passionate about theater, talked about his undergraduate research project "Betting on Broadway" that looked into how critical reviews could mathematically predict winners of the the Tony Awards.

Ryan has been acknowledged for his academic work on numerous occasions during his time at North Central College. He was named a 2015 Honorable Mention honoree by the Goldwater Scholarship program last spring and the Naperville, Illinois, college's 2015 Lincoln Laureate this past November.

"I would not be in a position to have received these recognitions without the close faculty relationships I have cultivated at North Central," Ryan said. "The diverse opportunities North Central provides have helped broaden my horizons and make me well-rounded."

While Ryan plans to attend graduate school to obtain his Ph.D. in mathematics and possibly become a college professor upon his graduation from North Central College, he wants theater to remain a part of his life.