Deep Dive Days

To complete PLC, you are required to attend two Deep Dive Days over the course of your time in the program. Each semester, you can choose from between 3-4 different Deep Dive opportunities. These are usually planned and implemented by the Deep Dive Coordinators. The Experiential Learning Intensive weekends also count as a Deep Dive.

PLC Deep Dives extend the academic pillar of PLC outside of the classroom and into the real world. Deep Dives are one or two-day explorations into pressing issues in Colorado and the nation. These issues are usually long term, very complex, and are complicated by roots in many systems at the same time – intersectionality. PLCers take the opportunity to dive deeply into these issues and meet with the Coloradans involved in working through and implementing solutions.

 

“Intersectionality: The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.”

For example, the issue of educational inequity in Colorado is tied directly to neighborhood and housing issues and inequities in property values and funding, which in turn, is a direct result of the racism issues involved in housing and neighborhoods boundaries, which is then tied to the political area representatives and possible past or future attempts at gerrymandering….

These topics, among others, are introduced to PLC students in the first-year curriculum, serving in part, as the inspiration for many of the Deep Dive themes. Not only does the academic curriculum help shape Deep Dive Days, but the robust community of PLC alumni help in sourcing contacts, facilitate connections, serve as subject area experts, and share their life and professional experiences with current PLCers to inspire the next generation of leaders.

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Benefits to You

• Connect PLC classroom learning to real world, complex issues that need to be explored by emerging leaders
• Hear from people with boots on the ground, doing the work needed to make changes in their community
• Be exposed to industries, careers, and concepts that you may not otherwise explore on your own
• Community! Connect with fellow PLC students from different cohorts

Completing a Deep Dive

• Complete pre-readings and assignments and pre-trip survey
• Fully participate in the day(s)
• Complete the post-trip reflection assignment, thank you, post-trip survey
• The Deep Dive Coordinators will notify all students of a specific, electronic sign-up date and time at the beginning of each semester.

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If you will need PLC to request your excused absence from classes on a Friday, please fill out this form. Note: we will not request excused absences for days with tests, exams, presentations, etc. Additionally, your professor may or may not excuse the absence - we can only make a request.

Please request excuse emails here (these are requests to professors - not guarantees) :

Experiential Wkend Excuse Email Request Form

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