Sally Kershner
Features Editor
On Thursday, Nov. 3, A.P.E.X. hosted their annual Experiential Learning Symposium at The College of Wooster and, for the first time, gave one recently retired professor, along with two students, awards for excellence in experiential learning. Even though the symposium is an annual event, this is the first year A.P.E.X. has recognized staff and students that showcase the experiential learning opportunities Wooster has to offer.
Dr. Mark Weaver, a recently retired political science professor at the College, was awarded the Faculty/Staff Award in Excellence in Experiential Learning for his impressive work with the Moot Court team at the College.
In 2002, with the help of then-chair of the pre-law committee, Dean Henry Kreuzman, Weaver founded the College’s Moot Court team, coaching it up until his retirement last year.
“Moot Court is a competitive activity [that] simulates appellate argument before the U.S. Supreme Court, in which students argue constitutional and statutory questions that are stated in a hypothetical Supreme Court case formulated by the American Collegiate Moot Court Association. This process leads to competitions which draw participation from hundreds of colleges and universities from across the country,” said professor of mathmatics and associate dean of Experiential Learning, John Ramsay. Ramsay was one of six people on an A.P.E.X. committee to choose who would earn this award for experiential learning.
Under Weaver’s coaching, Wooster’s Moot Court team was able to start competing nationally in 2002. Over the years, Weaver has established Wooster as one of the top Moot Court teams in the country.
“In general I would characterize experiential learning as those programs that cut across the boundaries between the mainstream curriculum and all forms of extracurricular activities. It combines what you learn in the classroom with what’s possible to do outside the classroom,” said Weaver. “What makes Moot Court so challenging is that the students have to argue in front of attorneys, real legal professionals.”
Another great example of how Moot Court challenges students is how they have to work with other students they possibly have never worked with before.
“In Moot Court you work in partnerships of two and you work together with your partner on a professional basis. I assigned partnerships, and they were never based on friendships but rather on complementary skills. To see students work together so effectively with partners who they often didn’t know before they were partners is great,” said Weaver.
Even though Weaver is retired from teaching at the College, he still participates with the team, presiding as assistant coach.
Weaver is currently president of the American Moot Court Association, he is in charge of spreading the Moot Court program to other colleges and universities.
Weaver can also be found walking his two golden retrievers, Jules and Juliet, across campus during the late afternoons, so don’t be afraid to approach the dogs or Weaver — they would all appreciate a congratulatory hello.
