A Marietta College education involves more than classroom and lab time, and the inaugural Experiential Education Day provided an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to showcase their experiences and the opportunities that are available to all students.
Just after returning from Thanksgiving Break, students spent the day either giving presentations or stopping by presentations to discover the variety of experiential learning opportunities they could have as an undergraduate. The day started with an internship showcase, and a workshop about how to develop an internship, followed by a student panel on internship do’s and don’ts. The day also included students presenting their capstones, a Study Abroad Fair with a passport workshop, a Secondary Concentration Fair, information sessions about Resident Assistants, EXCEL and Greek Life, a PioBiz Competition, and a Poets & Playwrights Fellowship.
“I’m really pleased with the turnout,” says Christy Burke, who was part of a team that organized and coordinated the all-day event. She is also the Director of Education Abroad and Physician Assistant Program Admission Coordinator. “ExEd Day is designed to be different from All Scholars Day, which happens in the spring. While capstones and experiential education classes were a part of this day, All Scholars Day encompasses the research — this day is about our students telling, ‘What did I do outside of the classroom, and why does that matter to me and my career path?’ and also ‘What did Marietta College provide me so I can do that again or be able to show someone just coming in what is available to them?’ ”
India Flores ’23 studied in San José, Costa Rica, in an intensive Spanish program for two months. Leading up to her Study Abroad experience, she was nervous and ready to cancel her trip. She presented a poster about her time abroad, hoping to quell any fears that other students may have about pursuing an international experience and encourage them to “go for it.”
“I was terrified, but I’m so happy I didn’t back out because it was the best experience I’ve had in my four years of college. This changed my life,” Flores says. “After graduation, I’m going to be a part of World Packers. I’ll fly to Guatemala and do a couple of six-week stints in different volunteer organizations like organic farms, coffee shops and greenhouses.”
In exchange for volunteering 20-to-25 hours per week, Flores will receive housing and meals. She plans to explore the region during her time off.
Dr. Matt Williamson and his fellow professors in the Mathematics and Computer Science Department were among many faculty who had informational tables about the programs in their departments.
“We have Mathematics, Computer Science, and Information Systems as our majors, but we also have minors in those programs, as well as Cybersecurity,” Williamson says. “Maybe students have heard of those programs, but they really haven’t had the opportunity or the time to learn more about it.”
Williamson says a lot of non-Computer Science and Information Systems students are interested in Cybersecurity because it’s a new and in-demand field, and they want to know how security relates to their area of industry.
“I think this day is very important because it provides an opportunity for students to talk with faculty and with departments that they normally don’t do on a regular basis,” Williamson says. “For students, they usually go to the same buildings, the same classes every semester, so this is a way for them to explore what options they have and actually talk with faculty who can tell them what all is available.”