Spring 2023 Semester Recap

Experiential Learning on Campus

This spring, UGA saw the highest number of students enrolled in an Experiential Learning (EL) course or activity since the initiative began in 2016, with a total of 12,124 enrollments. 9,321 students were enrolled in EL courses, while 2,803 participated in EL activities. Our team at the Office of Experiential Learning (OEL) works tirelessly to create, expand, and improve EL activities for students. Beyond regularly meeting with deans of the 15 schools and colleges, alumni and alumni chapter leads, and new students to discuss experiential learning at UGA, we also pursue collaborations with other offices and units to overcome obstacles for students.

In January, Assistant Director of Operations for OEL, Kay Stanton, hosted a luncheon for EL Certification Officers from the schools and colleges on campus to discuss strategies for expanding student access to opportunities and securing blanket approval for more students to receive credit for EL activities. Amy Sweet, Senior Manager of Business Development for OEL, founded the Internship Forum, which seeks to build partnerships and improve internship administration and programming across campus. Amy hosted the Internship Forum’s first meeting with 19 representatives from across campus in March.

Photos taken during the collaborative brainstorm session at the inaugural Internship Forum breakfast.

Led by OEL Director Andrew Potter, the Student Industry Fellows Program completed 9 projects this semester, collaborating with thought leaders from Delta Air Lines, Augusta National Golf Club, the National Hockey League, Home Depot, Worldstrides, Envirospark, Schréder, the Better Business Bureau, and Greater Dalton. These projects were high-impact opportunities for students in the Fellows program to cultivate innovation competencies and form mutually beneficial partnerships with these industry giants and employers.

Fellows and SIFP Director Andrew Potter pose with members of the Better Business Bureau at the Fellows' pitch meeting.

Expanding EL Opportunities

The University Curriculum Committee’s EL Subcommittee approved 20 new non-credit activities, bringing the total number of newly approved non-credit activities to 38 for this academic year. The subcommittee also approved 11 courses for the EL requirement. Additionally, the School of Public and International affairs adopted a new blanket statement this semester, approving all non-course EL activities to satisfy the Experiential Learning requirement for their majors.

In collaboration with local and national partner organizations, our office proposed 11 of the 20 newly approved non-credit activities. Many of these partnerships have resulted in new work-linked learning opportunities for students. In the spring semester alone, 321 UGA students fulfilled their Experiential Learning degree requirement through work-integrated learning programs managed by our office.

Scholarships for Experiential Learning

One of the many channels our office has created to make completing the Experiential Learning degree requirement a more equitable process for students is through Experiential Learning Scholarships. Currently, our office manages a merit-based scholarship program to support students pursuing approved EL activities. 35 students received EL Scholarship funds to support their EL activities during the spring semester. Between the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 scholarship cycles, 223 students were awarded a total of $502,000 in funding to support their engagement in approved EL activities.

This semester, we made significant progress toward the development of a need-based scholarship program. The new, need-based scholarship opportunity will open to students during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Engaging the Field of Experiential Education

The Office of Experiential Learning is focused on establishing UGA as a thought leader in Experiential Learning. OEL staff regularly attend and participate in conferences and professional development events to ensure that UGA remains on the cutting edge of experiential education strategies and approaches. This semester, OEL Director Andrew Potter presented at the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) annual conference and the National Student Success Conference (NSCC). In March, Andrew and Kay led an interactive workshop at the University System of Georgia’s Teaching and Learning Conference on articulating student competencies using a Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR) with Dr. Katie Burr from Academic Program Assessment. Kay, Amy, and Annelise Norman represented OEL at the Georgia Association of Colleges and Employers (GACE) annual meeting in May. Annelise moderated Amy’s panel on project-based learning partnerships between institutions and employers. Kay co-led the conference’s Experiential Learning Summit, presenting on Experiential Learning in the world of AI and co-leading a design sprint for participants using human-centered design to identify innovative ways to operationalize EL in their schools or companies.

OEL staff members Annelise and Amy pose with the rest of their panelists at the GACE conference.

Spring 2023 was yet another fantastic, productive, and energetic semester for the Office of Experiential Learning. We’ll continue with this momentum to expand experiential opportunities for our students, ensuring that every UGA graduate is ready to thrive.