Blog

As the Spring semester concludes, the Office of University Experiential Learning is proud to share the notable achievements and initiatives that have defined our academic year. Our dedication to fostering excellence and innovation continues to enhance experiential opportunities for our students. Experiential Learning on Campus This spring, team members Annelise Norman (Scholarships & Public Relations) […]

Starting my freshman year at UGA in 2020 amid the pandemic, I had no clue what college life had in store – from making friends to choosing a major. I opted for a public relations degree from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. I quickly fell in love with the people, professors and […]

Experiential learning is a core component of your degree at the University of Georgia. But what does EL even mean? Many students don’t know what counts as experiential learning let alone how to achieve the credit. You’re not alone if this is how you feel. That’s where we come in! Continue reading to learn more […]

As 2023 draws to a close, the Office of University Experiential Learning reflects on our achievements and the progress we’ve made toward our goals for UGA’s Experiential Learning initiative. Experiential Learning on Campus Over the summer, the Office of University Experiential Learning welcomed the Class of 2027 at New Student Orientation, greeting returning students at […]

After a whirlwind spring semester, OEL staff members Kay Stanton (Assistant Director), Amy Sweet (Business Development), and Annelise Norman (Scholarships & PR) attended the annual conference of the Georgia Association of Colleges and Employers at the end of May. This year, the theme was “Elevating to New Heights” – rather appropriate for the North Georgia […]

For many UGA students, internships are the most meaningful mode of experiential learning with direct implications for securing employment after graduation. Gaining experience in a field and effectively test-driving a future career make student internships huge opportunities for transformation and development. In addition to the for-credit internship courses offered to many majors and on-campus internship […]

Congratulations! You are one of the ~4.2 million college students that secured an internship in the United States this summer. The original Captain Kirk once noted, “No, I’m from Iowa. I only work in outer space.” So here is the key question: If your internship is on Earth, how do you get ready for a […]

College towns around the US, like Athens, GA, are paying careful attention to the complex, symbiotic relationship between university campuses (Gowns) and their surrounding host communities (Towns) – a partnership that researchers of Innovative Higher Education liken to a “marriage” between the two.[i] Essentially, the daily interactions between institutions of higher education and their local […]

By now, most of us have heard of experiential learning and we have a general idea that it includes things like internships, research, and study abroad, but beyond that, and being a degree requirement for all undergraduates at UGA, why should we care? Put simply, experiential learning is the process of gaining knowledge and skills […]

So you landed the killer internship with your dream company, have loved every second, and now your time there is drawing to a close. What’s your next move? What do you do with this experience and the professional relationships you’ve formed? Just because an internship, summer job, or study abroad experience ends doesn’t mean you […]

At the University of Georgia, we cultivate and approve experiential learning opportunities to help you build your future and equip you to change your world. Make sure you’re capitalizing on these opportunities! A little planning and preparation will ensure that you maximize your potential during EL activities. Use these tips and insights to stand out […]

Life has a way of creating opportunities, at least when one is open to opportunities as they present themselves. For me, experiential learning is the way I have found opportunity. And truth be told, it has shaped the trajectory of my life. As a result, I have a career that I love and work with […]

When you were younger, do you remember being asked, “What’s your dream job”? The answer itself isn’t that important, but do you remember why you chose it? For a large number of kids, this answer was inspired by television. Maybe they saw a great movie about an astronaut, or they watched their favorite player score […]

The Experiential Learning Internship Program (ELIP) provides a framework for students to recognize the critical skills and competencies they gain during their work experience. Approved internships provide students with practical and applied opportunities that enable them to gain valuable hands-on experience, connect their academic foundations to experiences beyond the classroom, and develop effective time management, […]

Experiential Learning on Campus At the start of the semester, the OEL Team welcomed #UGA26 and returning students with great enthusiasm at new student orientation, resource fair events, and classroom visits. In October, OEL team members Annelise Norman and Kay Stanton led a partner workshop with @CTL for faculty to learn more about the EL […]

Ever since I was a young girl I have always been curious. That curiosity was fostered by my mother (pictured right), a lifelong science educator and champion for constructivist education in schools. It is to her that I owe my affinity for learning and my willingness to explore the unknown. My childhood was littered with […]

One of my favorite cellists, Yo-Yo Ma, stated that “an innovation, to grow organically from within, has to be based in tradition” in an interview about one of his most ambitious projects. I found this assertion puzzling: How could tradition cultivate innovation? Although seemingly paradoxical, Ma was referring to his avantgarde Silk Road Project, which […]

Spring 2022 graduate Cesar Gerardo “Mac” Escalante is making waves in the film industry thanks to a project he began as an experiential learning activity for his dual degree in Comparative Literature & Intercultural Studies and Film Studies. During the last year of his undergraduate program, Mac worked on a senior project that involved writing […]

By now you’ve probably heard the news: yes, it’s true that every undergraduate student at UGA must complete at least one approved experiential learning activity or course before they graduate. It’s also true that this prospect may look very different for each student–both in what that activity is, but also in how accessible that activity […]

As a fan of the world and ways of Harry Potter, I am often reminded of one pithy but important observation by the sage of Hogwarts, Professor Albus Dumbledore: “Curiosity is not a sin.” In our current globalized, post-industrial, knowledge economy I often observe that the very real risk of disruption is unfortunately fostering an […]

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 […]

Following nearly a decade of graduate work in linguistics, moral philosophy, and classical/ancient history, I find myself often contemplating the bigger questions in life. For example, “Is the dark side stronger?”; “Can you escape your destiny?”; “Are all nerf-herders ‘scruffy-lookin’?” (Okay, the last one is a joke, but I have yet to draft or find […]

Fall Semester 2020 Ushers in Another Great Year of Experiential Learning at the University of Georgia As a former corporate executive and now Director of University Experiential Learning at UGA, I am keenly aware of the opportunities and challenges facing the next generation. As a father of two daughters who are undergraduates pursing degrees in […]

“I’ll Be Back”: The Future is Coming for Us… If you have been paying attention, you may have heard that a robot is going to take your job. To listen to some of the rhetoric, it seems that most of us will wander aimlessly across a barren planet in search of work only to realize […]