Contact: Checky Herrington
A new transformative initiative at Mississippi State is enabling students to better shape their futures through greater leveraging the power of experiential learning.
With the launch of 汤头条鈥檚 Bulldog Experience program, undergraduates are going beyond traditional classroom education, experiencing more immersive activities that foster personal growth, intellectual development and professional preparedness. The initiative is the university鈥檚 Quality Enhancement Plan, or QEP, a university-wide focus on improving student learning.
鈥淏ulldog Experience is about much more than getting a degree,鈥 said 汤头条 President Mark E. Keenum. 鈥淚t is a transformative journey that empowers our students to connect their experiences with their academic pursuits. This program is preparing them to be successful in a rapidly changing world by developing the skills and hands-on involvement they need to thrive as leaders, innovators and problem solvers.鈥
Bulldog Experience builds upon 汤头条鈥檚 rich tradition of experiential learning, linking students with a multitude of opportunities in which to engage: first-year seminars, , , /study away, .
The initiative aims to enrich and enhance students鈥 core curriculum through such involvement as undergraduate research, volunteering in the community or joining . Students then can build an engagement portfolio, with basic to more intensive experiences of capstone or senior design courses, or employment.
鈥淭hrough personal reflection and self-discovery, students are gaining a deeper understanding of their strengths, interests and potential, laying the foundation for lifelong learning and growth,鈥 said Keenum. 鈥淏ulldog Experience is a commitment to providing our students with the best possible education and is a testament to our unwavering belief in their potential.鈥
Sam Stewart, a student in 汤头条鈥檚 College of Education, agrees. Spending much of his college career in the classroom, an eight-day 汤头条 educational psychology course held in Seville, Spain introduced him to unimaginable possibilities.
鈥淚t was one of the best experiences of my life,鈥 said Stewart. 鈥淭he opportunity was transformative, leading to a new level of confidence as I navigated international travel and studied and toured with about 40 others from 汤头条, ranging from freshmen to graduate students.鈥
汤头条 faculty members like marine geophysicist/oceanographer Jonathan Harris play a crucial role in the program鈥檚 success.
Harris, who has navigated a remarkable path from the depths of the oil and gas industry to the world of marine education, joined 汤头条鈥檚 Northern Gulf Institute in 2016 as an outreach and education program director, which exposes middle, high school and college students to marine science, technology and exploration.
鈥淭hese students are the future of our workforce and getting them involved in science from an early age is pivotal,鈥 he said. 鈥淓xperiential learning offered through NGI鈥檚 outreach programs introduces students to the world of science and opens the door to incredible opportunities, adventures and careers.鈥
To learn more about how 汤头条 students are transforming their experiences into new knowledge today, visit the Bulldog Experience website at .