July 30, 2019
by Jere W. Morehead, President
The University of Georgia ensures that every undergraduate student engages in experiential learning—connecting their academic foundations to the world beyond the classroom—before they graduate. Summer is an ideal time for students to participate in research, internships, service-learning, study abroad, and other opportunities that achieve this goal.
While each college and school decides what opportunities satisfy their requirements, every student at UGA is guaranteed an intensive, sustained, and hands-on learning experience overseen by a mentor in their field. Students who participate in the Marine Institute on Sapelo Island’s Coastal Summer Semester, for example, spend time with faculty exploring the salt marsh, conducting fisheries sampling aboard the Research Vessel Spartina, and carrying out independent research. Students who intern with UGA Extension over the summer assist county agents with projects ranging from nutritional education and 4-H youth development programs to agricultural research and consultations with farmers.
When UGA students return to campus in the fall, they bring with them new skills and insights that benefit their classmates’ learning as well as their own. Just as important, our students bring a greater understanding of how they can contribute to their field and to the world around them after graduation.