Elon University staff and students made presentations this month at the annual conference of the National Society for Experiential Education held in Charlotte, N.C.
Five staff members presented an Oct. 8 workshop titled “Standing at the Crossroads of an Experiential Learning Requirement: Collaborations for Intentional, Integrated Student Learning.”
Presenters were Nagatha Tonkins, director of internships for the School of Communications; Kehaya Wescott, internship coordinator in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; Rex Waters, associate dean of students; and Career Services staff members Debby Wall, assistant director for experiential education & employer relations, and Pam Brumbaugh, director of experiential education.
ELR “crossroads” moments were outlined, the collaboration between student and academic affairs discussed, and participants worked with the “crossroads” moments from their own institutions.
Brumbaugh and Wall presented two pre-conference workshops on Oct. 6. The morning workshop was “Fundamentals of Experiential Education: Theory and Best Practice” and the afternoon workshop was “NSEE Principles of Ethical & Best Practice for Experiential Educators.”
Brumbaugh presented both of these workshops at the University of New Haven in May, and she presented the “Principles” workshop in July at Dusquene University in Pittsburgh. She travels to the University of Tampa at the end of October to present the “Fundamentals” workshop to faculty and staff. Brumbaugh and Wall have been NSEE members for more than 20 years. Brumbaugh was on the board of directors for eight years and just finished a two-year term as vice president.
She has just taken on a new role as director of the NSEE Experiential Education Academy.
Elon junior Cedric Pulliam and senior Adley Kloth spoke to the NSEE Executive Board and guests in a special meeting on Oct. 7. At this “by-invitation-only” gathering, Kloth and Pulliam described their Elon experiences and discussed how these experiences had impacted their learning, and their professional and personal goals.
The two students portrayed the campus as an engaging place where multiple opportunities exist for experiential learning and where students become partners in their own learning. Participants said that Elon served as an example for other campuses in their efforts to become a learning paradigm college.