LOWNDES COUNTY, GA (WTXL) — Valdosta State University has established the Mary Virginia Terry Center for Experiential Learning, a new university-wide initiative designed to bring more hands-on opportunities directly to students.
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The center could connect students with internships, research opportunities, study abroad programs and community partnerships through service learning. VSU says the goal is to make those opportunities more accessible — whether students are traditional, nontraditional, online or commuting.
The initiative builds on work already underway at the university. Professor Shawn Ault has been working with students on hands-on learning aimed at preparing graduates to fill real workforce needs.
"We hope the graduates from our program fill a need," Ault said.
VSU says the center is designed to give professors like Ault more support and students more opportunities to put what they learn into practice.
Dr. Anne Price, Executive Director of Experiential Learning, said the center is built to serve as a bridge between the university and the broader community.
"My vision for the Mary Virginia Terry Center for Experiential Learning is for it to serve as a vibrant,student-centered hub that enriches the experiences of current students and serves as a public-facing community connection and resource linking VSU and the South Georgia region," Price said.
Price said the shift toward experiential learning has energized the entire campus.
"Experiential learning has now become part of the VSU culture, which is invigorating for our instructors as well as our students," Price said.
The center is named for Mary Virginia Terry, a VSU alumna who graduated with degrees in sociology and anthropology in 1939. Her $3.9 million gift helped establish the foundation for the center, along with a chair in experiential learning and a scholarship that has already helped nearly 200students.
VSU says the next step is connecting even more students with opportunities to take what they learn in the classroom and put it to work in the real world.
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