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Center for Integrative and Experiential Learning

  • Student Volunteers at Food Drive

Engage Beyond the Classroom

The University of South Carolina encourages all students to be engaged in meaningful beyond the classroom activities, such as study abroad, community service opportunities, and student organizations. Whether you focus on campus offerings or move out into the local community and beyond, it is important to apply your studies to explore new possibilities. Reflecting on these activities is also important so that you can understand how your experiences connect to personal, academic, and professional goals. Practicing reflection will help you to better understand your “why”, including decisions related to selecting an academic major and planning for future careers.

Enrich Your Time at Carolina

Find a beyond-the-classroom engagement that relates to your personal, academic, and/or professional goals. Search the My USC database to find engagement opportunities on campus.

Engage in reflection to increase your understanding of the experience and why it's important to you. Utilize our reflection prompts to guide your thinking. 

Ask your faculty mentor, academic advisor, or supervisor for guidance on ways to reflect on these experiences. Document and save what you learned in creative ways (voice recording, blog, video, infographic). (Link to Garnet Gate instructions on CIEL website)

Continue Your Engagement Journey

Apply for student funding for beyond-the-classroom opportunities such as travel through Education Abroad, materials for research projects including those supported through the Office of Undergraduate Research, or community engagement, professional attire for internships, and more!

Examine your My USC Experience Transcript to review what you have accomplished and set goals for the future.

Consider applying for Graduation with Leadership Distinction, a recognition that will appear on your diploma and official academic and My USC Experience transcripts.

For students pursuing professional licensure:

State boards of professional licensure and certification may limit distributed learning and/or experiential learning activities outside of South Carolina for programs leading to professional licensure. Information for each program leading to professional licensure is found in the Professional Licensure Outcomes statement. Students should contact the appropriate state licensing board for detailed rules regarding distributed learning (online coursework) or experiential learning in the state prior to enrolling or engaging in online or on-the-ground coursework outside of South Carolina. 

 

Engagements

Choose the right opportunities for you!  Try something new or explore your passions.  Integrative learning is about making connections using experiences that are meaningful to you. 

Connect Through Community Service

Committing just a few hours a week to an issue you care about makes a big impact on a local agency. Find more opportunities through the Leadership and Service Center.

There are numerous volunteer opportunities to participate in as well as service leadership roles you can apply for.  Interested in a particular issue? Consider connecting to your volunteer experiences with your academic work by taking a service-learning course to explore a topic in depth.

 

Connect Through Diversity and Social Advocacy

Are you passionate about issues of social justice? Choose activities that broaden and deepen your understanding of diverse populations. Find more opportunities through the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.

You can participate in the Diversity Dialogue Series to find other students who share your interest and are looking to have an honest dialogue about sometimes difficult topics. Are you wanting to become trained as an ally? Several workshops are offered throughout the semester including Safe Zone Training and Trans Advocacy Training. If you are looking for a leadership opportunity, you can chat with OMSA Peer Educators who are enthusiastic about sharing their experiences to help you find your own success at Carolina.

 

Connect Through Global Learning

The entire world is your classroom. Immerse yourself in a culture, study a foreign language or interact with international students on campus. Find more opportunities through the Education Abroad Office.

In addition to studying abroad in another country, you can be a global citizen at home. Become a conversation partner, join Buddies Beyond Borders or check out programs at the International House at Maxcy College.

 

Connect Through Professional and Civic Engagement

Develop your leadership skill sets by obtaining an off-campus job, an internship, or becoming a leader of a student organization. Find more opportunities through the Career Center and the Leadership and Service Center.

Over 50 Peer leadership programs and 500 student organizations offer the opportunities and training for you to become a peer leader. Internships and jobs off campus also help you gain professional experience. You can participate in civic engagement at the local, state or national level, and through internship programs like the South Carolina Semester and the Washington Semester which provide you the opportunity to work in government agencies while earning academic credit.

 

Connect Through Research

Asking questions and finding answers related to your interests or major is a great way to meet a faculty mentor, gain experience or possibly get published. Find more opportunities through the Office of Undergraduate Research.

You can search the undergraduate research faculty database to find the USC expert who shares your research interest and is committed to fostering your growth as a researcher. Experiments and conference travel can be expensive, but your project funding can be covered through undergraduate research Magellan scholarships, apprenticeships, mini-grants and other sources.

 

Upcoming Events

Antigone

Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024

Location: Longstreet Theatre 219

Cost: $15 - $22

Antigone

Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024

Location: Longstreet Theatre 219

Cost: $15 - $22

Book Club at the Arboretum: "Reconciliation in a Michigan Watershed"

Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024

Location: See event description for more details.

View the Calendar

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