Five doctoral students from four colleges are the inaugural Fellows in the University of South Carolina’s first Graduate Experiential Learning Fellows Program cohort, a new partnership between The Graduate School and the Center for Integrative and Experiential Learning (CIEL).
What the program includes
“CIEL’s goal has always been to help students connect their academic studies with meaningful learning beyond the classroom,” says Sarah Williams, CIEL’s faculty executive director and co-director of the Quality Enhancement Plan. “This program gives graduate students experiential learning and reflection opportunities, along with practical experience mentoring undergraduates as they reflect on their own learning. It builds a culture of integrative learning in which graduate students learn by leading, solving problems and making decisions.”
“It builds a culture of integrative learning in which graduate students learn by leading, solving problems and making decisions.” — Sarah Williams, CIEL’s faculty executive director and co-director of the Quality Enhancement Plan
For 13 years, CIEL has supported students through integrative and experiential learning programs, including GLD, which has nearly 5,000 alumni. The new program extends that foundation to graduate students’ professional development.
“I am excited to see The Graduate School and CIEL bring their expertise together through this new program,” says Lara Lomicka Anderson, vice provost and interim dean of The Graduate School. “By connecting academic knowledge with real-world experience, this partnership will help graduate students grow as future educators, researchers and professionals prepared to serve South Carolina and communities beyond.”
Fellows who complete the program receive the CTE IEL certificate, a digital badge, recognition at CIEL’s annual cording ceremony and a medallion for hooding or commencement. Selected fellows also receive a $1,000 stipend paid in installments across the academic year.
D’Arion Johnston is a doctoral candidate in USC’s Counselor Education, Ph.D. program in the College of Education and expects to graduate in May 2027. A 2025-26 Graduate Student Teaching Award recipient, Johnston hopes to use the program to design learning opportunities that help future counselors practice skills, reflect on their experiences and connect coursework to real-world practice. She plans to bring that approach to her future work as a counselor educator and researcher.
Dalia Marquez is a doctoral student in USC’s Clinical-Community Psychology, Ph.D. program in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences and expects to graduate in 2032. New to Columbia, South Carolina, Marquez is eager to learn from local organizations and explore how community partnerships can enrich psychology education. Through the program, she hopes to bring community-connected experiences into psychology courses and strengthen her future work with diverse communities.
Ty Michalowski is a doctoral student in USC’s Exercise Science, Ph.D. program in the Arnold School of Public Health and expects to graduate in 2029. A teaching and research assistant, Michalowski hopes to use the program to develop curricula that connect classroom learning with experiences beyond the classroom and examine how those approaches shape student engagement in athletic training education. He also looks forward to mentoring students as emerging researchers and community leaders.
David Owiredu is a doctoral candidate in USC's Epidemiology, Ph.D. program in the Arnold School of Public Health and expects to graduate in May 2028. His research in maternal and child health, public health surveillance, and community-based projects has shown him how epidemiologic and biostatistical methods can address real public health challenges. Through the program, he hopes to strengthen his mentoring and teaching skills while helping students connect classroom learning to practical experience. He plans to pursue a faculty career in epidemiology, contributing to research that translates evidence into practice.
Abby Scott is a doctoral candidate in USC’s Biomedical Engineering, Ph.D. program in the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing. Through the program, Scott hopes to develop projects that help students apply core concepts in creative ways and support undergraduate researchers as they reflect on and communicate their findings to varied audiences. She plans to carry these approaches into a future career in academic research and teaching.
CIEL administers the Graduate Experiential Learning Fellows Program in partnership with The Graduate School. Graduate students with questions about the program can contact CIEL leadership: Sarah Williams, faculty executive director, at swilliams@mozart.sc.edu, or Lauren Epps, staff director, at eppslg@mailbox.sc.edu.