The
Value of Learning Off Campus
Rachel Finklestein enjoying
Ecuador |
When Rachel Finklestein ’08
traveled to Ecuador last fall and volunteered as an art
teacher with La Escuela San Jose de Calasanz, a school
for disabled children, teens and young adults, her
experiences extended well beyond the classroom. She spent
time with the students in a variety of settings, she said,
teaching them ways of communicating and living with their
disabilities.
While there, Finklestein
created an independent study project that illustrated
her experiences and lessons learned in Ecuador. “This
project documented the over-arching experience of disabled
youth in Ecuador, the use of art as a tool of self-expressions
and the varying modes of communication within a population,” she
said.
On Tuesday, Nov. 6, Finklestein
will be one of 25 Smith students who will discuss their experiences
learning beyond the classroom during the Smith Elects the
World Conference in the Campus Center. The conference was
established to explore the relationship between formal classroom
education and learning that takes place in off-campus programs,
such as Praxis internships, study abroad and community service.
In five concurrent panels, beginning
at 4:10 p.m. in various Campus Center rooms, students will
describe how their studies at Smith have shaped their off-campus
endeavors and how those experiences have enriched their academics
at Smith.
Alexandra Ferrara ’09 will talk about her experience
as a Praxis intern with the Corporate Council in Africa.
Margaret Purnell ’08 will discuss her work on an archaeological
dig in Northumberland, England. Others have traveled to Florence,
Italy, Geneva, Hamburg, Germany, Tanzania, Peru and Mexico.
Equally as important, many Smith
students remain closer to home, tutoring students at the
Gerena Community School in Springfield, for example, or assisting
students in inner-city programs.
These students’ stories
underscore the significant contribution their off-campus
learning experiences have on their liberal arts education.
The student panels will be followed
by a faculty panel at 5:10 p.m. in the Campus Center Carroll
Room. A reception, open to all, will follow the event at
6 p.m.
Smith Elects the World is sponsored
by the Office of the Dean of the College, the Office of the
Provost and Dean of the Faculty, and the Career Development
Office.
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