Partnering with Academic Schools and Departments to

Support Experiential Education and Career

Development

Presenters: Mercy O. Azeke, Ed.D. Dean of the Center for Student Success and Academic Advising

William Hill, Assistant Dean of Career ServicesMarilyn Ward, Coordinator of Service Learning and Community Programs

MonmouthUniversity

• Established in1933 as a private co-educational institution in West Long Branch, NJ

• 8 Schools, 156 Acres, Historic Wilson Hall

• 6,500 Students (including graduate students)

• 37 Undergraduate Majors

What is Experiential Education at Monmouth University?

Monmouth University was one of the first institutions to pioneer Experiential Education as a graduation requirement for all undergraduate students. In 1996, Experiential Education was approved by Monmouth University’s Faculty Council as a curricular component of General Education. Over the years, Ex Ed has met with great success and in 2011 NSEE named Dr. Rekha Datta, Political Science Professor and Founding Director of Monmouth University’s Institute for Global Understanding, “Outstanding Leader in Experiential Education: Higher Education.”

Whether it’s changing the world for the better or transforming their future, students use Experiential Education to literally bring knowledge to life.

Structural Diagram Experiential Education Program, Monmouth University

Administration: Provost

Dean of the Center for Student Success and Academic Advising

Staff: Career Services

Office of Study Abroad

Faculty:

General Education Oversight

Committee (GEOC)

Students

Center for Student SuccessDean, Center for Student

Success and Academic Advising

Associate Dean, Support Services and Articulation

Transfer/Articulation Services

Undeclared Sophomore Advising

Director of Tutoring and Writing Services

Assistant Director of Writing Services and

Supplemental Instruction

Assistant Dean, Career Services

Career and Job Development

Career Networking

Job Placement

Experiential Education Cooperative

Education/Internships

Experiential Education Service Learning,

Community/Volunteer Programs

Director, Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF)

Director of Academic Advising

First Year Advising

Advising and Career Initiatives

Advisor Training/Development

Monmouth’s Early Warning System

(MEWS)

Director of Disability Services

The Ex Ed Process Students work with faculty and/or Career Services to identify an Ex Ed placement. Depending on departmental requirements, students have the option of registering for:

An Internship A Paid Co-op Service Learning A Research Project Ex Ed Courses Study Abroad

All Ex Ed placements must be approved by the student’s Department. The student identifies a Faculty Sponsor within the Department and works with the Faculty Sponsor to establish learning objectives.

In order to receive course credit, students must complete academic assignments and spend the required number of hours at the placement site, currently 50 hours per credit.

The Office of Career Services supports students and the Experiential Education process by the following means: providing leads, facilitating student placement, managing the placement database, providing weekly workshops (such as “Ex Ed – Your Future Depends on It”; “Make a Difference through Service Learning”; “How to Search for and Obtain an Internship”; “Resumes that Get Results”), providing assistance with resume writing, networking, and career development.

Ex Ed Student ObjectivesStudents will be able to:

apply classroom knowledge within the professional environment of their Experiential Education placement;

fulfill the responsibilities associated with the professional environment of their Experiential Education placement;

articulate the role of their coursework in helping them to perform the work associated with their Experiential Education placement;

describe careers related to their experiential learning; and discuss the broader context in which their experience took place.

Faculty ResponsibilitiesEx Ed Faculty are responsible for:

leading and coordinating Ex Ed in their Schools and Departments; serving as Faculty Sponsors; serving as MU Field or Clinical Supervisors; serving as Career Advising Mentors within their Departments; developing Ex Ed courses; and developing Ex Ed opportunities.

Career Services Responsibilities

Maintaining and developing contacts with employers and community agencies;

Helping students to identify areas of interest;

Working with faculty and field supervisors to provide appropriate experiences for students;

Informing students about Ex Ed opportunities and leads;

Publishing the Ex Ed Newsletter; Maintaining the Ex Ed Database of

Opportunities; Sponsoring the annual Ex Ed program, “Ex

Ed Changed My Life”; Collaborating with Departments on special

events and programs; Working to develop placements for entire

classes; and Providing help with resumes and

interviews.

Career Services collaborates with faculty, external agencies, and businesses to facilitate and coordinate Internships, Service Learning, and Co-ops for MU students. Responsibilities include:

Experiential Education HighlightsResearch Projects

2013 School of Science Summer Research Program The Monmouth University School of Science Summer Research Program is a 12-week. paid research experience which enables students to work on collaborative research projects under the supervision of School of Science faculty and staff.

Students have the opportunity to carry out exciting original research in the following areas: Biology, Chemistry, Medical Technology, Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Software Engineering, the Rapid Response Institute, and the Urban Coast Institute. Thirty-six research project were presented at the 5th Annual Summer Research Program Symposium held August 13, 2013.

Other examples of Student-Faculty research include: Anthropology – Archeological investigation of Charles Fort in Nevis, West Indies Mathematics – Statistical analysis of veterinary or medical procedures Psychology – The psychology of relationships Public Policy – Usage and effectiveness of government Web sites in New Jersey municipalities

Experiential Education HighlightsStudent Intern Research Project

2013 School of Science Summer Research Program : Biology The Effect of Hurricane Sandy on Copepod Abundance in

Barnegat Bay, NJ Faculty Mentors: MU Department of Biology, MU Urban Coast Institute, National

Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Funded by: NJ Department of Environmental Protection, MU School of Science

Copepods are small crustaceans found in the sea and nearly all freshwater habitats. They provide a necessary food source for recreationally and commercially important fish and shellfish. This study documented trends in abundance and distribution of copepods in Barnegat Bay, focusing specifically on a copepod bloom that occurred after Hurricane Sandy.

Experiential Education HighlightsStudent Intern Research Project

2013 School of Science Summer Research Program: Chemistry

Anticancer Drug Delivery by Biodegradable Nanoparticles Faculty Mentor: Dr. Xudong Yuan, MU Department of Chemistry, Medical

Technology, and Physics Funded by: Bristol-Myers Squibb, MU School of Science

The objective of this research project is to successfully transfect cells with nanoparticles loaded with a model anticancer drug. Based on this research, PLGA nanoparticles were able to effectively deliver the model drug to cancer cells. The real world applications for this research include targeted drug delivery, less toxic cancer treatments, and gene therapy.

Experiential Education HighlightsStudent Intern Research Project

2013 School of Science Summer Research Program: Mathematics

Comparison of Infection Rates and Surgery Times in Three Different ACL Surgeries on Dogs

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Richard Bastian, MU Department of Mathematics Funded by: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Garden State Veterinary Specialists, Red Bank

Veterinary Hospital, MU School of Science

Veterinarians want to compare three ACL surgeries (ECLS, TPLO, and TTA) in terms of infection rate and surgery focusing on the hypothesis that TTA is replacing TPLO. After analysis of the data, researchers founds statistically significant and clinically significant results and the veterinarians have agreed to get a new and larger dataset to run similar statistical analysis.

Experiential Education HighlightsEntrepreneurship

An Award-Winning Ex Ed Course - Recipient of the 2010 Innovative Entrepreneurship Course Award from the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Goal: To help students gain experience in the business world with something on the line.

Students conceptualize a final product and bring it to market in 15 weeks. Examples include:

Second Chances Thrift Boutique benefiting women who have been incarcerated Soup d’Shore, a community soup kitchen Center for Immigrant Services PAW-triots, an all-natural treat for dogs; part of the proceeds benefits Canine Battle

Buddies, a charity that provides companion dogs to veterans suffering from “invisible wounds” developed during military service

Experiential Education HighlightsService Learning and Community Programs

Master Syllabus: “Community and Service Learning Projects” Through the Master Syllabus, Service Learning is available to students in all majors. Service Learning Courses: Advanced Radio Production, Storytelling,

American Cultural Diversity, International Service Seminar in India, Civic Engagement

Course Projects: Entrepreneurship/Mathematical Modeling Individual Placements: American Cancer Society, Intrepid Sea, Air and Space

Museum, American Red Cross, Move for Hunger, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Statewide Youth Helpline, and many others

Experiential Education HighlightsJP Morgan Chase

JPMC recruits rising seniors for internships in their corporate development program at their Delaware location.

The program seeks out highly competitive students with strong academic and leadership qualifications.

Candidates are pre-screened and interviews are conducted on campus in the Spring by a team of JPMC recruiters.

Selected candidates work full time during the summer at the JPMC office in Newark, Delaware. Many are offered full-time jobs after the program.

MU was recently named a “core recruiting school” by JPMC based on a successful recruiting track record.

Experiential Education HighlightsAccounting Honors Employment Program

Each October local, regional, and national CPA firms conduct interviews on campus with qualified junior, senior, and MBA accounting students.

Major firms, such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte & Touche, and KPMG, participate regularly.

Successful students are offered internships and/or full-time jobs usually no later than the December following the interview.

Accounting majors can use the internships for credit toward the current New Jersey CPA requirement of 150 credits.

AHEP credits are used as free electives.

Career Services collaborates with Schools and Academic Departments to maximize the benefits of Experiential Education and to support

career development. This collaboration creates a network of resources for students.

Major Collaborative ActivitiesFall Career Discovery Series for Business Majors

“Careers in Marketing” Co-sponsored by the American Marketing Association – NJ Chapter “Careers for Humanities and Social Sciences Majors” “Career Planning and Career Identification for Student Athletes” “Careers for Finance and Economics Majors”

Major Collaborative ActivitiesCareer Days

Fall Career Day Educators’ Career Day Humanities and Social Services Career and

Internship Fair Spring Career Day

Major Collaborative ActivitiesSchool of Science Career Choices Roundtable

Annual student-led networking event showcasing career paths in Science In spring 2013, speakers included Mary Ellen Clark, Assistant

Commissioner of Labor, Workforce Development at NJ Department of Labor and Workforce

Five concurrent workshops were held in Marine Biology and Environmental Policy, Computer Science/Software Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, and Health. Panelists included alumni from L’Oreal, Celgene Corporation, Colgate Corporation, Merck Pharmaceuticals, Children’s Dentistry of Morristown, and others.

Major Collaborative Activities“Ex Ed Changed My Life”

Faculty Panel Discussion Student Panel Discussion Internship sites such as: Viacom/MTV; Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum; Six Flags; Disney College Program

Poster Presentations (with 47 Student Presenters)

Major Collaborative Activities

Intern of the YearFaculty in all Departments were asked to submit nominations. Nominees included:

A Criminal Justice major who interned with the New York Department of Homeland Security and who worked on a major operation in defense of the nation;

An English major who was lead ESL instructor at a local nonprofit; An Accounting major who learned the responsibilities of other interns so he could step in when someone was

absent; A psychology major who interned for a statewide youth helpline; and An English major who worked at a PR firm on book

campaigns for bestselling and new authors.

The Intern of the Year was a Social Work major who touched the lives of clients at a continuum of care center. She worked in all units, including short-term rehabilitation, ambulatory care , and a special unit for patients with Huntington’s disease.

Major Collaborative ActivitiesExperiential Education News

Experiential Education Newsletter - published every semester since 1997 to share Ex Ed success stories

Provides information for students about the Ex Ed requirement

Highlights different majors and departmental projects and activities

Strengths of the Ex Ed Program

Collaboration between Career Services and faculty results in the following strengths:

Increased Ex Ed and career development activities Combined learning and career goals Increased placement opportunities Increased internship requests from external agencies Increased number of placements at higher quality sites Familiarity with on-the-job and life experiences Increase in students’ knowledge about their field of choice and resources

in their occupation Enhanced ongoing communication between faculty and administrators Enhanced ease of transition from Ex Ed to job placement

MU Ex Ed Student Outcomes

Students experience and learn on-the- job and lifelong skills.

Some students secure full-time jobs in the area of their expertise and interest.

Students learn valuable networking skills

Monmouth University Contact Information

Dr. Mercy AzekeDean of the Center for Student Success

and Academic Advising mazeke@monmouth.edu

Phone 732-571-4409 Fax 732-923-4777

William HillAssistant Dean of Career Services

hill@monmouth.edu Phone 732-571-3580 Fax 732-263-5167

Marilyn WardCoordinator of Service Learning and Community Programs

mward@monmouth.edu Phone 732-571-4411 Fax 732-263-5167

Monmouth University400 Cedar Ave., West Long Branch, NJ 07764