UVA Wise Annual Conference Shares Hands-On Learning Success

Educators, students and community advocates came together to share successes and lessons learned in recent experiential learning projects last Saturday at UVA Wise.

Presentations at the “Appalachian Leaders and Learners: Conference on Experiential Learning” demonstrated how experiential learning enriches both students and the community, said UVA Wise Provost Trisha Folds-Bennett who attended and spoke at the conference held at the College library.

“Experiential learning is essential. It is integrative. The opportunity to turn big ideas into action helps students learn in a different way,” Folds-Bennett said. “Experiential learning is important to our students’ academic experience and we are pleased to come together to acknowledge the great opportunities faculty and community members are providing for students in the region.”

Town of Wise town planner and zoning administrator Reagan Walsh, who attended the conference in hopes of partnering with the College on student internships in her office, agrees.

“Experiential learning is very important. Someone like me, when I was in college, just sitting through class could be extremely boring. My attention span wasn’t really there. I want to be hands-on and do things,” Walsh said. “The idea of making experiential learning a part of the curriculum requirement I think is a great opportunity for some of these kids to have some experience in the real world before they have to work in the real world.”

Walsh spoke at the conference about what a student internship program might look within her department.

“Especially being in a rural town, I wear many hats so the more help I can get I’ll take it,” said Walsh. “At least for the Town of Wise’s perspective, the more opportunities we have to have students come work with us is fantastic. It helps us out, gets them involved and gives them a sense of pride—we are connected to where our school is.”

About 30 educators from UVA Wise, Emory and Henry University and Berea College along with students and community members attended the second annual conference.

UVA Wise faculty and students, along with several community members, presented on projects ranging from community health, environmental advocacy, study abroad programs, innovative music collaborations, Appalachian storytelling, economic development partnerships and undergraduate research among others. Experiential learning encompasses a wide range of involvement including study abroad, undergraduate research, community engagement and internships.

Anthony Cashio, UVA Wise associate professor of philosophy, shared about his course on eco-philosophy where experiential learning plays an important role. In the course, students explore thinking through ethical and philosophical issues from an ecological perspective, considering environmental issues and ecological theory and practice by partnering with regional environmental advocacy groups— Clinch Coalition and Appalachian Voices. Students got outside of the classroom and into nature, working with the organizations where they learned about trail maintenance, water testing and timber harvesting. Students, as part of their reflective work, created an informative pamphlet.

Another unexpected benefit is many of the students, even those who grew up in the area, aren’t familiar with trails like the Red Fox Trail and Bark Camp Lake and outdoor locations they visited.

“It is also fun to introduce your students to, ‘Hey, this is your home,’” Cashio said.

About a dozen UVA Wise students, including members of Circle K International, ROTC and the UVA Wise football team volunteered at the conference.

“Volunteering is a passion that started in high school for me. There is so much happening on campus. It’s really nice to give back to the community that gives to you,” said Brittany Johnson, president of Circle K International, a community service club on campus.

Johnson said she has been involved in a lot of experiential learning as part of her academic career.

“Most of my knowledge comes from it. You sit in class and hear what the professors say, but it isn’t that hands-on and you really learn from the engagement. It is very important,” she said.

Joseph Kern, UVA Wise assistant professor of Spanish, is involved in several experiential learning organizations and serves as an adviser to the Circle K International club and one of UVA Wise’s living learning communities (LLC) on campus.

Kern said he attended the conference to create more partnerships among faculty. He hopes to expand an ACE (Academic Community Engagement ACE) class he created during the Covid-19 pandemic where his students taught conversational Spanish over Zoom to community members.

“It is great to see all of these projects come together and it isn’t possible to keep up with them all. To have a day where everyone can share and get feedback is great,” said Kern who also attended the conference last year. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase experiential learning, network with people from the region and create new partnerships.”