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Woods Students Thrive Through Experiential Learning

Blog | 10.28.2024

This story appeared in the 2024 Fall issue of Onyx Anneau.


By Elizabeth “Izzy” Reel ’21, content marketing manager

Experiential learning has long been a staple for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) students. Learning in a classroom is beneficial, but the application and implementation in real settings help students better understand what they have learned.

An education major completes her student teaching in a local school classroom.

A student-centered approach is a common focus at SMWC. “Students don’t always realize they need real-world experiences, but soon they discover that they’ve applied classroom knowledge while they have gained hands-on learning,” said Martha Reed, director of the career center. This provides an elevated learning experience for the student.

Many programs at The Woods include service and experiential learning components in the course curriculum. Instructors believe that this helps better prepare students for when they graduate.

Marcia Miller, Ph.D., RN, dean of the Division of Nursing and Sciences, shared that the nursing program has always had a student-centered approach. “Nursing programs often take one of two different approaches. One is the gatekeeper approach to weed out the weak. We decided we were not going to do that. We would be holistic and developmental,” Miller said. She then explained that part of the strategy in coaching students is a spiritual component.

Miller shared that the nursing program’s holistic approach enables students to gain skills from experiential learning opportunities throughout the year. SMWC nursing students gain experience through a simulation activity each semester.

Nursing students participate in real-life scenarios
in the Rural Health Innovation Collaborative (RHIC)
simulation center at Union Hospital.

The Rural Health Innovation Collaborative (RHIC) simulation center is located at Union Hospital providing students a realistic setting and experience.

Students also participate in an annual mock disaster drill on the SMWC campus, including support from the criminology program, several local law enforcement offices, emergency medical service providers and the Emergency Management Agency of Vigo County.

The SMWC Education Department educates students to engage their critical thinking skills through field assignments by teaching in a classroom each year, in addition to completing their student teaching experience during their final semester at The Woods. Ashley Bennett, chair of the Education Department, said, “Student teaching and fields are the ultimate hands-on learning experience. Our students can experience what it is like to have a classroom of their own with the guidance of a host teacher and a clinical supervisor – all before they graduate, which makes a difference. They can apply the methods they have learned from their professors by teaching in an actual classroom. This on-site practice is the best way to strengthen our future educators for the real world.”

As SMWC bridges connections across the Wabash River, these relationships add to the student experience. From working with community groups at the Vigo County YMCA and conducting exercise programs with the Sisters of Providence, Tricia Pierce, DHSc, ACSM-CEP, associate professor of exercise science, shared that providing experiential learning is a matter of giving students what they need to be successful. “Students have to be exposed to real people, so it’s my job to get them in front of the world’s population. For me, I like to give students as much hands-on experience as possible, and if I can pair that with a service to the community, that’s my gold star,” said Pierce.

An equine student receiving hands-on experience
during a riding course.

The first project Pierce organized was assigning student trainers to faculty and staff for a customized fitness and weight loss program as service learning. Pierce, her students and the faculty and staff volunteers found great success in the program. “It evolved from being a recommendation to being a requirement for the students to complete, so I really like that we’re progressing our hands-on learning in several ways,” Pierce said. From collaborations with Indiana State University to completing internships in the Wabash Valley, Pierce explained that these experiences truly set The Woods experience apart from other institutions.

Additionally, the exercise science and kinesiology students will embark on new experiences this year, including running fitness tests with the SMWC cross-country teams. “We are practicing and doing the work of a healthcare professional rather than just reading in the classroom. We’re very fortunate to do it in the renovated space we have,” Pierce said. Students will continue to conduct exercise programs with community groups and the Sisters of Providence throughout the academic year. Peirce said it’s about more than teaching in a classroom for her. “There’s magic that happens when you see a student connect a classroom concept to real life. There is a magic between students and clients that can only happen when the student has the professionalism, and the client trusts them – to see that, it’s incredible,” Pierce said. “In the end, I want my students to fall in love with caring for people. In this field of study, you must want to help human beings to have an impact. These experiences show them what that is like.”

Kinesiology and massage therapy students conduct
weekly massage clinics on campus to apply their skills and
provide actual care to clients.

Since he arrived in 2020, Edward Ferguson, Ph.D., chair of the equine studies department, has witnessed the equine studies program enrollment double. His approach has been to give students knowledge they will retain through experiential learning. “Lots of animal science programs are known for hands-on experiences, but those are limited to two hours a week for 16 weeks. What I learned here [at SMWC] is that students are required to take 16-week classes that are hands-on entirely. That was impressive,” Ferguson said. From equine care courses that allow students to care for horses to riding courses that educate students while riding a horse, the equine studies department fully embraces experiential learning. “This department is miles ahead of many other colleges and universities in the United States,” he said. For example, by the end of each semester, students can conduct a full ultrasound on a horse and point out different anatomical parts of the horse they’re conducting an ultrasound on – something employers often look for in interns and prospective employees. “Our students have an animal that is dependent on them, which brings a whole level of responsibility above and beyond a lab experiment,” Ferguson shared.

Experiential learning opportunities can be found throughout Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College’s campus. Regardless of the major, faculty and staff always prioritize students’ needs, proving that students truly leave The Woods with more than a degree.


Elizabeth Reel
Elizabeth “Izzy” Reel ’21

A proud alum of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, Elizabeth “Izzy” Reel ’21 started her career in higher education in February 2022. Reel graduated from SMWC in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in professional writing and completed a marketing minor. She was humbled and honored to receive the Undergraduate Alumni Leadership and Service Award in 2021. In addition to her love for The Woods, she enjoys being involved in the community, coaches high school soccer and loves spending time with family and friends.

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