Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Experiential
Learning
LE ARNING TO GETHER:
A Decade of Connecting Learning,
Teaching, and Research to Community
Contents
alumni from the past 10 years sharing how their learning experiences impacted their journey.
The Center for Experiential Learning, in working with faculty and community organizations,
facilitates high-impact learning experiences connecting classroom content with real-world
experience – a distinct element of the Jesuit education. As Fr. Kolvenbach stated in his
2–3 Student Narrative: Kajal Chokshi famous speech The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice in American Higher Education:
4–5 Service-Learning | Matthew French and Karen Aguirre “The real measure of our Jesuit universities lies in who our students become.” You will
6–7 Academic Internships | Julie Fontanarosa and Emmy Carragher find in the stories of Loyola students past and present how their experiences led
them down different pathways to find themselves – and how they continue
8–9 Community Partnerships
to put love into action in their communities and throughout the world!
10–11 Student Narrative: Alice Thompson
2007-
12–13 Student Engagement around Chicago In service,
2017
16–17 Undergraduate Research | Nicholas Fogleman and Brian M. Swies
18–19 Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium | Laura Prieto Patrick M. Green, Ed.D.
20–21 Learning Portfolio | Patrick Gilsenan and Travis Olson Director, Center for Experiential Learning
Clinical Instructor of Experiential Learning
22–23 Social Justice Internship | Justin Hoch and Samantha Rivera
24–25 Timeline: Celebrating 10 Years
26–27 Student Narrative: Katey Lantto
28–29 Faculty Development | New Initiatives
2 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 | 1
Visit Kajal’s Portfolio
for her full reflections at: kajalchokshi.info
Kajal Service-
Learning,
MAJORS: MINORS:
Chokshi
Mathematics, Biology,
Learning Statistics Biostatistics
Portfolio
CLASS OF 2017
Service-Learning
CLASS OF 2009
M A J O R : Economics
M I N O R S : English, International Studies
2930STUDENTS
learning to my social justice engagement. By
applying my economics background to the
international human rights I was supporting at
Service-Learning
CLASS OF 2015
M A J O R : Health Systems Management
Heartland Alliance, I was left feeling not only
he the
ar
M I N O R : Spanish
ye
par e d
ticipat of
that was extremely important, but also
course something that I was able to add value to. It is E X P E R I E N T I A L L E A R N I N G taught
for this reason that I find myself still working me how to practice cultural humility, especially
at Heartland Alliance eight years later. within communities that had a different ethnic
Students engaged in an estimated While my academic background allowed background. As a Latina, I served Asians and
102,550 hours of work with me to add value in bringing new perspectives African-Americans in their own communities,
to my team’s work, the topic areas of human so I always had to make sure I was respectful as
their community partners
rights and social justice were - as formal possible and took every opportunity to learn. This
service-l concepts - relatively new to me. Through the was important because my degree focused on
clas ea
se application of my skills, I worked with a wide non-clinical hospital roles; given that hospitals are
s
rn ffered
range of colleagues and grantees spread all very diverse settings, it was extremely important
ing
Service-
o
around the world; each and every one has, that I learn how to work with other individuals.
and continues to challenge my perspectives, I learned about inequities in housing,
OVER
150 Learning broaden my horizons, and raise new issues healthcare, and education in Chicago. This was
that make the work I do all the better. the most impactful because I grew up on the
South Side of Chicago. It was not until I left my
Service-Learning is a pedagogy and learning
community and visited others that I was able to
method that provides a community-based
understand how the lack of social mobility and
experience through which learning and critical
the lack of city funds kept our Black and Brown
reflection takes place integrated into traditional
communities in poverty.
academic coursework. These experiences become an
I decided to pursue a Master of Public Health
“integrated text” for the course and make learning
in Health Policy and Administration where I am
the subject matter even more dynamic and relevant.
“I took the plunge able to advocate for social justice issues at the
and shaped my state and federal level. This allowed me to stay
volunteering within the healthcare field but continue to learn
96% of students said they were experience into a career additional skills in research and community
able to better understand and apply . . . I really cannot work so that I can continue to receive the same
academic course content to their imagine what life would experience I got with service-learning at Loyola.
service experience in meaningful ways. have been like were it
not for this course.”
605
EMMY CARRAGHER
Academic Internship,
JULIE FONTANAROSA
Learning Portfolio
CLASS OF 2013
M A J O R S : International Studies,
70% COMMUNIT Y
PA R T N E R S
Academic Internship
Advertising/Public Relations
CLASS OF 2009 of students were
M A J O R S : English, Women’s Studies in non-profit or
THROUGH THE PLACEMENT INTO public service
25%
& Gender Studies
M I N O R S : Business Administration, SEVERAL INTERNSHIP POSITIONS internships
International Studies and the cultivation of real-world skills and
experiences, experiential learning was a key
R E L AT I N G M Y P R O F E S S I O N A L component in my education at Loyola University. of students received
compensation for their
Academic
I N T E R N S H I P E X P E R I E N C E with From the onset of my time at Loyola, I knew that
my educational framework proved to be the opportunity to attend this Jesuit city school internship work
coupled with the proximity to (and connection
Internships
an invaluable practice, as it required me to
be cognizant of my career goals and my with) so many city companies, organizations, and
professional objectives. The experiential learning associations would be pivotal in my development
program pushed me to correlate the work that as a student and as a young professional. Because Academic internships foster experiential
I was enjoying in the professional sector with of the guidance I received from countless learning that integrates knowledge and
the material that I was learning in the classroom; teachers, advisors, and staff members, I found theory learned in the classroom with
it encouraged me to process the sociological, myself aligned with experiences that not only practical application and skill development
philosophical, and political interactions between helped bolster my resume, but that led me to in a professional setting. Students receiving
what I was learning and what I was doing. graduate as a strong, well-rounded women for academic credit for internships enroll in a
Connecting my professional experience with others - personally and professionally. course that grounds the experiential learning
my education during my undergraduate studies through the involvement of Loyola University
has carried on through my work today in the Chicago. With community partner employers as
legal field. As an attorney, I am proud to be co-educators, students in academic internship
a continuing student of the legal profession. courses engage in real world professional
Experiential learning during my undergraduate experiences, allowing students to “learn by
education trained me to value my profession, doing” and reflect upon that learning.
regularly set professional goals for myself, and to
always connect life with learning.
“Each opportunity I had
through experiential 93% of students stated their
learning more deeply academic internship course
reflected my commitment to enhanced their understanding of
the inclusive, hard-working connections between academic
socially-minded values and knowledge and experiences in a
ethics of Loyola.” professional setting setting.
Mitchell
Academic Internship, Human
Learning Portfolio Services
CLASS OF 2017
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Thompson
Academic Internship, International Studies,
Undergraduate Political Science,
Research Spanish
CLASS OF 2017
A L I C E ’ S U N D E R G R A D U A T E C A R E E R embraced
multiple aspects of experiential learning. From her service-learning
and academic internship experiences, to her research fellowship,
Alice shares the connections she made on her journey.
“Throughout my time at Loyola, my experiential learning
opportunities challenged and guided me beyond what I thought
I understood about myself, my community, and our broader
world. Thoughtful dialogue with my peers and professors made
the classroom one of my favorite spaces to grow, but it was
experiences outside of that space, such as research fellowships
and internships, that encouraged me to reevaluate my own
perceptions and approach problems differently. By applying the “… my future plans were
theoretical frameworks and historical contexts that I learned shaped almost entirely by
in the classroom to my experiential opportunities, I was able to my experiential learning
negotiate the gray area between theory and practice. opportunities. Spanning my
“Beyond anything else, experiential learning teaches the research areas to my most
importance of flexibility and adaptability. In real world settings, recent internship, I learned
such as the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), one must the most about what I wanted
be ready and willing to adjust expectations and skill sets to best to do and how I wanted
meet the needs of the organization— as part of a team that goes to affect change through
beyond the individual. In effect, actions have real consequences. It’s engaging with people.”
hard to recreate a situation like that in the classroom, which makes
experiential opportunities all the more important.”
E VA L UAT O R S
81 T O TA L
33 Faculty
23 Staff
19 Alumni
6 Community
Partners
PATRICK GILSENAN
6,404 learning Portfolios that social justice and engagement; it gave us the
tools and challenged us to use them. I currently
support an idea, how to manage a team, and
how to communicate complex information
work in financial regulation, working to keep in accessible and engaging ways. Overall,
portfolios created A learning portfolio (ePortfolio) allows Loyola
markets fair and the public safe from fraud, and I experiential education taught me that it is not
by students through students to demonstrate their knowledge, skills,
enough to simply know content. There is a whole
find value in it all the same.
academic and co-curricular and values through a digital collection of their work
other realm of practical skills that can be difficult
courses/ programs to over time. Loyola students begin building a learning
to learn in a traditional classroom.
facilitate intentional portfolio in their first-year seminar course and
learning, reflection, continue documenting their learning and reflecting
Visit Travis’ Portfolio
on their Loyola experience. Loyola students build
assessment, and for his full reflections at:
learning portfolios in courses and reflect on their
professional development “Experiential learning was
travisolson.info
curricular and co-curricular experiences through the
Loyola Experience roadmap. at the heart of social justice
and engagement.”
SAMANTHA RIVERA
Social Justice
clients challenged me to develop my ministry from one of Centro Romero’s longest serving
style in response to social injustice. Seeing the community leaders helped me take on the right
Internship
diversity and scope of the clients that Catholic attitude to be successful both during the service-
Charities serves forced me to think about my learning experience and in the future.
method of ministering and how I can be a My experiential learning classes went
presence or advocate for them. My experience beyond the classroom, and I could study the The Social Justice Internship Grant program
at Catholic Charities gave me background in world around me and reflect on the impact that provides academic grants for ten students to intern
nonprofit administration as well as a push to be my decisions have on the people around me. with either Misericordia or Catholic Charities for a
more civically engaged in combating the social Since I graduated, I channeled the mission-based full academic year. This experience—coupled with
injustices of society. work from my experiential learning classes into a a unique two-semester course offered through the
My experience with the Social Justice year of service as an English teaching fellow at a Center for Experiential Learning, gives the students
Internship was one reason I chose to do a year low-income public high school in Colombia. the opportunity to immediately apply their
of service. I spent a year serving at Cristo Rey learning while grappling with real-world issues of
Boston High School as a teacher’s assistant and service and social justice.
campus minister. I’m starting a graduate program
in Theology and Ministry at Boston College
beginning in the fall.
“As I engaged the Chicago
community, I experienced
firsthand social justice issues such
as homelessness and hunger.”
22 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017
Visit Katey’s Portfolio
for her full reflections at: kateylantto.info
Lantto
Learning Portfolio, MAJOR:
International
Undergraduate Anthropology
Studies
Research
CLASS OF 2017
2009
Education Community
Service Honor Roll
with Distinction
of the CEL FA L L
2017
FA L L
2011
LE ARNIN G TO G E THE R:
Loyola recognized as a A Decade of Connecting
Presidential Awardee of Learning, Teaching, and
the U.S. President’s Higher Research to Community
Education Community
Service Honor Roll
Center for
Experiential
Learning FA L L
FA L L
established
2010 Offered new LUROP
2014
Classification by the
Carnegie Foundation for
Facilitated inaugural the Advancement
Community Partner of Teaching
Gathering
FA L L
SUMMER 2014
SEPT
2009
Loyola awarded 2nd place
2013 SPRING
community partnerships by
Illinois Campus Compact Center for Experiential
Learning received
2017
Good News Community Over 300 students
Kitchen (now A Just presented at the
Loyola awarded the Harvest) B’Yachad Award Undergraduate
DEC Community Engagement for Collaboration for Research and Funding from Loyola Plan 2020
2012
Service-Learning course: EXPL 290 – Seminar in
Requirement Launched Community
Community-based Service and Leadership
Research Fellowship
Academic Internship course EXPL 390 – Seminar in Developed the Experiential and Interdisciplinary
Organizational Change and Community Leadership Learning Faculty Fellows Program Fellowship