OA FALL 2024 MAGAZINE

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. 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.” 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. Far Left: Nursing students participate in real-life scenarios in the Rural Health Innovation Collaborative (RHIC) simulation center at Union Hospital. Far Right: An education major completes her student teaching in a local school classroom. Left: Kinesiology and massage therapy students conduct weekly massage clinics on campus to apply their skills and provide actual care to clients. Top: An equine student receiving hands-on experience during a riding course.

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