SUNY Oswego: A Hub for Diverse and Enriching Learning Experiences
SUNY Oswego distinguishes itself as an institution committed to providing a rich tapestry of learning experiences that extend far beyond the traditional classroom. Rooted in a philosophy of "learning by doing," the university offers a multitude of opportunities for students to engage in hands-on activities, both domestically and internationally, fostering personal growth, professional development, and a deeper understanding of the world.
A Legacy of Experiential Learning
Oswego's experiential learning tradition began with the college's founder, Edward Austin Sheldon. This commitment continues today, with the university's award-winning department offering a variety of ways to learn by doing and earn academic credit. Starting with a required first-year seminar about experiential learning, students are exposed to ways that they can put their knowledge into action.
Education Abroad: A Global Perspective
A cornerstone of SUNY Oswego's commitment to experiential learning is its robust Education Abroad program. The Education Abroad Office sends over 400 students per year on more than 100 overseas academic programs to over 30 countries. Roughly 20% of SUNY Oswego students participate in an Education Abroad program at some point during their college studies, making SUNY Oswego one of the leading campuses for study abroad in the SUNY system.
One student, Diandre, chose to study abroad in Shanghai, China, driven by a desire to experience a culture different from his own and to expand his cultural awareness. He was particularly drawn to China's rapidly growing economy and the opportunity to learn from their work ethic. Diandre's experience highlights the transformative potential of studying abroad, encompassing language acquisition, cultural immersion, and personal growth.
Overcoming the Language Barrier
Diandre's experience in Shanghai underscores the challenges and rewards of navigating a new culture. Despite initially knowing only a few basic Mandarin phrases, he immersed himself in the language, making friends who helped him learn and practicing with locals. He realized that it’s harder to learn a language using an app or book and never actually speaking it. His friends would quiz him or teach him random words and phrases which helped him retain the words a lot quicker. He also would practice by trying to hold conversations with them only in Mandarin. Locals couldn’t speak English at all, so to be able to order food, he would have to tell them what he wanted in Mandarin which made him challenge himself. If he wanted the food he liked and how he wanted it, he would need to be able to express that in Mandarin.
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Navigating a New City
Transportation throughout the city of Shanghai was extremely simple. He used a bunch of ways to get around including the metro, the bus, DIDI, and an electric scooter. He used the metro the most because it was extremely reliable. They would come on time every couple of minutes and they ran all the way until 11:00pm at night. It was also super easy to read the signs as they were usually in both Mandarin and English. When my friends and I went out late nights we would use DIDI. DIDI is similar to Uber and Lyft. We would use the app and the DIDI would pick us up wherever we were. At one point I rented an electric scooter while went up to about 40km per hour. This was a super cheap and easy way to get around the city on my own.
A Life-Changing Experience
Overall, Diandre's experience abroad was the experience I have ever had in his life. All aspects combined made it so lifechanging for him. Learning a new language, being able to travel, the lifelong friends I made, learning more about myself, and even the cultural differences where all highlights of my experience. He lived in the international dorm on campus. dormitories are set up. I think that this made his experience so great because it was the main part of campus so there was always so many people coming by. This is how he was able to meet the amount of people he met abroad. Also, the students in his dorm were from all over the world and most of them spoke English. They would all study together in the lounge for classes but they would also help each other practice Mandarin.
In his free time, he spent traveling the city. He made it my goal to see as much of the city as possible. He would visit somewhere new either alone or with friends at least 4 times a week. He also cherished building relationships with the friends he made. Even if that meant just staying inside and talking about each other’s life stories. The last thing he would do in his free time was learning the history of the Chinese culture. He think that the best way to understand other people would be by understanding their history first.
Domestic Experiential Learning Opportunities
Beyond study abroad, SUNY Oswego offers a wide array of domestic experiential learning opportunities, ensuring that all students have access to hands-on learning experiences.
Internships and Co-ops
Internships and Co-ops are a great way to learn outside of the classroom and earn academic credit. Whether it's for a semester-long internship or a 6-month co-op, these experiences will help boost your resume and expand your professional network.
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Experiential Learning Courses
SUNY Oswego offers a variety of courses that will help students increase their success in college-- and after college. There are several courses that assist students to assess their strengths, find their purpose, market themselves, and give back to their communities.
Student Employment
SUNY Oswego offers opportunities across campus for students to grow professionally and gain the skills necessary to thrive in their future workplace.
Field Experiences
Field experiences are integrated into Blocks One, Two, and Three for undergraduate juniors and seniors for all Curriculum and Instruction education majors. Graduate students complete their required field experiences before student teaching. All MST courses are in-person and are only offered at our downtown Syracuse Campus. Two full-time, full-semester field experiences are in the Syracuse City School District. See your advisor for field experience program requirements. Registration and Orientation information may be found at Curriculum and Instruction Field Experience. Field Placement information may be found at Curriculum and Instruction Student Teaching and Student Teaching Placements. For Field Placement, you must attend a "sign-up" day after registering. The office is located at 175 Wilber Hall and sign-ups take about 20 minutes to complete.
Peer Mentoring
The Office of Experiential Learning works with on-campus partners to provide quality peer mentoring opportunities for students interested in helping others. The following courses are paired with practical, peer-to-peer experiences that promote skills development for student mentors, and overall wellbeing and belonging for their peers! Some of the programs we support with our courses include:
- GST 304 - New Student Transition Theory First-Year Success Coaches Office of Experiential Learning
- GST 304 - New Student Transition Theory Laker Leaders Student Orientation & Family Engagement
- GST 308 - Peer Tutor Training Peer Tutors Office of Learning Services
- GST 318 - CSC Peer Education C.O.P.E.
Partnerships and Collaborations
SUNY Oswego actively cultivates partnerships to expand experiential learning opportunities for its students. The College of Education, Health, and Human Services Clinical Practice and Partnerships Office collaborates with academic faculty, public schools, and community partners to locate authentic rich, engaging and diverse experiences. More than 1200 placements are made in nearly 190 schools and other agencies each academic year.
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Extended Learning
The Division of Extended Learning enhances access to the SUNY Oswego experience by offering a wide range of credit and non-credit programs for diverse audiences. Serving both traditional and nontraditional students, it provides innovative courses at various locations, including online and during summer and winter terms. Unique offerings include concurrent enrollment for high school students, Intensive English programs for international students, and specialized professional development. The Division also supports active duty military and veterans, ensuring a welcoming educational environment for all learners.
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