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High-Impact Learning Experiences
Creating extraordinary learning opportunities that inspire students to learn at a deeper level.
The University of Georgia prides itself on high-impact practices in the classroom and beyond. The opportunities range from first-year seminar experiences to undergraduate research, service learning projects to study away internships. Our Experiential Learning program provides customizable opportunities to every student.
The Center for Undergraduate Research (CURO), Washington Semester Program, Mobile Clinic, and entrepreneurship community Launch Pad are a few examples of the opportunities UGA students can choose.
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Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Each year at the University of Georgia, around 600 students participate in undergraduate research through CURO. The Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities helps students pursue their passions with research and experiential learning.
CURO, housed in the Jere W. Morehead Honors College, is open to all students, no matter their major, year, or research experience. Students continue their research for at least one semester, but many continue for over a year.
Each student has a faculty mentor who guides their research journey, and CURO students can apply for course credit and additional funding as needed. Funding can support development through conferences, and it helps students purchase needed tools and materials to further their research.
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For Séamus O’Brien, a 2023 fisheries and wildlife graduate, CURO guided him to the next step in his education. O’Brien studied the common musk turtle, cataloging their population in and around Athens, analyzing physical differences between environments, and learning about the impact of their diet.
As a result of his experience, O’Brien was accepted into a graduate program at Jacksonville State University in Alabama. There, he will study the flattened musk turtle, a federally threatened species under the endangered species act.
“This wouldn’t be possible without CURO,” O’Brien said. “Doing this allowed me to meet the professor who will allow me to essentially pursue my dreams.”
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Living, Learning, and Working in Washington, D.C.
Students in the University of Georgia’s Washington Semester Program experience a high-impact internship opportunity in the comfort of a UGA residential facility. In the program, students choose a full-time internship at an organization and earn an entire semester’s worth of credit hours. UGA students have accrued professional work experience at federal agencies, congressional offices, think tanks, and law firms, to name a few.
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While in Washington, D.C., students take classes that inspire them to reflect on how their internships connect to their coursework and future careers. The program also provides numerous opportunities to deepen their understanding of the city and to network. Tapping into UGA’s deep alumni base in Washington, the program connects students to working professionals in our nation’s capital.
One thing that makes UGA’s Washington experience exceptional is its home base at Delta Hall, located within walking distance of the U.S. Capitol. The three-story living-learning community houses 30 students, provides classroom space and hosts special guests and alumni.
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Service Learning in Action
The Athens Free Mobile Clinic is an outreach program of the Augusta University/UGA Medical Partnership, housed on UGA’s Health Sciences Campus. The clinic provides low-cost medical services to communities that don’t have access to adequate health care. Medical Partnership students gain firsthand experience treating patients and learn directly from faculty mentors and medical professionals. From their first year, these future physicians and researchers are entrenched within their community and developing solutions for diverse challenges. They also volunteer on several external sites, from high schools to churches to outreach centers.
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there are many other people in the background."
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Shant Ohanian, a third-year medical student at UGA, views the opportunity to work with the Athens Free Clinic as a large part of his decision to pursue family medicine as a specialty.
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“For medical students like me, it’s a chance to be present in the community but also to learn and hone clinical skills,” he says. “There’s a huge need for community-oriented care in Athens, and I’m proud to have been a part of a service that tries to close those gaps.”
Between 2020 and 2022, the Athens Free Clinic administered over 4,000 COVID-19 vaccines and more than 3,500 medical and preventative tests. Since 2018, the clinic has been a valued part of the community, with over 2,100 patient visits.
Global Learning
The University of Georgia offers more than 190 study abroad programs, including two international centers in Oxford and Cortona, Italy.
The University of Georgia Cortona Program is UGA’s oldest study abroad program. Since 1970, students have taken advantage of the unique history, various exhibitions, and an active community of artists.
UGA is one of only a handful of American universities with a permanent presence in Oxford and the only public that runs year-round programming through it. The UGA at Oxford program offers students the opportunity to live in a UGA facility and learn at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Students can learn from Oxford faculty through the tutorial method of undergraduate education, which has made Oxford famous.
Startup Starter
At the University of Georgia, students can embrace the entrepreneurial spirit from day one. And for some students, the opportunity can start in their freshman dorm.
Launch Pad is an entrepreneurial living/learning community for first-year students of any major. Housed in one of UGA’s residential halls, Launch Pad can accommodate up to 40 students per year. Residents gain early access to campus resources that support innovation, including:
- A designated maker space in the lobby of their residence hall
- Enrollment in the entrepreneurship-centered First-Year Odyssey Seminar
- Acceptance into UGA’s Entrepreneurship Certificate Program
- Internship opportunities
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Throughout the academic year, Launch Pad students become mentees of the Terry College of Business faculty, network with experienced entrepreneurs, and develop valuable skills.
“Coming into college, I didn’t know what major I wanted to be or what I wanted to do after college,” said senior Hannah Chaffee, who participated in Launch Pad her freshman year and established her business, Blue Catalyst Designs, in 2020. “But Launch Pad taught me to follow my passions, and I trust myself to find a way no matter the circumstances. The entrepreneurship program really gave me what I felt like was a home at UGA.”
Written by: Erica Techo
Photography by: Peter Frey, Dorothy Kozlowski, Chamberlain Smith
Design by: Andrea Piazza
Videography by: Krista McKinney