UCSC Honors Communty Field Study Sponsors May 12

What: Reporters are invited to cover a reception honoring hundreds of local agency representatives who have supervised UC Santa Cruz students in field-study placements during the last two years.

UCSC students contribute approximately 200,000 hours to local agencies through various "experiential education" opportunities, including internships and field-study placements, in which students receive academic credit while working in the field. Students work in schools, nonprofit agencies, community organizations, and businesses.

When: Wednesday, May 12, from 5 – 7 p.m.

Where: University House, UC Santa Cruz

Who: Chancellor M.R.C. Greenwood and Social Sciences Division Dean Martin Chemers are hosting the event to thank community members for their support of UCSC students.

Why: Experiential education, also referred to as service learning, is a valuable addition to the classroom curriculum, giving students the opportunity to see theories unfold in the "real world," test career or graduate school interests, and gain valuable hands-on experience that helps them focus their subsequent studies. Research reveals that experiential learning within a structured academic program deepens student understanding of theoretical material and motivates students to learn more. Students also retain more of what they learn, perform better academically, and their subsequent studies are more focused.