A global organization championing work-integrated education has revealed several accolades celebrating Florida State University’s achievements in equipping students for their careers, including a debut award acknowledging a member of the teaching staff.
The Cooperative Education & Internship Association (CEIA) will present Florida State University with three esteemed awards:
- Best Practices Award – Experience Recognition Program
- Engagement Fellowship – Career Center Senior Assistant Director and InternFSU Program Coordinator Li Pon
- Charles Kettering Award, which acknowledges a remarkable internship provider – & J. Gallo Winery highlighting the efforts of Amanda Bussey, an alumna of FSU, former sales recruiting manager, for her initiative in fostering practical learning experiences within the company.
Li Pon, senior assistant director and internFSU program coordinator, will be honored as a CEIA Engagement Fellow.
The CEIA is a pioneer in work-integrated learning that offers prospects for professional growth while promoting best practices in co-ops, internships, and various types of experiential education. The honors will be bestowed during CEIA’s annual conference from April 6-8 in Tucson, Arizona.
“It’s an honor to celebrate Florida State University’s lasting legacy and significant influence on the domain of cooperative education and internships,” CEIA President Andrew Harper stated. “I have experienced firsthand FSU’s steadfast commitment to nurturing high-quality work-integrated learning. Their persistent dedication to CEIA, through board involvement, expert advice, and creative presentations, has raised the standards for work-integrated learning across the nation.”
CEIA’s inaugural Faculty Champion Award will honor Associate Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Studies Joe O’Shea for his efforts in promoting and advocating for work-integrated learning among faculty members.
“We’re privileged that CEIA recognizes FSU’s dedication to enhancing students’ academic experiences through practical learning,” O’Shea remarked. “Our initiatives at FSU wouldn’t be achievable without the exceptional students, faculty, and staff who believe in the impact of experiential education and strive to create engagement opportunities for every student, regardless of background.”
Work-integrated learning enriches academic studies by integrating practical, real-world experiences that occur outside the traditional classroom setting, including internships, undergraduate research, community service participation, and global studies.
FSU’s dedication to work-integrated learning entails the “formative experience” graduation requirement, introduced in Summer 2019 and still active today, ensuring that all students are provided the opportunity to learn and engage outside of academics.
Students can find avenues to fulfill this requirement throughout the university, within their respective colleges, and beyond, via programs such as the Applied Politics & Policy Learning Experience, the Legislative Internship Program, classroom fieldwork, sport management practicum, internships comprising various academic divisions, and programs like InternFSU and InternFSU: TLH, as well as production efforts for ESPN through Seminole Productions.
As a legislative intern, Sofia Casas, who is double majoring in international affairs and political science, has had the chance to work directly under a Florida state senator and her legislative aide, following pending legislation, organizing schedules, and managing constituent services.
“This role has provided me with the unique opportunity to engage intimately with the legislative process and apply the knowledge I have gained from my political science studies at FSU,” said Casas, hailing from Miami. “Through this internship, I have discovered a true passion for local policy and I am eager to embark on a career in Miami-Dade politics post-graduation.”
FSU Career Center program director now president-elect of CEIA
Alongside honoring FSU at the forthcoming awards ceremony, CEIA has appointed Tracey Dowling, FSU’s program director for experiential learning within the Career Center, as the next president of the association.
Dowling has played a pivotal role in establishing initiatives like InternFSU, which offers on-campus internships; InternFSU: TLH, which collaborates with businesses in Tallahassee to recruit student interns; FSUshadow, which links students to one-day job shadowing experiences; and the Part-Time Job & Internship Fair, a biannual event linking students with both on-campus and off-campus employment opportunities.
“It’s been a dream realized to collaborate across campus over the past decade to eliminate barriers for FSU students engaging in experiential learning,” Dowling expressed. “Watching programs materialize — with collaboration from academic affairs and partnerships across student services — and listening to students enthusiastically discuss them propels motivation and innovation.”
A skilled career services expert and FSU alumna, Dowling has executed services and programs at Emory University, the University of Georgia, and the University of Virginia’s Semester at Sea program. She has been a board member for CEIA since 2016.
“FSU’s achievements inspire us all to persist in pushing boundaries and crafting valuable opportunities for students nationwide,” CEIA President Andrew Harper noted.
To discover more about FSU’s Career Center and various work-integrated learning options, visit career.fsu.edu. For additional information regarding FSU’s Division of Undergraduate Studies, please visit undergrad.fsu.edu.
The article Florida State University to receive multiple awards for learning that emphasizes job preparation first appeared on Florida State University News.