USM Center for Pathway Experiences to Hold Student Symposium

Wed, 08/21/2019 - 12:32pm | By: Van Arnold

Twenty scholarship students at The University of Southern Mississippi will have an opportunity to present their internship experiences as part of a Pathway Scholars Symposium set for August 27 at the Thad Cochran Center on the Hattiesburg campus.

The students will have three minutes to outline their internship/field work experiences to an audience of USM students, faculty and staff. The symposium provides an opportunity to celebrate student participation in internships and field work, as well as a chance for the USM community to hear how students applied their academic studies outside the classroom, while growing in terms of professional development over the summer.

Lisa Stevens, Director of USM’s Center for Pathway Experiences, explains that research shows the importance of students reflecting upon their internship experiences in order to evaluate what they learned, how they grew professionally and how they want to move forward in their careers.

“The symposium provides an opportunity for students to share these reflections in a professional setting and to continue to hone their oral communication skills at a time when many are preparing for interviews for jobs or graduate school,” said Stevens.

The Center for Pathway Experiences was created in Fall 2016 as a part of the University’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), Eagles Engaged: Enhancing Gateway and Pathway Experiences for the reaffirmation for accreditation for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

The scholarship program was implemented in 2017 to support students in low-paid internships or those that occur in high cost-of-living areas. Since the Pathway Scholars Program’s inception, the center has awarded scholarships to more than 40 students totaling in excess of $80,000.

The Center for Pathway Experiences also offers a graduation cord at no cost to wear during commencement ceremonies for any undergraduate student participating in a pathway experience such as: internship, research, practicum/clinical, student teaching, field work and entry level jobs related to career goals. Stevens notes that survey data has shown a 10 percent increase in internship participation over the last three years with more than 1,000 cords distributed last academic year.

To learn more about the Center for Pathway Experiences, call 601.266.4976 or visit: https://www.usm.edu/pathways