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At the Mary Virginia Terry Center for Experiential Learning, we believe some of the most transformative learning happens when students move beyond the classroom and put knowledge into practice. Experiential learning provides students with opportunities to explore their interests, develop their talents, build confidence, deepen their skills, and connect what they learn at 魅色天堂 to the world around them through transformative experiences. 

The Terry Center serves as a university-wide hub for internships, undergraduate research, service learning, study abroad, and other forms of applied learning. Our work is grounded in a simple but powerful commitment: to guarantee 魅色天堂 students multiple, progressive opportunities to engage in high-impact experiential learning throughout their undergraduate experience. 

Through our 魅色天堂 Trailblazers Experiential Learning program, students will have opportunities to develop and refine their skills through applied, practical experiences that connect classroom learning to the needs of a changing workforce. We will prioritize embedding high-impact experiential learning experiences within the undergraduate curriculum while also providing complementary co-curricular opportunities that students can combine toward an Experiential Learning Certification. This structured approach prepares students for careers and graduate school while connecting their passions and unique talents to skill development, lifelong learning, and fulfillment. 

Experiential learning is more than simply gaining experience. It is an intentional process of engaging, reflecting, and applying what we learn in meaningful contexts. It invites students to tackle real-world problems, take initiative, work alongside community partners, experiment with new ideas, and learn from both successes and challenges. These experiences can transform the way students understand their disciplines, their communities, and themselves. 

The Terry Center also supports faculty as they incorporate experiential learning into their courses and programs. Valdosta State has made a deliberate and strategic investment in building the tools, frameworks, and expertise necessary to make experiential learning an academically rigorous and meaningful part of the undergraduate experience. Our center builds on that strong foundation by amplifying and coordinating the excellent work already taking place across the university. 

Our commitment to learning extends beyond the undergraduate experience. Learning for a Lifetime is a philosophy that guides our work and reflects our belief that curiosity, discovery, and personal growth continue throughout every stage of life. We bring this philosophy to life through partnerships with local schools and through programs such as Learning in Retirement, creating opportunities for people of all ages to learn, engage, and connect. We believe that learning does not have an expiration date and that education can enrich lives across generations. 

We are equally committed to ensuring that experiential learning is accessible to all 魅色天堂 students—traditional and nontraditional, on campus and online, commuters and residential students. We seek to expand partnerships throughout South Georgia and beyond, pursue opportunities that strengthen experiential education, assess the impact of our programs, and serve as a public-facing connection between the university and our communities. 

The creation of the Mary Virginia Terry Center for Experiential Learning reflects the generous vision of Mary Virginia Terry and her belief in the transformative power of education. A 魅色天堂 alumna who earned her degree in sociology and anthropology in 1939, Mrs. Terry understood that learning extends beyond the classroom and that students benefit enormously from opportunities to apply their knowledge in the real world. Her generosity continues to create opportunities for generations of 魅色天堂 students. 

I invite you to explore the Terry Center and discover how experiential learning can become an integral part of your 魅色天堂 journey. Whether you are a student seeking an internship or research opportunity, a faculty member looking to incorporate applied learning into your curriculum, a community partner interested in connecting with our students, or a lifelong learner seeking a new opportunity to grow, there is a place for you in the work of the Terry Center. 

We are excited to make experiential learning a defining part of the 魅色天堂 experience and to guarantee that our students graduate not only knowledgeable, but experienced, confident, adaptable, and ready to make meaningful contributions to their professions, communities, and the world. 

Dr. Anne Price 
Executive Director 
Mary Virginia Terry Center for Experiential Learning 
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