The College’s 2023-2028 strategic plan sets goals of increasing the number of students who have applied learning experiences by 10 percent and the number of applied learning sites hosted by alumni by 5 percent. Applied learning gives students an opportunity to practice skills, often in a real-world setting. This helps them learn more about specific careers and their own abilities and interests. FLCC has been tracking students’ applied learning activities for about five years. In 2023, a total of 1,215 students had applied learning experiences. Some students may be counted more than once, for example, nursing students who do multiple clinical rotations. Last year, SUNY awarded the College a three-year grant for a total of $172,000 to expand applied learning. It covers costs associated with expanding internships, including stipends for students. Priority will be given to students who are eligible for Pell grants due to their income. Unpaid internships can be a hardship for low-income students who must work to support themselves. Funds can also be used on gas cards to help students get to internship sites and for tutoring related to the degree or certificate program. Currently, most applied learning experiences occur in the nursing, horticulture, conservation, viticulture and paramedic programs. A smaller number are spread across other disciplines, including smart systems technologies, computing sciences and human services. Applied learning can occur outside the traditional classroom experience, be embedded as part of a course, or both. The most familiar example of applied learning is an internship, a supervised workplace activity related to a student’s area of study. Internships vary widely in terms of hours, duration and whether students earn credit or money. Co-ops are similar to internships but more akin to on-the-job training as students are paid and co-ops often transition into jobs. Smart systems technologies students do 270-hour paid co-ops at firms such as L3Harris, G.W. Lisk, and New Scale Technologies. Clinical placements are specific to students studying a health care field, including nursing and chemical dependency counseling. Field study and research give students experience with data collection in natural settings or in a lab. A creative project such as a performance or the development of an app also counts as applied learning. president’s report to the community APPLIED LEARNING: MORE THAN INTERNSHIPS Q & A with Angela Tirado ’18 Angela Tirado ’18 works as an advocate for the Survivor Advocacy Center of the Finger Lakes in Newark. The nonprofit supports adults and children experiencing domestic and relationship violence and sexual abuse. She recently supervised an FLCC intern in the human services program. Q: Why did you take on this responsibility? A: It was a way for me to reconnect with FLCC and give back to the program that I completed. When I was a student at FLCC, I had a difficult time finding an internship that was meaningful. I feel that the agency I work for is a good place for an intern to see direct client service in the human service field. Q: What do interns bring to the workplace? A: They often bring a new perspective on the work that we do in our office. It is refreshing and helpful to have intern input during staff meetings and client interactions. Q: How does this relate back to your own experiences at FLCC? A: I wanted to be able to provide an internship for a student that really showed them the daily work in a human service position. I feel that a meaningful internship can have a positive impact on the student and the direction that they go after they are done at FLCC. Employers interested in hosting FLCC interns can email Linda.Cunningham@flcc.edu or call (585) 785-1317.
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