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DePauw students engage in Greencastle and beyond
The month of January has evolved at DePauw University. Gone are the days when Winter Term involved traveling to tropical vacation destinations and posing with "Marvins delivers to..." signs.
The unique term, cited as a main reason many students attend the university, has seen many changes over the years. Currently, students are engaged on-campus, in Putnam County communities and around the globe.
On campus, students busy themselves in a plethora of courses ranging from an EMT course to a course focusing on energy and infrared light. A change this term from past terms lies in the number of courses offering credit. DePauw's Dean of Experiential Learning, Raj Bellani pointed to this increase as a step forward.
"We're adding course credit. That's a huge win for our community," Bellani said.
For the first time in the university's history, graduation-required course credit as well as extended studies credit can be completed in the same course.
"Our students don't want fluff," he said. "We're strengthening Winter Term."
On-campus courses aren't the only evolutions DePauw's unique term has seen. The university has placed an emphasis on financial aid for off-campus courses. Bellani wants all students, regardless of their financial situation, to have access to off-campus courses.
Those courses can range from service-based trips to El Salvador and Ecuador to academic trips abroad.
"Academic courses are also going to South Africa, Japan studying how technology and culture intersect. There's a group that will be studying filmmaking in Italy," said Mandy Brooks Blinn, DePauw's Director of Off-Campus Programs. "So, there's a wide range of options for students who are interested in going off campus."
DePauw also offers students the option to build career skills. Students have been placed at the Humane Society, Cummins Behavioral Health and the Banner Graphic.
"It's nice to have young people around. They give us a lot of insight, they're super helpful," Sandra Grimes said of her DePauw interns at the Humane Society of Putnam County.
The university has placed more of a focus on involving and engaging the students with local communities. DePauw has partnered with the Putnam County Hospital and Operation Life to offer an EMT course.
"When Operation Life started, (it) started with DePauw students," said Kraig Kinney one of the class's professors since 1995. "It should be the same curriculum whether you're in Indianapolis, Evansville or even another state.
"Part of the challenge of this course is that we have to squeeze in a minimum number of hours."
Required hours can stretch up to 200 in just three weeks. Students also must complete two hospital shifts and two 12-hour shifts aboard an Operation Life ambulance.
"We want them exposed, they have to have at least 10 patient contacts," Kinney said.
Although the course is both challenging and time consuming, Kinney believes it prepares students for life after DePauw.
"This class is great for the students that are doing pre-med," he said. "It is a first time exposure to patient assessment, and dealing with real life patients."
Beyond the EMT course, local attorney and recent DePauw graduate Eddie Felling wants to help students considering law school. "I knew what it was like to be in a DePauw student's shoes," he said.
A wide range of students spanning from first-years merely exploring the idea of law school to seniors working on their applications are enrolled. Felling wants to help all students.
"DePauw was nothing like my experience at law school. It's fun to see students who are excited about going to law school," he said.
DePauw hopes to bring more excitement to Winter Term. The evolutions and community involvement are aspects Christine Munn, coordinator of employee relations at DePauw, is excited to see develop.
"We force (students) to do experiential learning," Munn said. "Applying (what students are learning in the classroom) in the real world and seeing it happen. That's really important to liberal arts schools. That's real world learning."