Experiential Learning

‌Drake’s location in 得梅因, Iowa’s capital and largest city, gives you numerous opportunities to pursue educational, 服务, and professional experiences in the form of internships, independent studies, and 服务 learning. 

‌的 文学院 and 科学 has strong ties to experiential learning: our students stand in streams catching frogs while learning about ecosystems, collaborate with area non-profit groups to produce awareness and advocacy publications, participate in stage combat and movement workshops, and attend the Presidential Inauguration, all as a part of their coursework. 

Here are just a few of the many ways the 文学院 and 科学 incorporates experiential learning into our curriculum:

Internships and Independent Study Projects:

• 最近,我们的 students have partnered with Drake faculty members and local organizations—like the Iowa State Historical Society, Blank Children's Developmental Center Behavior Disorders Clinic, 特别活动, 有限责任公司, Iowa 首页less Youth Shelters, 拉丁人都退出了, 爱荷华州ACLU, O'Neil 的atre Institute, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Youth Emergency Services & 住所(是的), Gateway Dance 的atre, Hollaback 得梅因, 一个爱荷华州, 为成功而着装, 文化, and the World Food Prize—to bring their studies to life in the vibrant 得梅因 community.
• 学生 can use independent studies as a way to engage in more advanced re搜索 with faculty members—some recent independent study projects have focused upon immunology studies, 爵士理论, Japanese language learning, 同情的研究, coral reef morphology, wealth on the Titanic, theatre scene painting, 小说写作.
• Drake Graphic Design students work with Meredith Corporation and many other businesses and nonprofit organizations in 得梅因, 爱荷华州的首都, to get real-world experience putting their coursework to use designing websites, 传单, 海报, 杂志的布局.
• Drake Music students frequently work with the 得梅因 Symphony, Central Iowa's largest and most active professional performing arts producing organization, to gain experience in being a part of a professional ensemble and gain insight into how a respected music organization is run.

旅游:

• 学生 who participated in the Sustainable Development in Africa trip to Uganda learned about farming and economic practices, helped establish a water supply system and taught at an elementary school, and assisted with building a 健康 clinic in a rural village. 
• 的 Developing Democracy in India J-term trip examinined India in 1945-1947 as a culture at a point of constitutional crisis while immersing students in present-day India. 学生 learned from local scholars, visited mosques and temples, along with rural and urban cultural and historical centers. 

服务学习:

• Four senior Environmental Science students wrote and received a competitive 的服务培训 grant from the State Farm Youth Advisory Board to build the 得梅因 Urban Youth Learning Garden, a holistic learning space for elementary to college-aged students. 的 on-campus garden encourages engagement in environmental, 健康, and urban gardening education, and volunteers work with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa and other youth organizations to expand food access and educational opportunities to youth in Central Iowa.
• 两个艺术 & 科学 students coordinated 威尼斯人网上娱乐's first ever Alternative Fall Break Program that focused on issues and activities relating to social justice, 的服务培训, and urban exploration within the 得梅因 community.
• In partnering with the Young Women's Resource Center, Latinos Al Exito or Youth Emergency Services and Shelter, students broaden their range of formative experiences while giving back through direct 服务, writing internships, and program coordination.
• Over 60 courses at Drake, including many in the 文学院 & 科学, offer a 的服务培训 or community-based experience.