Embrace experiential learning

By Dylan Pichnarcik Editor-in-Chief Classroom instruction is a traditional and essential part of a robust college education. Each class session provides a new set of questions, debates, and instruction that develop a student's understanding of the subject. Universally, this is a vital part of education. However, many students - including myself - feel the need to actually practice what they learn in the classroom. While classroom instruction provides a baseline for practical experience in a specific field, it is also structured. Experiential learning removes some of that structure and allows students to learn from real-world, unique experiences. The daily lessons outlined by professors who, for the most part, keep their classes within the confines of a syllabus will certainly prepare students for an internship or other experiential learning platforms, but at some point - especially as students reach higher levels of education - putting their knowledge to the test will be vital to preparing them for the job market. It is also incredibly exciting to take what you learn and bring it outside of the classroom, For me, most of my higher education has been experiential learning. Over the last three years, working on The Gatepost has been an excellent tool for my co-curricular education. I can take the practical skills taught in my journalism classes into practice each week. Even before I started taking journalism classes, I was already learning so much from my experience on The Gatepost - so much so that I even switched my major to English so I could truly begin honing my skills as a writer. My first official experiential learning placement was in Fall 2025 with Dan Magazu, FSU’s executive director of Marketing & Communications. At the start of this internship, I felt I was already a decent writer and had the necessary skills from my journalism classes to undertake this role. After completing the internship, I became an even stronger writer, having gained real-world experience outside the confines of May Hall or The Gatepost’s office. Each week, I was responsible for writing an article about an event that took place on campus. I would submit my work to Magazu, who would then review it and offer feedback. I was also given a word count - a much lower word count than I was used to. Going into the editing process without the normal comfort of my friends and familiar professors made me nervous at first. At times, I questioned if I was really good enough to be doing what I was doing. But Magazu quickly put me at ease. Each week, his feedback was critical and thorough - but never negative. Every comment Magazu made helped me become a better writer and gave me a new perspective on how to write for a specific audience. All in a cleanly edited, 400-word package. I’ve been able to use all the skills Magazu taught me in my work as a writer. It’s made me a better professional, improved my communication skills, and overall given me a well-rounded education. I feel entirely prepared to enter the job market because of the set of skills given to me through a co-curricular and experiential education. I was even able to put these beliefs to the test, working during the summer in journalism, where I used every piece of the education I have received at Framingham State. Another incredibly important aspect a great deal of undergraduate students may not realize is that internships turn into jobs. Employers on and off campus may turn to their former student workers in the future as valuable assets they already have a strong partnership with. If they aren’t able to offer students a job in their office, they likely have a rich network of colleagues who they can connect you with. Their network in turn becomes your network, which is an invaluable asset as an entry-level employee. It is likely that any internship will leave students with valuable experience, even if at times it is challenging. Students will leave their internship site better prepared for the legitimate challenges they may face in their respective fields. Across campus, departments should continue to work tirelessly to provide a well-rounded experiential education to all students. Administrators should also work hard to find off-campus opportunities. FSU made history as the first state normal school in the country. Now, 187 years later, the University has another opportunity to make history again, as a state college pioneering experiential learning requirements. Let’s expand our experiences in education - one field placement at a time.