Gettysburg College has created a new Guided Pathways Fund to support students’ pursuit of experiential learning activities within the Guided Pathways, a defining part of the Gettysburg Approach.
Guided Pathways participants can submit their application through engageGettysburg by one of two deadlines during the academic year: Oct. 15 and April 15. Students may submit applications at any time during the academic year; applications will be reviewed twice each year following these deadlines. Students selected to receive funding will be notified by Nov. 1 and April 25, respectively.
At the conclusion of each Guided Pathways experience, students will submit a reflection on the knowledge they gained, the enduring skills they developed, and the impact their program or experience had on them and others.
“Experiential learning is a critical aspect of the Gettysburg College experience,” said Assistant Vice President for Co-Curricular Education Jim Duffy. “Students who have the opportunity to learn from participation in direct, hands-on experiences enhance their learning through interactions, application, and practice.”
The Guided Pathways Fund was developed by a team of Gettysburg administrators and staff: Andy Hughes, executive director of the Garthwait Leadership Center; Jeff Rioux, director of the Center for Public Service; Cara Smith, senior co-curricular advisor; Jillian Bradley, assistant director of employer engagement for the Center for Career Engagement; Brigid Goss, assistant director of student engagement for the Eisenhower Institute; and Jesse Phillips, former interim director of the Center for Global Education.
Over several months, this team created the foundation for the Guided Pathways Fund, researching similar funding models at other institutions and sharing ideas from their professional experiences. The resulting fund has a simplified, student-friendly process that invites students to request funding for experiences that align with their chosen Guided Pathway and connect what they do through these experiences with their academic, professional, and personal goals.
“The Guided Pathways Fund will support a wide array of experiences for students,” Duffy continued. “These experiences complement academic interests, career aspirations, and student curiosity.”
The Guided Pathways Fund furthers Gettysburg College’s longstanding commitment to support students with funding through offices such as the Center for Career Engagement and Center for Public Service. This funding support has allowed Gettysburg students like Meriem Hamioui ’25 to participate in dynamic experiential learning.
Last summer, Hamioui, an international political economy and international affairs double major, served as an administrative and research intern at the American Task Force On Lebanon in Washington, D.C. During her internship, Hamioui helped write the Daily Newsletter On Lebanon, which provided insights to policymakers and stakeholders. She also participated in hands-on research projects, such as contributing to reports on U.S.-Lebanon relations and regional stability.
“A highlight of my internship was co-authoring an op-ed with Ed Gabriel [former U.S. ambassador to Morocco], where we explored the leadership of King Mohammed VI and Morrocco’s remarkable path toward economic and social development,” she said. “This experience deepened my understanding of international diplomacy and further honed my research and writing skills. I am forever grateful to have been able to partake in it.”
Hughes said that opportunities like Hamioui’s experience demonstrate the importance of having a centralized fund to support students’ access to any Guided Pathways experience. “As an important component of the Gettysburg Approach, the Guided Pathways program seeks to help students curate these opportunities in a more scaffolded, intentional way, working with a co-curricular advisor to view their co-curricular experiences—and their entire Gettysburg educational experience—holistically.”
Contributions to the Guided Pathways Fund have been provided by generous donors who “believe in and support Gettysburg’s approach to experiential learning in general, and who are excited about the promise of the Guided Pathways to have an even more positive impact on students during and after their Gettysburg experience,” Hughes added.
Guided Pathways participants can apply for funding now through the Guided Pathways Fund application link available on engageGettysburg.
Learn more about the Gettysburg Approach and the Guided Pathways at Gettysburg College.
By Michael Vyskocil
Posted: 09/16/24
