As any Ohio University student can attest, one of the most commonly heard phrases across campus is “experiential learning.” Those two words are stamped on grant proposals, departmental flyers and almost every university webpage. It’s one of those overused terms that borders on a cliché and lacks a clear definition on its surface, but as I reach the end of my eighth semester as a Bobcat, I can confidently say experiential learning has been the highlight of my college experience.
Not one of my four years passed by without presenting a new experiential opportunity. The first instance was during my freshman year when I attended an open house in The Post newsroom. By mid-September, my name was on the byline of multiple entertainment stories, and I slowly developed my involvement and eventually served in leadership roles within the human-interest section.
With each new position, The Post threw me deeper and deeper into the whirlwind reality of running a newsroom that serves a vast community and comprises hundreds of staff members. My time as managing editor was full of engaging challenges and exciting developments, and it’s heartbreaking to believe my time in the executive office is almost over.
While most of my journalistic skills are a product of my time with the newspaper, the rest were forged in the crucible of my internships, which are a key pillar of experiential learning. My connections and associated reputation provided by the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism earned me experiences in Washington, San Diego and Austin, expanding my skills into videography and social media while learning from some of the brightest minds in the industry.
Even outside of my primary discipline, my minor and certificate programs weren’t immune to the experiential learning fever. I have performed in concerts and engaged in musical workshops for my Music minor, and I spent the past year in and out of the Kennedy Museum of Art, co-curating an exhibition for my museum studies certificate. However, my favorite experiential learning opportunity within my secondary fields of study was my semester abroad in Leipzig, Germany. I left halfway through my sophomore year in pursuit of my German minor, and I returned in the fall a more confident, well-rounded version of myself.
Looking forward, all of these experiences have made me a well-equipped journalist who feels prepared for whatever comes next. Looking back, experiential learning gave me more than transferable skills and a solid resume; it gave me the people who are making this impending goodbye seem so impossible.
All of those challenges and developments I faced at The Post were tackled alongside a team of my best friends. Jackson McCoy, Alex Hopkins and Abby Waechter have been my North Stars during the hardest parts of this year and will remain some of my biggest inspirations for years to come. I would not be half the journalist or human being I am today without them or The Post.
Those bright minds I learned from during my internships are not confined to those of my supervisors and bosses. Riley Clark and Darcie Zudell are truly some of the sharpest and most dedicated women I have the privilege of calling my friends, and I can’t imagine a future where we aren’t traveling the country together, kicking a-- on the job.
My semester in Leipzig gave me more than just a minor and a new worldview. The friends I made during those five months remain some of my strongest connections, and neither the English nor German language holds enough words to describe what those girls did for me. Meine Katzen, ich liebe euch immer.
The last group I’ll gush over is the one I didn’t meet during an extracurricular or at an internship. My four roommates, whom I met by chance my freshman year and haven’t parted from since, are the unwavering river of continuity flowing through my undergraduate years. Sofie, Grace, Noa and Alex, I hope the five of us share a porch together in every lifetime, and I hope you all know there is no me without you.
No matter how tacky they look, the words on the doors of Chubb Hall are undeniably true: “Everything is experience. Experience is everything.” My experiences at OU have truly meant everything to me, from the friends I made to the skills I gained. No matter what experience is in store for me next, I feel prepared to take it all in stride, to rely on the support system I built in Athens, and to never stop learning.
Sophia Rooksberry is a senior studying journalism. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Sophia know by emailing her at @sr320421@ohio.edu.
