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The Lighthouse Shines
Lighthouse Center for Exploration and Discovery is a one-stop shop for study away, internships, undergraduate research
By Leona Baker | November 11, 2015
“The value of an education in a liberal arts college is not the learning of many facts,” Albert Einstein wrote, “but the training of the mind to think something that cannot be learned from textbooks.”
The famed physicist’s quote is a permanent fixture in large print above a freshly painted welcome sign in Virginia Wesleyan’s new Lighthouse Center for Exploration and Discovery—and an appropriate one for The Lighthouse’s mission of engaging students in three keys areas of learning outside the classroom: study away, internships and undergraduate research.
The Lighthouse, located on the first floor of Clarke Hall on the VWC campus, held a grand opening celebration on October 19 and is now actively serving as a one-stop shop for students to get all of the information and resources they need to take advantage of these opportunities. The name “The Lighthouse” is a metaphor for the center’s purpose and was a student suggestion chosen via a campus-wide contest.
“The Lighthouse is here to help students to achieve their dreams,” says Sara Sewell, Executive Director of The Lighthouse and the Quality Enhancement Plan. “We believe that the best way for students to decide what they want to do with their lives is simply for them to try new things and meet new people. In The Lighthouse, we open up opportunities so that students can have the experiences that will make a critical difference in their lives.”
The reception area of The Lighthouse offers a colorful gathering and working space with a welcoming coffeehouse atmosphere in which members of the campus community can relax and engage in stimulating dialogue, often while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea.
Faculty and staff offices now located in The Lighthouse space correspond to the three key areas of learning. They include the Study Away Program, the Career Development and Internship Program and the Undergraduate Research Program. These programs help students plan for academic, professional, and personal success in a systematic way. The Lighthouse also offers experiential learning grants, an array of instructional workshops, and individualized support services for students.
The Lighthouse “Crew” is composed of students who have undertaken immersive study away, internship, or research experiences. In many cases, Crew students have completed all of these experiences. Crew members like Tenley Scott ’18, Hali Goad ’15, Lena Ngyuen ’16, and Erin Combs ’16 (pictured) spend time at The Lighthouse and attend special events to share the value of their experiences with other students.
The signature program of Virginia Wesleyan's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), See Change—Sea Change, is supported by the services of The Lighthouse Center for Exploration and Discovery. The Lighthouse supports faculty as well as students. Study away course development grants, special event funds, assistance with transportation to off-campus learning activities, and faculty development opportunities are all a part of this new Center.
Research supports the importance of a center like this on the Virginia Wesleyan campus. Educators widely acknowledge the links between experiential learning and student engagement. As Janet Eyler (2009) summarizes, “Experiential education can…lead to more powerful academic learning and help students achieve intellectual goals commonly associated with liberal education, including a deeper understanding of subject matter than is possible through classroom study alone.” Experiential learning nurtures the essential knowledge, skills, and values required of an engaged citizen. The Lighthouse at Virginia Wesleyan will do just that.
Find out more about The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration and Discovery