ArtSci Students Take Learning Beyond Classroom With Experiential Learning Fund

LOGAN, Utah — For this year’s A Day of Giving campaign at Utah State University, the College of Arts and Sciences (ArtSci) is encouraging support for its Experiential Learning Fund — a resource that opens doors for students by helping them cover costs tied to internships, research, study abroad and professional development.

This past summer, six ArtSci students used the fund to take their learning beyond the classroom through internships with Young Community Developers — a San Francisco nonprofit empowering individuals to overcome poverty and build pathways to lasting economic stability. YCD’s work spans education, housing assistance and workforce development, all aimed at strengthening communities and creating opportunity.

Now in its second year, the internship program, which was spearheaded by ArtSci and alum Dion-Jay (DJ) Brookter ’06, sends USU students to San Francisco for six weeks to serve as classroom assistants in YCD’s summer education programs. While the internship itself is paid, ArtSci’s Experiential Learning Fund helped cover essentials like flights and housing, making it possible for more students to participate.

“This whole experience has made me realize that whatever I do, I want to help people, and I would love to do that in a nonprofit space,” said Rachel Carey, a communication studies major. “A lot of conflict classes that I've been able to take at USU have been really useful for a lot of things in life, but especially in a space like that.”

Designed to foster an exchange of ideas between Utah Aggies and San Francisco youth, the program places students trained in fields like conflict management, social work and communication studies directly into enrichment programming that keeps high school students engaged and on track over the summer.

Cree Taylor, ArtSci’s director for experiential learning strategy, said that YCD was eager to welcome interns with conflict management backgrounds, a skillset that had an immediate impact.“The USU interns worked with students facing all types of personal and social challenges. The ability to mediate and manage conflict proved to be a real asset and support for the students they worked with in San Francisco,” Taylor said.

Emilee Hamilton, an integrated studies student, shared that she entered the program already “valu[ing] mentoring and teaching,” and that the experience “helped me to value that even more.”

Since its launch, the Experiential Learning Fund has supported students across a wide range of experiences — from national internships like YCD’s program to international study abroad opportunities, and even local placements such as interning at the Utah State Capitol. In every case, the fund helps make transformative, hands-on learning more accessible.

Because students and alumni consistently emphasize how much these real-world experiences shape their careers, ArtSci is prioritizing the Experiential Learning Fund for the 2025 A Day of Giving campaign. And this year, every gift will go twice as far. Thanks to a generous $10,000 match from Brad and Linda Walton, donations to the College of Arts and Sciences on Oct. 16 will be doubled.

To learn more and make a gift in support of Experiential Learning for ArtSci students, please visit: https://www.givecampus.com/schools/UtahStateUniversity/a-day-of-giving-2025/pages/colleges/caas.