Florida State University to receive multiple awards for emphasizing job preparation

An international group that supports work-integrated education has announced multiple awards honoring Florida State University’s success in preparing students for the workforce, including an inaugural award that recognizes a member of the faculty.

The Cooperative Education & Internship Association (CEIA) will honor FSU with three awards:

• Best Practices Award – Experience Recognition Program
• Engagement Fellowship – Career Center Senior Assistant Director and InternFSU Program Manager Li Pon
• Charles Kettering Award, which recognizes an outstanding internship employer – & J. Gallo Winery recognizing the contributions of Amanda Bussey, an FSU alumna, former sales recruiting manager for her leadership in supporting experiential learning opportunities within the company

  

The CEIA is a leader in work-integrated learning that provides opportunities for professional development while advocating for best practices in co-ops, internships and other forms of experiential education. The awards will be presented at CEIA’s annual conference April 6-8 in Tucson, Arizona.

“It’s a privilege to acknowledge Florida State University’s enduring legacy and profound impact on the field of cooperative education and internships,” CEIA President Andrew Harper said. “I’ve witnessed firsthand FSU’s unwavering dedication to fostering high-quality work-integrated learning. Their longstanding commitment to CEIA, through board service, expert guidance and innovative presentations, has elevated work-integrated learning standards nationwide.”

CEIA’s first-ever Faculty Champion Award will recognize Associate Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Studies Joe O’Shea for his contributions to the promotion and advocacy of work-integrated learning by a member of the faculty.

“We’re honored that CEIA recognizes FSU’s commitment to enriching the student academic journey through experiential learning,” O’Shea said. “Our work at FSU wouldn’t have been possible without outstanding students, faculty and staff at the university who believe in the power of experiential education and in making engagement a possibility for every student, from every background.”

Work-integrated learning complements academic studies with practical, real-world experiences outside of the classroom such as internships, undergraduate research, community service engagement and global studies.

FSU’s commitment to work-integrated learning includes the “formative experience” graduation requirement, implemented in Summer 2019 and continuing today, which ensures that all students get a chance to learn and engage outside the classroom.

Students find opportunities to complete the requirement throughout the university, within their colleges and beyond through programs such as the Applied Politics & Policy Learning Experience, the Legislative Internship Program, classroom field experience, the sport management practicum, internships through various academic units and programs such as InternFSU and InternFSU: TLH, and production work for ESPN through Seminole Productions.

As a legislative intern, international affairs and political science double major, Sofia Casas has gotten to work directly under a Florida state senator and her legislative aide in tracking pending legislation, coordinating schedules and handling constituent services.

“This position has given me the opportunity to engage firsthand with the legislative process and apply what I have learned in my political science coursework at FSU,” said Casas, who is from Miami. “Through my experience in this internship, I have discovered I have a genuine passion for local policy and am looking forward to pursuing a career in Miami-Dade politics after graduating.”

FSU Career Center program director now president-elect of CEIA 

In addition to recognizing FSU at the upcoming awards ceremony, CEIA has named Tracey Dowling, FSU’s program director of experiential learning within the Career Center, the next president of the association.

Dowling has been instrumental in building programs such as InternFSU, which provides on-campus internships; InternFSU: TLH, which partners with companies in Tallahassee to hire student interns; FSUshadow, which connects students with one-day job shadowing opportunities; and the Part-Time Job & Internship Fair, a semesterly event that connects students with on- and off-campus jobs.

“It has been a dream come true to collaborate across campus for the last decade to reduce FSU student barriers to engagement in experiential learning,” Dowling said. “Seeing programs come to fruition — with support from academic affairs and partnerships across student affairs — and hearing students talking about them excitedly fuels motivation and innovation.”

An experienced career services professional and FSU alumna, Dowling has previously implemented services and programs at Emory University, the University of Georgia and the University of Virginia’s Semester at Sea program. She has served on the board of directors for CEIA since 2016.

“FSU’s success inspires us all to continue pushing boundaries and creating meaningful opportunities for students across the country,” CEIA President Andrew Harper said.

To learn more about FSU’s Career Center and some of the university’s work-integrated learning opportunities, visit career.fsu.edu. For more information about FSU’s Division of Undergraduate Studies, visit undergrad.fsu.edu.

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