Student engagement

At Georgia College, Community-based Engaged Learning (CbEL) courses require student participation in service projects or community engagement (either on campus or through institutional partnerships with off-campus organizations) and integrate the service experience into course content.

The International Center facilitates and coordinates international academic study, research, and internship opportunities for all Georgia College students, as well as partnerships and exchanges with institutions abroad. Students may study abroad on short-term programs - often with faculty in their majors - or through semester or even academic year-long programs at major universities throughout the world. Study Abroad/Study Away programs are one of the optional transformative learning experiences available in GC Journeys.

The Office of Leadership Programs maintains institution-wide responsibility for management, coordination, and development of all Georgia College leadership programs and initiatives. Beyond Georgia College’s core leadership programs, which are directed and administered by the Office of Leadership Programs, the staff works collaboratively with members of GC's faculty and staff to develop affiliate programs.

Students are required to sign up and complete an approved internship experience for academic credit at GCSU. These may be supported by the academic department or may be secured with assistance from GC’s Career Center. The Career Center advises students to begin their internship search at least 4 – 6 months before their desired start date.  The Career Center uses Handshake software to promote local, regional, and national internship opportunities to students.

GCSU aspires to graduate students with creative and problem-solving dispositions that prepare them to be the next leaders of the free world. Georgia College connects teaching excellence with learning beyond the classroom to provide unique undergraduate research experiences for students. Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) defines undergraduate research as, "an inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original, intellectual, or creative contribution to the discipline(s)."

The Capstone is the final embedded experience built into GC Journeys. To “Complete Your Journey” for Capstone, students must successfully complete the capstone course for their program/major. Experiences will be determined by the requirements of the department/major.

The First Year Experience is one of three embedded experiences that is built into the GC curriculum. To “Complete your journey,” for First Year Experience, students need to complete their GCSU 0001 (FYAS) and GC1Y courses.

Augusta University has a robust, multi-year plan to promote student retention and graduation utilizing the Four-to-Finish principles of Mindset, Purpose, Pathways and Engagement. Over the previous years, AU has implemented new strategies to support enrollment growth, and most recently created holistic student support structures organized by meta-majors.

Promoting Career Readiness and Student Leadership by: 

• Engaging first-year students in the Focus 2 Career Assessment and career option discussions with career advisors. 
• Introducing first-year students to the NACE Career Competencies so that they are aware of the skills employers want to see them build before entering the professional workforce.

Planning and implementing a centralized process for promoting and preparing students for internships (both credit and non-credit) to increase the number of students participating in internships.

At Georgia College, Community-based Engaged Learning (CbEL) courses require student participation in service projects or community engagement (either on campus or through institutional partnerships with off-campus organizations) and integrate the service experience into course content.