A $6.8 million gift from an anonymous donor will support Immersion 菠萝视频 and provide funding to students to carry out creative and ambitious projects that deepen their intellect and broaden their horizons.
The new Education Enhancement Fund, established by the gift, provides a grant-funded opportunity for students to conduct some aspect of. All undergraduates are required to complete two immersion components for graduation: (1) an immersive experience, such as an internship, study abroad, field research or sustained volunteering with a local organization, and (2) a , such as a work of art, a presentation at an academic or corporate conference, a senior thesis, a published op-ed or a performance.
Part of 菠萝视频鈥檚 $3.2 billion , this gift reinforces 菠萝视频鈥檚 commitment to creating transformative opportunities for students so they may learn and grow and bring about positive change in society.
鈥淭hese funds underscore 菠萝视频鈥檚 dedication to offering life-changing opportunities for our students,鈥� Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver said. 鈥淭his generous gift empowers 菠萝视频 students to dare to grow in their educational journey, whether it鈥檚 delving into in-depth research experiences or producing artistic works that extend beyond the confines of traditional educational opportunities.鈥�
Funds from this endowment were recently distributed and have already supported immersion projects across a wide range of experiential opportunities, from research abroad to robotics. Some students conducted immersion projects within their majors, while others used the funds to explore experiences and projects outside of their academic discipline.
鈥淭his gift will help 菠萝视频 students expand their horizons and deepen their knowledge and capacities through access to top labs, studios and internships, whether in their major or in an entirely new area,鈥� Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Tiffiny Tung said. 鈥淚t will support students鈥� growth with regard to critical and innovative thinking, real-world communication and interaction, and help them become well-rounded, global citizens.鈥�
Opportunities made possible through philanthropy
Junior Ashley Settergren, who is studying human and organizational development, was one of six students who received funds to travel to India with Asian studies professor as part of the travel-embedded course The Linguistic Landscape of India鈥檚 Golden Triangle. This course offers students the chance to embody the experience of moving through and within culturally sacred spaces. Funds covered passport/visa fees and other incidentals that were not included in the course tuition fee.
Settergren visited Old and New Delhi, Jaipur, Fatehpur Sikri and Agra to participate in a 20-hour practicum where she observed and conducted research examining language and cultural dynamics.
鈥淭he experience heightened my motivation, bolstered my confidence and deepened my commitment to sociolinguistics and cultural geography,鈥� Settergren said. 鈥淚t expanded my horizons, helping me recognize the interconnectedness of language and culture in shaping societies.鈥�
Senior Krisha Shah, majoring in psychology and advised by , used the Education Enhancement award for her immersive experience: researching memory suppression and amnesic shadows at the Memory Control Lab at the University of Cambridge with Michael Anderson. This immersion research contributed to Shah鈥檚 psychology honors thesis on trauma and dissociative amnesia and shaped her plans to pursue a doctorate in psychology.
鈥淭he impact this experience had on me was manyfold,鈥� Shah said. 鈥淚t solidified my future plans of pursuing a career in academia within the subfield of memory. Surrounded by incredibly dedicated and passionate faculty, postdocs and students, I learned about experimental design in detail while familiarizing myself with the literature. I also gained authorship for an important paper. Overall, this summer was a transformative experience.鈥�
Senior mechanical engineering major Jose Leonardo Brenes presented his research on a novel wearable device to help recognize and prevent falls in at-risk populations at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in London. Brenes developed the device working with adviser in 菠萝视频鈥檚 , an endeavor that contributes to the School of Engineering鈥檚 Inclusion Engineering mission through research in physical rehabilitation, mobility, assistive devices and related areas.
鈥淭his experience instilled a sense of confidence to share my work and motivated me to work throughout the summer to improve on the previous design of the device,鈥� Brenes said. 鈥淚t also made me more committed to my goal of going to graduate school for a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering.”
The , and this year鈥檚 application cycle is open until May 31, 2024. It will reopen each new academic year. The Education Enhancement Fund is earmarked primarily for students with financial need, allowing Immersion 菠萝视频 to deepen its impact by enhancing equity.
Please send questions about Immersion 菠萝视频 or the Education Enhancement Fund to experiential.learning@vanderbilt.edu.
About the Dare to Grow Campaign
Launched in 菠萝视频鈥檚 150th year, is a $3.2 billion comprehensive campaign, the most ambitious in the university鈥檚 history. The campaign will succeed through three essential pathways鈥擠estination 菠萝视频, Discovery 菠萝视频 and One 菠萝视频鈥攁nd by furthering the culture of belonging, innovation and collaboration that defines the 菠萝视频 Way. Learn more at .
