Special Academic Programs - Exploration Hub

Exploration Hub - First Floor Van Meter

At the Exploration Hub, students engage in transformative experiences that connect their academic course of study to experiences outside the classroom.  These transformative experiences guide their 4 years at Goucher as well as their journey past the walls of Goucher and into their future.  Whether embarking on a study abroad experience, investing in their community through a CBL program, or testing the waters in an internship or job shadow, students will gain powerful knowledge about who they are and where they want to go beyond Goucher.  The Exploration Hub includes the following units:

CAREER EDUCATION OFFICE

Career Education - https://www.goucher.edu/career-education-office/

Community Based Learning - https://www.goucher.edu/learn/community-based-learning/

International Studies  - https://www.goucher.edu/learn/study-abroad/

Through a comprehensive approach called the Goucher Advantage, the Career Education Office (CEO) provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to develop and implement their career plans. The Goucher Advantage makes career education a central element of each student’s experience through the curriculum, professional experience, and mentoring.  Beginning their first semester and continuing throughout the next four years, students learn the tools to embark confidently on their career path. The Goucher Advantage prepares students in 5 key areas:

• Self-knowledge and personal branding  - Developing awareness of self and how to articulate strengths to potential employers and professional contacts. This includes career content delivered in courses, advising with CEO staff and peer mentors, and online resources to help students identify interests, skills and values. 
• Career Communities -Industry based communities serve as a place for students to interact with alumni, faculty, staff, and employers to explore careers paths, share industry-specific resources and foster professional relationships. Students can meet alumni on campus through Career Exploration Nights and weekly Coffee Chats, and interact virtually through the Career Communities LinkedIn page.
• Professional experience  - Gaining experience in professional settings is a critical step as students prepare for careers.  The CEO encourages students to explore career options by pursing internships and gaining experience through on-campus employment. The CEO provides a curated online job board, Goucher Recruit, to help students navigate their job search and application process.
• Career management - Teaching students the skills to manage their careers is critical to preparing them for their professional journey. Students learn these skills through events (job fairs, employer tabling, resume and cover letter lounge) and through career conversations that take place in informal settings across campus. 
• Alumni connections - The CEO runs programs to bring students and alumni together.  Weekly Coffee Chats provide informal opportunities to connect students and alumni over coffee.  The Job Shadow program that takes place in January provides students the opportunity to shadow alumni at their workplace. 

Students can connect with the CEO through social media (@thegoucherhub), online resources (www.goucher.edu/ceo) and in person by visiting the office (Van Meter 117). 

Community-Based Learning

Within the Roxana C. Arsht ‘35 Center for Ethics and Leadership, Goucher’s Community-Based Learning (CBL) Office serves as the administrative hub for all activities related to ethical community engagement, both curricular and co-curricular, and connects students to partnerships throughout Baltimore City and County.

By embedding best-practices in community-based learning courses and programming, we facilitate high-quality student learning and cultivate community partnerships that make central the needs and expertise of our community partners. CBL moves beyond traditional community service by engaging in thoughtful, informed, and ethical community action. By actively connecting academic coursework with engaged learning in the community, students investigate assumptions about race, class and privilege, and learn how to develop beneficial, sustainable community partnerships. All academic disciplines and divisions (humanities, social sciences, sciences and the arts) incorporate community-based learning practices.

The Office of Community-Based Learning advances the following practices: Innovative collaboration with faculty on community-based courses; peer-led structured volunteer opportunities; community-outreach programming; social justice education and support of student clubs and organizations; and civic leadership programs and student leadership development opportunities.

Special Programs

Futuro Latino Learning Center

On weekends, Goucher College is transformed into a bustling international center for the local community. Administered through Goucher College’s Office of Community-Based Learning (CBL) and Professor Frances Ramos-Fontan, the Futuro Latino Learning Center (FLLC) was created in response to a critical need for English as a Second Language (ESL) services for a rapidly growing immigrant population in Baltimore County.

The center offers a wide range of educational programs that respond to the needs and interests of the area immigrant community. Participants gather in the Van Meter Hall on Saturdays from 11am-5pm to practice conversation skills and to receive ESL and basic computer-literacy training. For children, there are kids’ cultural heritage programs to keep in touch with their Hispanic heritage while their parents are working to reach their own educational goals.

Signature Programs

Goucher has a number of weekly signature volunteer programs that are available for all students. We encourage students who participate in these programs to make a full, semester-long commitment. All of these programs will require some specialized training (offered on-site and at no cost to students). All signature weekly programs are led by a peer leader, a Student Leader for Civic Action (SLCA). Signature weekly programs also include ongoing opportunities for reflection. Goucher provides transportation for these programs.

Current Signature Programs:

• Baltimore County Humane Society (Animal Welfare)
• Earl’s Place
• Environmental and Sustainability Initiatives with West Towson Neighborhood Association & Blue Water Baltimore
• Goucher Scholars Tutoring with Pleasant Plains Elementary School (Federal Work Study)
• Middle School Mentoring with Barclay Middle School
• Read-a-Story/Write-a-Story with Barclay Elementary School (volunteer and Federal Work Study)
• TALMAR Gardens & Horticultural Therapy Center
• Tubman House

Student Leaders for Civic Action

Student Leaders for Civic Action (SLCA) Directors serve as a resource and leader to volunteers and community participants in Goucher signature weekly volunteer programs.  This paid, competitive leadership opportunity is for driven and organized upper-division students, and requires 10-12 hours per week. SLCA Directors are passionate about community action and social justice, and have a high level of expertise in their particular site, or have significant experience that applies to that site or service location.  SLCAs are hired every spring for the upcoming academic year. Interested students should contact the Director of Community-Based Learning.

Community Based Learning Courses

Each semester, there are a number of courses that are designated as “Community-Based Learning” courses. This designation means that the course will include some content that involves experiential or field learning with external sites or partners. CBL courses that include community partners have been carefully designed to center the needs of the external partner.

Examples of Community Based Learning Courses

• AMS 230 - Religions of Baltimore (4 Cr.)  
• CBL 299  - Independent Work (1.5 Cr.)
• COM 401  - Topics in Media and Communication (3-4 Cr.)
• DMC 101 - Data Analytics (4 Cr.)  
• PCE 316 - Topics: Collaboration for Justice (2 Cr.)  (Collaborating for Justice)
• SP 130S  - Intermediate Spanish with Community-Based Learning (4 Cr.)
• SP 230  - Intermediate Conversation and Composition (4 Cr.)

Study Abroad

The college sponsors summer, winter, and semester study abroad programs. Students interested in studying abroad should contact the Office of Global Education for further information. Students receiving any financial aid should consult the Office of Student Financial Aid before planning to participate in a study abroad program. Goucher institutional aid, including Goucher grants and scholarships, as well as any state aid, transfer to any Goucher semester study abroad program, up to the cost of Goucher tuition for the first semester abroad experience. Participants are billed Goucher charges for their study abroad program, not the fees indicated in program literature or websites.

Students are considered in-residence while enrolled in a Goucher program. Credits and grades earned abroad on Goucher semester programs and Goucher Intensive Courses Abroad (ICAs) will be counted towards a student’s credit accumulation and calculation of grade point average. Semester courses and ICAs must be taken for a letter grade. Credits earned on non-Goucher short-term programs will count towards credit accumulation but not the grade point average.

Generally, students will be allowed to transport their Goucher institutional aid for the Goucher Oxford University yearlong program.

Goucher Semester Programs Abroad

Goucher Intensive Courses Abroad (ICAs)

These courses are all led by Goucher faculty members. Course descriptions are available under the appropriate academic program. Although most ICAs are offered every other year, these programs are subject to change without notice.

INTERNSHIPS

The Career Education Office oversees the Goucher College internship program. See full information regarding internships in the General Academic Information section of this catalogue.