Video: A Mississippi State Program Is Taking Learning Outside Of The Classroom

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)-It can be overwhelming for students to sit in a classroom soaking up information, but one new program at Mississippi State University is giving students a chance to put their knowledge to the test.

Since January the Mississippi State’s Center for the Advancement of Service Learning-Excellence, also known as Casle, is changing the way students learn in the classroom.

“We have a chance to partner with the community in a very different way and there is several service learning centers across the country, but ours is unique because we combine our extension,” says April Heiselt.

The Casle program gives Mississippi State University students hands on experience outside of the classroom.

“So far we’ve heard students come back to us and say they really love it they’ve gotten a lot of great experience. We’ve had one that said you know…we don’t get to learn everything in the classroom so having that experience really gets them into what their workforce might look like and what they can expect after graduation,” says Noelle Avenmarg.

Grad student, Edward Hibbler, spends his spare time mentoring young men in the community. He says with this new program it gives him the opportunity to put his free time to good use.

“I didn’t get the chance to get involved with the community as much as I wanted to for Undergrad because I was trying to finish strong. Now that I have a little more time on my hands I want to use it wisely,” says Edward Hibbler.

Students like Sarah Easly can get a better understanding as to what their future careers will look like.

“It allows students to get work in our field like for me I’m am Elementary education. I might could work with someone who’s already in the program that could talk to me and give me advice,” says Sarah Easly.

So no matter the major the Casle program helps students grow in and out of the classroom.

Students in the past have worked with sweet potatoes farmers and engineers to get a better understanding of their career.