Jessie Reed Completes Experiential Learning Project at SUNY Oneonta

Jessie Reed, of Niskayuna, NY, has completed an experiential learning project titled "Summer WordPress Internship" at SUNY Oneonta.

Throughout the calendar year, SUNY Oneonta students put their classroom knowledge into action as they complete a wide range of experiential learning projects across every academic discipline. Whether studying fashion trends, conducting biological research, analyzing historical archives, working in professional accounting settings or participating in community-based fieldwork, students are gaining real-world experience that prepares them for career success.

These opportunities are supported through the university's Experiential Learning Center, located on the main floor of the Hunt Union. The center connects students with internships, research opportunities, global education experiences, volunteer programs and sustainability initiatives. By emphasizing hands-on engagement and practical skill development, the center ensures that experiential learning is woven into every major at SUNY Oneonta.

"This summer, I worked with Faculty Center Staff and another intern to create custom WordPress themes to make portfolio sites more accessible to the average student. WordPress is the foundation for over 40% of professional websites on the internet, and SUNY Oneonta's OpenLab makes it available for students and faculty to use," said Reed, who is studying Art and Design.

"We used this PowerPoint at the SUNY Oneonta Summer Research Showcase to give students and faculty a better idea of why it's beneficial to use the OpenLab.

"The work we did this summer in creating pre-built themes and tutorials for the OpenLab makes creating WordPress websites even more accessible for students and staff. Most students don't spend much time working in web design, if at all, but our custom tutorials and pre-made blocks should make it much easier to introduce new users to the SUNY Oneonta Open Lab and create a functional site without too much stress or hassle. It doesn't require nearly as much time and energy as building the entire site from scratch, and makes clean and professional portfolio sites available to students who would otherwise have had to either spend hours learning the ropes or pay to have a site commissioned. Students and staff can also use the foundational skills learned through the OpenLab to create other sites.

"I started out this summer as a Faculty Center Design intern with very little experience in web development, and having not even heard of WordPress yet. I've always struggled a bit with using computers in general and wasn't happy with the results of my prior attempts at website building. Thanks to this internship, I was able to expand my skills and use what I had already learned from graphic design courses to build a site that looks both functional and professional. My first goal when starting this summer was to create a portfolio website of my own, which I did while exploring all the features WordPress has to offer. Developing a good portfolio is an absolute necessity for art and design students trying to break into the industry, so the work we did this summer will be a huge help to me in the future as well."

Students benefit from a robust network of campus offices housed within the Experiential Learning Center. The Career Planning and Networking Center helps students secure internships in locations such as New York City, Washington, D.C., Albany and Los Angeles, as well as with local businesses and nonprofits. The Office of Global Education offers programs ranging from 10-day faculty-led trips to full-year study abroad experiences, while the Office of Student Research and Creative Activity supports student research through grants and opportunities to present at the annual Student Research and Creative Activity Showcase.

SUNY Oneonta invests heavily in helping students access these opportunities. Each year, the university awards more than $120,000 in grants to support student research, internships and travel to professional conferences. In addition, 23 study abroad and experiential scholarships help students participate in faculty-led programs, national competitions and industry events.

To view these students click here: https://oneonta.meritpages.com/achievements/Jessie-Reed-Completes-Experiential-Learning-Project-at-SUNY-Oneonta/198691