At the University of Georgia, an exceptional educational environment is found both in and outside of the classroom. UGA is the nation’s largest university to require all undergraduate students participate in some form of hands-on learning. The options on offer are study abroad and field schools, internship and leadership opportunities, faculty-mentored research, creative endeavors, and service-learning.
For Natalia Rivera Chica, a fourth year studying health and promotion and accounting, her summer internship with Delta Air Lines opened her eyes to the ins and outs of an accounting position at a Fortune 100 company. While she’s also learning the principles of accounting on campus, and will continue to do so as she pursues her master’s degree next spring, the analytic skills she gained at Delta could only be taught in the field.
Natalia Rivera Chica studies at one of the tables inside the Casey Commons. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker)
“It’s not things you’re taught in a textbook or a class,” she said. “This is an accounting internship but I never touch a calculator.”
Experiences like Natalia’s demonstrate the university’s goal to provide a rigorous experiential learning opportunity for all students that aligns with their studies and helps them meet their future goals. UGA is preparing the nation’s brightest students to be tomorrow’s leaders.