Have you heard of the Learning Engagement and Academic Innovation (LEAI) department?
LEAI is an office on campus that helps students and faculty. SNHU is filled with exciting learning opportunities all over campus. The Learner Engagement Team hires students to be partners alongside faculty and staff to continuously improve campus. They help create and define experiential learning opportunities for students to enhance the classroom experience. They also work hard to help students feel more connected to campus, both academically and socially. This group encompasses a lot of areas, but four main groups that directly involve students are Wolak Learning Fellows, Major Ambassadors, First-Generation, and Study Abroad.
Wolak Learning Fellows are student employees who are selected to help support teaching and learning in a class where many students typically struggle. This is an excellent leadership opportunity for student employees, which can help in graduate school applications and in applying for jobs. This group also supports the faculty by helping them find ways to get material across to students, as well as students struggling in the class by having people in class to help them.
Students who are interested in getting involved with their major should check out the Major Ambassadors. Major Ambassadors build bridges between the first-year students and their full-time faculty, especially outside the classroom, to help create a sense of community within the program. For example, they help new students engage with their faculty advisors, organize special events for students and faculty, and show new students the opportunities available on campus and after graduation in their major.
One of the goals of LEAI is to improve the campus experience for First-Generation college students. First-Generation (First-Gen) students comprise approximately 27% of our campus undergraduate population. LEAI has created a lot of support systems on campus for First-Gen students and plans to incorporate faculty on campus in this work to help First-Gen students navigate the college experience. The goal is to help First-Gen students overcome struggles they may face with the new experience of attending college.
Study Aboard is an experiential learning activity that allows students to experience another culture and style of learning while enjoying sights and all that another country has to offer. There are options to Study Abroad in another country for a semester, short-term options to spend 7-14 days on a guided tour of another country, and study away options domestically in the United States at various partner colleges. No matter which option students choose, the experience is invaluable and will benefit them in their search for either graduate school or employment.
The LEAI department is located in the Academic Center, suite 107.1. Did you know that there is a student lounge in the office that is open to any and all students? Stop by, hang out, wait for classes, do homework, visit with friends, and, while you’re there, grab a snack. To find out more about LEAI, scan the QR code and check out the website.
