Students gain experience through Field work

Jasmine Brown Guest Writer Jesse Small Guest Writer

It’s 10 a.m. on a Monday, but one senior isn’t walking to class. Dan Morgan ’08 is beginning his day in the photo department of The New Yorker for a different kind of learning experience.

A greater number of Vassar students are finding such positions through the Field Work. Field Work is an opportunity for students to go out into the community and partake in something that really interests them, and to expand upon their academic interests.

“Field work attempts to bridge the gap between what we think and what we do,” said Director of Field Work Peter Leonard. “It shows that not only can you think, but you can act.”

The Field Work Office places about 500 students per year in a variety of fields in the Poughkeepsie area, as well as a few in New York City. Faculty members supervise students’ work, which receives either a full- or half-credit per semester.

“I think it is important for students to have learning experiences off campus. Field work gives students an opportunity to bring their experiences in the field into a dialogue with their work in the classroom,” said Professor of Sociology and Director of the American Culture program Bill Hoynes.

Jessica Albert ’09, an aspiring lawyer and intern at Mid-Hudson Legal Services, too on Field work to pursue her career goals and her interest in community service.

“I liked that this was a company that did a lot of pro-bono work,” Albert said. “I did a lot of community service in high school and didn’t get a chance to do that much at Vassar.”

The Field Work Office publishes a monthly newsletter that advertises some of the positions available. Of course, these few publicized jobs do not include every student’s ideal off-campus position. But what students may not realize is that the newsletter offers only a limited selection of the many opportunities the office provides.

“I had no interest in most of the field work placements I found in the fieldwork newsletter,” said Morgan. “But when I saw that there was an opening at The New Yorker photo department, I applied immediately.”

The Field Work Office also provides support for students who want to create their own positions.

“Last year I was taking a class in which I got a chance to visit men in a maximum security prison,” Juliana Valente ’09 said. “I really liked working with the criminal justice system and decided I wanted to work with women. I asked my professor about getting involved with the local jail.”

With the help of college staff, Valente was able to design her own field work project. “You have a support network of professors and the Field Work Office, so you aren’t just thrown into things,” she said.

Students gain valuable work experience after beginning their internships. “I’ve only been working about a week and already I have observed two hearings,” said Albert. “I am also the assistant to two lawyers. This field work will definitely help me in the real world because I know what’s expected of me from law firms.”

These internships add another dimension to students’ classroom experience. “[Field work] is a different experience than being in a classroom,” said Valente. “I got to see how institutions work and how the bureaucracy works, things you never would have learned if you had stayed on Vassar’s campus.”

Morgan noted more students should seriously consider utilizing the office.

“The Vassar fieldwork office is one of the least utilized resources on campus, but you can find incredible placements,” he said.

For more information about Field work, visit fieldwork.vassar.edu or stop by the Field Work Office at N-165 on the first floor of Main Building.