Experiential Learning at UD

By Christopher Miller

Maria LaBello is a senior Pre-Medicine student at UD who just wrote a wonderful reflection on experiential learning (EL). The Office of experiential Learning (OEL) was glad to have Maria take part in our vocation workshop in February. This workshop was centered around the different ways people can discover their vocation.

Maria has volunteered at Dayton Children’s Hospital, shadowed healthcare professionals, and engaged in community service during her time at UD. These experiences have helped shape her career goals and interests.

She drew a roadmap of all of her powerful experiences during our vocation lab. View her visual learning journey at the bottom of the page.

Here is an excerpt from her essay that discusses how participation in EL familiarized her with the different skill sets that she will need in healthcare.

“Throughout my four years of being a Pre-Medicine major and Sociology minor at the University of Dayton, I took a deep dive into the variety of experiential learning opportunities to strengthen my perception of the daily encounters one experiences as a physician in the medical field. This meant multiple involvements in my local Dayton and UD communities, which eventually made this venture into healthcare not so ambiguous or unfamiliar. I volunteered as a Hospital Elder Life Program volunteer at Miami Valley Hospital to prevent older adult patients 70 years of age and older from developing hospital-acquired delirium. I also volunteered as a Child Life volunteer at Dayton Children’s Hospital in the Long-Term Care Unit. I joined Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED): The National Pre-Professional Health Honor Society as a sophomore, became elected Pledge Master as a junior, and now currently hold the position of Vice President.” 

Maria goes on to talk about her undergraduate thesis honors thesis on the scientific method and different research techniques. She worked in Dr. Carissa Krane's lab studying the application of organ transplants.

After long hours learning about every aspect of running a lab, she has garnered a big appreciation for what it takes to be successful. Maria is moving on from UD but she will always remember the people and opportunities that matured her as a person.