From the Editor

When Cassie Myers and Julia Halprin Jackson — SJSU’s incredibly talented writing duo — and I first discussed the theme of this issue being focused on hands-on learning opportunities for San José State University undergraduate students, we quickly rattled off dozens of possibilities. The difficulty of having to choose only a few examples led to us compiling a magazine with more than 30 examples of experiential learning for undergraduate and graduate students. Spartans learn by doing, and I hope by flipping through these virtual pages, you will see the impact experiential learning has in preparing SJSU students to succeed in their career endeavors.

Each college at SJSU — presented in this issue by alphabetical order of their discipline (i.e. Business, Education, Engineering, etc.) — has numerous ways for students to get involved in research and learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom. It is how students discover their “why” — and it’s also why San José State does so well in national rankings that focus on student outcomes. When students receive their degree from SJSU, regardless of if they attended classes on campus at One Washington Square or completed their degree online through SJSU Online, they are competitive and ready to make a difference on a global scale at top companies in Silicon Valley and beyond.

I sincerely thank Cassie and Julia for their creativity and fantastic storytelling in this issue, and I’d like to extend my thanks to Pourya Nadimi, Monica Bosque and Michelle Frey, who help bring these stories to life through their amazing design and web skills.

Kenneth Mashinchi Managing Editor of Washington Square: The Magazine