Relational / Experiential / Integrative

MNU academics strive to achieve this high goal in a variety of ways. The undergraduate schedule, with no formal classes on Wednesdays, provides academicians with the space to offer WIRED - Wednesday, Integrative, Relational, Experiential Day - events. The events may include field trips, special speakers, seminars, or collaborations across subject areas. According to Abby Hodges, PhD, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, many WIRED events incorporate opportunities to see real-world applications of what is discussed in class.

“WIRED provides a variety of formats for students to see for themselves how their MNU education is preparing them for the exact things they will be asked to do when they graduate and often reinforces their commitment to their coursework,” Hodges says.

AMONG OTHER INITIATIVES, WIRED HELPS MNU ACHIEVE ITS MISSION.

It's Wired - Wednesday, Integrative, Relational, Experiential Day!

Seeing It Come Together

Last semester, chemistry and biology majors in Dr. Chelsea Comadoll’s organic chemistry II class took a trip to Lawrence, Kansas, on a WIRED event. They visited the NMR Core Lab at the University of Kansas to see firsthand how nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) works in a research facility. Armed with the experience they had with MNU’s bench-top NMR unit, the students were able to expand their knowledge and learn how NMR is used in research-caliber academic and industry settings.

NMR Spectroscopy is an analytical technique used in research settings to identify small molecules, assess purity, 3D structure, and a variety of other applications. It is used heavily in pharmaceutical, food, agriculture, polymer, and healthcare fields.

Saira Juarez is majoring in biology with a chemistry minor. She plans to go to medical school and has an interest in trauma surgery.

“I was in awe,” she says of the WIRED trip to KU. “I’m a hands-on person. Taking time to do an activity about the subject helps me understand what’s going on in the class. It ties it all together.”

Comadoll completed her doctorate at KU and knew MNU alum Sarah (Myers ’97) Neuenswander, who is a senior assistant researcher at KU’s NMR Core Lab. Sarah’s contribution to the work being done at KU was evident to visiting students.

Another way MNU students have experiential learning opportunities is through special projects conducted with professors apart from their coursework. Over the summer, Comadoll and some of her students conducted research with KU colleagues. Now they are continuing the research at MNU. The knowledge and experience gained through this effort will serve students well as they continue into graduate school and careers after MNU.

Hodges says it is the goal of WIRED and other experiential opportunities to provide learning that is used immediately.

“Chelsea’s passion for research and motivating students to think beyond their previous notions pulls them into new academic experiences,” Hodges says. “They try something new they never considered because of her influence and relationship with them. That is something we see all the time in every subject at MNU. Professors who personally invest in students beyond the classroom and make a difference in their lives.”