Empowering Students for Success After College

Implemented in the fall 2021 semester, Level UP courses include high-impact, real-world experiences with internships, undergraduate research, or education abroad.

Throughout the experience, students complete extra work centered around one of the five common career skills to gain additional certification and knowledge that will make them more marketable to potential employers.

MSU faculty and staff developed this program through research and engagement with campus stakeholders.

The team developed enhanced courses where students can gain proficiency in one or more of the five most common career skills: critical thinking , oral communication , written communication , teamwork , and professionalism

Nick Walker - Theatre

Walker, a junior from Hyden, knew he wanted to enroll as a theatre major when he visited campus with the Governor’s School for the Arts. MSU’s theatre program gave him extensive performance, creative and technical experience. Through a dramatic literature Level UP course, he focused on critical thinking such as how to perform a role or examine a script.

“It’s given me skills that are practical in a lot of different fields. It’s not just one thing,” he said. “I think it’s led me in the right direction.”

Eliana Eldridge - Biomedical Sciences

Edlridge, a senior from Blackey, is confident the Level UP classes she’s taken will help her achieve her goal of becoming a dentist. Last semester, Eldridge took Principles of Microbiology, a Level UP course taught by Professor of Biology Dr. Geoff Gearner.

Eldridge plans to start dental school in the fall and said the firm foundation of written and verbal communication skills she learned from her Level UP course will help her as she continues her education and launches her career after professional school.

Jordan Vallejo (Class of 2022) - Education

Vallejo, from Winchester, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education, Middle Grades (5-9) Learning and Behavior Disorders, and said he still employs methods he learned in his Level UP classes. He said the classes helped him overcome a significant personal hurdle.

“Level UP taught me to create intentional lesson plans with multisensory approaches to meet my students’ varying learning needs,” he said. “The skills I have learned through Level UP have already proven to be invaluable in helping my students read, solve math problems, and write with excellence.”

Abbey Cooper - Accounting

A junior from Vanceburg, Cooper is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting with aspirations to be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Cooper took Dr. Janet Ratliff’s (Class of 1991, 1992) Business Plan and Development Level UP course. She traveled to Washington, D.C., to present at the Appalachian Regional Commission – Appalachian Teaching Project. In addition to participating in “one of the most memorable experiences while I have been at MSU,” she completed a semester-long project where class groups developed and presented viable business plans.