PRYDE shows what’s possible for Engaged Learning in the College of Human Ecology

Kyle-Avory Muna, PRYDE Scholar

When asked to reflect on my first year as a scholar, one takeaway is that the mission of Human Ecology is best realized through engaged learning programs similar to PRYDE. PRYDE is truly a unique program at Cornell in that the community of faculty and scholars is tighter knit than many other programs on campus. For four full semesters, scholars take a class together and get to create this classroom culture of trust and belongingness. Every semester, that bond deepens more and more, and partnerships with one another becoming more efficient and effective. Additionally, scholars get to work closely with a faculty mentor on a research program that coincides with the goals of translational research. In outcome, students have a holistic and personal experience of working with communities of scholars, faculty, and NYS 4-H practitioners to serve youth.

PRYDE captures the spirit of Human Ecology because it bridges the gap between campus and practitioners within Cornell Cooperative Extension. As a land-grant college, the work done on campus was meant to support communities within New York State. However, barriers such as pay-walls, academic jargon, and overgeneralized findings made research inaccessible to many audiences beyond Cornell’s campus. While there are institutions within Human Ecology that work on shrinking the gap, there were still gaps in how human development research, and research on positive youth development specifically, could reach youth development programs. PRYDE as a program provides undergrads with tools to think about how science can be better placed in the hands of practitioners. While PRYDE works to serve the needs of youth, it also promotes undergrad scholars to think more like “human ecologists.”

Cornell should continue to create small programs that support grassroot community needs. Not only are there benefits at the community level, but students are better able to internalize how their work can support the goals of other people, especially those in need. In a campus that feels quite isolated from its surrounding communities, many students are unable to find ways to partake in engaged learning experiences. Additionally, students are less likely to seek out engaged learning experiences if they don’t connect to their current studies or if they don’t support their ability to graduate. Engaged learning should not just be reserved for the social sciences but should be accessible to all students from any academic discipline.

With my first year of PRYDE coming to a close, I have gained an understanding of how translational research can give back to communities beyond the Cornell campus by bridging the gap between research and practice. I feel both excited and prepared to embark on my senior year of the PRYDE program, and senior year in general, knowing that the skills I have gained will be useful throughout my undergraduate experience and beyond.