By ERICA LIND

Not everything you learn in university needs to come from a textbook. For Carli Chalmers (BSc '08), some of the most valuable knowledge she gained came in the form of feathers and talons.

"In the classroom, learning isn't always centred around your specific interests," she says. "By doing an Applied Study at the Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale, I was able to focus on exactly what I wanted to learn."

The Applied Studies program at the University of Lethbridge enables students to obtain credit for hands-on

experience at the 2000, 3000, or 4000 level. Students who participate in the program are able to add a personalized dimension to their degrees, enhancing their university experience and making them more employable once they graduate. Work experience is combined with research, creating a diversified learning opportunity.

During Chalmers' 4000-level Applied Study at the Birds of Prey Centre, she had a wide variety of responsibilities. Not only was she responsible for cleaning, feeding, training, and handling birds, she was also responsible for running the visitor centre and brainstorming new ways to cater educational programs to specific groups of people.

In addition, Chalmers wrote a paper on the relationship between prey size and hawk size as part of the Applied Study. Chalmers, who has career aspirations in the field of veterinary sciences, enjoyed her Applied Study because it allowed her to learn exactly how she wanted to learn.

"This was a very unique experience," she says. "It provided me with much more one-on-one interaction with a professor than normal classes allow, and I gained a lot of critical thinking skills as well as many other valuable skills."

Chalmers, who graduated with a Bachelor of Biological Sciences, moved on to study in the new veterinary program at the University of Calgary.

For more information on the Applied Studies program, contact the Faculty of Arts and Science Applied Studies/Co-operative Education and Internships office at B610, or phone 403-329-2000.