In 2023, a consultant was hired by the university to assist with the development of strategic plans for the entire institution as well as numerous units.  As part of that process, a small team crafted the following statement to help guide our institution around the concepts of experiential learning:

An term for all types of courses and learning experiences including, but not limited to, high-impact experiential learning experiences, project-based learning in capstone courses, senior design, student research courses and other courses), simulations, internships (for credit, micro-internships, GigTraining, micro-certs), cooperative education, undergraduate research, micro-programs, micro-credentials, cooperative education, service-learning experiences and community-based learning experiences. 

FY24 is the first time that a comprehensive approach was taken to capture information and data on engagement levels of undergraduate students in experiential learning.  The Career Center spearheaded the project, working with numerous partners across campus, to develop the annual process and collect data from upwards of 25+ sources culminating in one final report for campus consumption.  Here is an overview of the process:

• Fall Census: provides a static "snapshot" information on all current juniors and seniors to be tracked for that academic year. (FY25 began a parallel process for graduate students)
• October - June: surveys were sent out, information collected from campus partners, a student team conducted "LinkedIn scrubbing", course information gathered, and other data sources compiled.
• The Final Report: all raw data compiled into one source for the creation of the annual EL Report dashboard.

Each Academic Year (Fall Census - June 30th), we track:

EL Integrated: these are students who have EL "baked into the curriculum" or are a part of a program that requires EL.

Internships/Coops: these include traditional experiences and micro-experiences.

Research: includes research experiences outside the classroom.

Study Abroad: all levels, breadth, and depth.

Working & Education: includes information on students who are working while in college.
 

Coming soon!

Service Learning: tracking of students who engage in service learning and significant community engagement projects.

Project Based Learning: tracking of students who engage in significant levels of project-based learning.

This annual project involves a lot of moving parts, coordination with campus partners like you, and a team of students devoted to assisting us in searching for information on engagement activities.  We would LOVE your help!

• "LinkedIn Scrubbing": if you have student workers that have bandwidth to support this research during the months of November/December and April/May, let us know.
   
• Survey Data: if your department or unit is ALSO tracking similar information, let us know so that we can add your data to the pile.  We will coordinate when to reach out for the information you have collected.
   
• Tag your courses: if you have courses that include significant experiential learning components such as service learning, working with an external organization, or other similar high impact practices, tag the course or let us know the course number so that we can add it to our data collection request.
   
• Other Data Sources: if you, or others, in your department or unit are actively collecting EL data in any shape or form, let us know so that we can add it to our collection process.  Saves us time if you already know information about your own students!

Each cycle of data collection will provide The Career Center with specific information on all "rising seniors" who we either do not have any information collected or have indicated that they have not engaged in experiential learning. 

The plan:

• A systematic communication plan is implemented to highlight opportunities available for these students, resources available to them to help strategize around the search, as well as to further understand their needs.
   
• Select information can be provided to academic programs and Colleges if there is a plan provided as to what they plan to do with that data that assists us in meeting our 100% engagement goal.

The Career Center, alongside key campus partners, are continuing to build new relationships with organizations and pilot new channels of experiential learning to provide our students with more opportunities to engage.

• Group Internship Courses: alongside our partners in BELK, CHESS, and CCI, we are expanding project-based learning program both at the curricular and co-curricular level.
   
• Virtual Internships: the career team continues to pilot a matching program for credit based virtual internships.
   
• Gig Internship Program: the career team continues building a program to match students with projects across campus and with community based organizations.
   
• Campus Employment: campus partners throughout the university continue to work on transforming jobs on campus into "internship quality" experiences.  
   
• Micro-Experiences: work continues with the availability of micro-internships through Parker-Dewey, job simulations through The Forage (EAB), and through the development of micro-credentials across campus.

All of this work is about providing our students with the opportunity to design their college experience with an eye on the future of work!