EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Experiential learning opportunities, such as internships, clinicals, student teaching, and practicum experiences, play a critical role in enhancing students’ career readiness. These real-world experiences help students build professional aptitude while strengthening key personal and workplace skills. Career Services actively promotes and supports student engagement in experiential learning as a vital component of career development.

Experiential Learning Showcase

Each spring, Career Services hosts the Experiential Learning Showcase, a campus-wide event where students present insights gained from their internships and other hands-on learning experiences. This event celebrates student growth and fosters a deeper understanding of how experiential learning contributes to career success.

Undergraduate student Keara Gray (health promotion and education)

Undergraduate student Luke Smith (criminal justice)

Graduate student Sierra Mack-Erb (anthropology)

Internships

student holding up a picture in front of children

Internships are a critical component of career readiness, providing students with valuable industry knowledge, practical skills, and real-world experience. They also help students build professional networks and open doors to future career opportunities. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), most employers report that internship experience, especially with their own organization or within the same industry, is the most influential factor when choosing between two equally qualified candidates.

Internship Grants

Redbird Launch Grant

Recognizing the continued need to support students pursuing unpaid internships, the Office of the Provost allocated $500,000 over four semesters to fund the Redbird Launch Grant. This initiative assists eligible students enrolled in credit-bearing internships and helps remove financial barriers to experiential learning. The program was developed in response to the conclusion of Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Grant funding, which previously supported similar efforts in 2021 and 2022.

In Their Own Words: Redbirds Share Impact of Launch Grant

Kaitlyn Holcomb, junior, criminal justice, Catalyst Ministries intern

Sarah Hickman, graduate student, social work, First Star Academy intern

Illinois Cooperative Work Study Grant

Career Services supports student success by coordinating the Illinois Cooperative Work Study Program grant, which provides funding to assist students participating in unpaid internships. This grant helps reduce financial barriers and enables more students to gain valuable hands-on experience in their fields of study.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING