In today’s rapidly changing education and workforce landscape, the role of experiential learning has never been more critical. Institutions of all types — from 4-year and 2-year colleges to K-12 work-based learning coordinators, and nonprofit workforce programs — are all working hard to bridge the gap between education and employment.
But how can we ensure that experiential learning opportunities are effective, equitable, scalable, and sustainable? How do we overcome student engagement challenges, departmental silos, and the increasing need for measurable outcomes?
Let’s explore some critical findings, challenges, and real-world solutions to help your organization strengthen its experiential learning initiatives.
Lessons from the Field: What Research Tells Us
1. Iowa State University’s “Science with Practice” Model
In a 2009 case study by Retallick and Steiner, Iowa State University developed “Science with Practice” (SWP), a groundbreaking initiative to embed experiential learning across its College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). The program connected on-campus, paid internships with structured learning agreements, reflective journals, and regular evaluations.
Even nearly two decades ago, CALS faced budget cuts, enrollment declines, and rising student debt — challenges that feel strikingly familiar today. SWP helped students not only gain real-world experience but also connected their academic learning to tangible outcomes. Mentorship, accountability, and formal goal-setting became cornerstones of the program’s success.
Key takeaway: Well-structured, faculty-supported experiential learning boosts engagement, retention, and career readiness — and it requires intentional infrastructure.
2. Nazareth College’s SPARK Initiative
Fast forward to 2018: Nazareth College launched the “Students Pursuing Academic and Real-World Knowledge” (SPARK) grant. This initiative provided $1,500 scholarships to first- and second-year students for internships, research, and study abroad opportunities.
The results were impressive. SPARK participants had higher GPAs, retention, and graduation rates compared to non-participants, especially among historically underserved student populations.
Moreover, SPARK showed that early access to experiential learning magnifies benefits across a student’s college journey and that financial support significantly improves participation rates.
Key takeaway: When institutions remove financial and logistical barriers to experiential learning, student outcomes improve dramatically.
Common Challenges Across Institutions
Despite strong evidence supporting experiential learning, higher education, workforce development face common hurdles:
Siloed Programs: Many colleges, universities, and workforce organizations have experiential learning programs housed within specific departments, each with its own processes, data collection methods, and requirements. This fragmentation makes it difficult to get a holistic view of student engagement across an institution.
Student Engagement: Today’s students, especially Gen Z, often juggle academics, work, extracurriculars, and personal responsibilities. Scheduling career coaching sessions or applying for internships can feel overwhelming. Some students may also feel intimidated by the professional world, particularly if they lack confidence or prior experience.
Bandwidth and Scale: Career services and workforce teams often operate with lean staff. As student demand for experiences grows, how can these teams continue to provide quality coaching, mentorship, and evaluation?
Leadership, Reporting and Funding: Funding for career services, workforce development, and experiential learning often depends on proving tangible outcomes. If leadership doesn’t see the ROI, budgets shrink. Effective, consistent reporting is no longer optional; it’s essential for survival.
The Critical Role of Technology in Experiential Learning
While there is no magic wand, technology can be a powerful tool to tackle these challenges. Here’s how:
Centralization and Flexibility: Platforms like GradLeaders’ experiential learning module are helping institutions like Boise State University manage over 75 experiential learning programs across campus — all in one system. Each college can maintain unique workflows and requirements, but leadership can view holistic student engagement data at a glance.
Structured Student Roadmaps: Students thrive when expectations are clear. GradLeaders’ “CareerMap” feature acts as a customizable task list, guiding students through every step — from program application to learning agreement submission to final evaluations. Automated reminders keep students on track without burdening staff.
Learning Agreements and Approvals: Structured, customizable forms ensure students, employers, and faculty are aligned on goals, expectations, and outcomes. Automated workflows eliminate bottlenecks and manual tracking.
AI-Powered Career Coaching: Partnerships with tools like nSpire AI are help institutions like MiraCosta College deliver 24/7 resume reviews, interview prep, and career coaching — dramatically increasing student access without adding staff. Students come to coaching sessions better prepared, maximizing face-to-face time with career advisors.
Comprehensive Reporting and Analytics: Real-time dashboards and custom reports allow career services, workforce, and leadership teams to:
- Monitor participation by program, major, demographic group
- Track employer engagement and placement trends
- Assess outcomes for accreditation, funding proposals, and strategic planning
Institutions like UW-Stout are leveraging this data daily to drive academic assessment, university partnerships, and program growth.
Real-World Examples of Success
Boise State University Boise State centralized all for-credit internships across campus into one flexible system. Students submit experience details, university personnel & supervisors approve, and leadership gets the data they need for the state board and accreditation bodies. Custom dashboards show students real examples of where past internships took place by major, enhancing transparency and motivation.
MiraCosta College MiraCosta’s internship program combines GradLeaders’ opportunity board, automated workflows, and nSpire AI coaching into one comprehensive solution. Their team processes over 600 resumes annually — now faster and more effectively thanks to nSpire AI & GradLeaders. Automated reporting also supports statewide workforce metrics.
University of Wisconsin-Stout Managing over 1,000+ students and 800+ supervisors, UW-Stout’s co-op and internship program uses GradLeaders to fully digitize enrollment, approvals, and evaluations. Data collected feeds accreditation reports, influences major-specific curriculum updates, and strengthens employer partnerships.
Key Strategies to Future-Proof Your Experiential Learning Programs
1. Start Early and Remove Barriers Following Nazareth College’s SPARK model, incentivize early student engagement with experiential learning. Offer microgrants, scholarships, or course credit to encourage participation. Structure your programs so that cost, transportation, or lack of awareness are not insurmountable hurdles.
2. Centralize with Flexibility Institutions don’t need a “one size fits all” model — they need flexible centralization. A common technology platform that allows for departmental autonomy but unified reporting can balance these needs.
3. Leverage Technology to Scale Adopt AI-powered coaching, digital enrollment, and automated workflows to reduce the manual load on your staff. Let human experts focus on the highest-value interactions — the mentorship and advising that can’t be automated.
4. Prioritize Data Collection and Reporting Don’t wait for leadership to demand results. Be proactive in gathering data on student participation, skill development, and outcomes. Use visual dashboards to tell a compelling story about the impact of experiential learning on institutional success.
5. Foster Collaboration Across Departments Career services, academic departments, student affairs, advancement — all have a role to play in creating seamless experiential learning journeys. Break down silos and champion experiential learning as a shared institutional priority.
Why Your Work Matters More Than Ever
Higher education, K-12, and workforce development leaders are at a pivotal moment. Experiential learning is no longer a “nice to have” — it is a defining factor in student success, institutional relevance, and economic mobility.
Your programs are not just about internships or co-ops. They are about building bridges: between the classroom and the boardroom, between education and opportunity, between learning and thriving.
You are not simply administrators. You are designers of transformation.
By continuing to innovate, collaborate, and embrace technology, you can create systems that:
- Unlock opportunity for every student
- Improve institutional outcomes
- Strengthen employer partnerships
- Build a more inclusive, prepared, and dynamic workforce
The future of experiential learning is bright — and it’s in your hands.
Let’s keep building it together.
About the Author: Ben Groff is a leader in educational technology partnerships at GradLeaders, with over a decade of experience helping institutions and organizations navigate the evolving landscape of career services, workforce development, and experiential learning.
For more insights or to explore customized experiential learning solutions, visit GradLeaders.com.
Portions of this article were generated with the assistance of OpenAI