Meet the nation’s top institutions for experiential learning

Experiential learning matters, so we’re honoring the top US institutions that are innovating to help set their students up for success in the workforce.

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Hult International Business School
Cambridge, MA
#1 Overall, #1 Private University, #1 in Massachusetts
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Overall = 
90.57
Student Engagement = 
87.20
Faculty Involvement = 
93.60
Early Participation = 
94.70

Hult International Business School offers an alternative to traditional, theory-focussed education by using practical, learning-by-doing experiences to prepare students to become job-ready candidates prior to their graduation. Hult’s philosophy is that business skills can only truly be learned by doing. That is the guiding force for each program, course, and class the school provides. Experiential learning is integrated into every aspect of the student journey from the commencement of their degree, including large-scale live client challenges, real-time in-class exercises and practical virtual job simulations.

‍Katharine Boshkoff, Vice President of Careers and Alumni Relations, is dedicated to equipping Hult students with the relevant skills sought out by leading employers. Katharine and her team are a vital part of the experiential learning process across the school’s six global campuses, ensuring that a range of high-quality practical experiences are consistently integrated into the curriculum.

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Northeastern University
Boston, MA
#2 Overall, #2 Private University, #2 in Massachusetts
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Overall = 
83.00
Student Engagement = 
74.90
Faculty Involvement = 
96.10
Early Participation = 
79.40

Experiential learning at Northeastern University is centered on co-operative education integrated with studies. With partners including Adobe, Hubspot and over 3,100 others across more than 130 countries. More than 99% of the 10,000+ students that participate each year would recommend Northeastern's co-op program to a friend.

In addition to Northeastern's co-op program, the university also has 73 service learning courses completed by more than 1,100 students per year and utilizes innovative virtual experiential learning experiences within curriculum.

Northeastern has a range of exceptional team members passionate about innovating in experiential learning and developing lasting partnerships with a diverse range of employers. Laura Engel (Associate Director of the Experiential Network), in the College of Professional Studies, has taken the innovative step of sourcing and embedding virtual, experiential projects into Northeastern’s academic programs and courses. Smajl Cengic (Associate Co-op Coordinator), in the College of Computer Sciences, teaches the school's co-op seminar and has developed an exceptional network of employer partners engaged in the provision of experiential learning opportunities.

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Georgetown University
Washington, DC
#3 Overall, #3 Private University, #1 in Washington D.C.
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Overall = 
82.13
Student Engagement = 
82.10
Faculty Involvement = 
80.80
Early Participation = 
85.30

Georgetown University assists all students in developing a life-long career strategy by promoting the importance of experiential learning. With employer partners such as Accenture, Bain & Company, Capital One and many more, Georgetown University seeks to ensure that all students develop 21st century skills alongside their traditional studies. Within Georgetown Law, a range of experiential learning offerings exist including simulations, externships, pro bono and practicums to supplement the theory learned by students.

Amanda Friday, Assistant Director for Curricular Integration, leads the development of a scalable program to embed experiential learning opportunities within the curriculum with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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Clark University
Worcester, MA
#4 Overall, #4 Private University, #3 in Massachusetts
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Overall = 
81.22
Student Engagement = 
79.30
Faculty Involvement = 
87.40
Early Participation = 
73.20

Clark University's experiential learning program, led by Director of Experiential Learning Todd Bartlett, focuses on enabling access to all, with 100% of undergraduate students having completed a capstone project and 87% of those completing at least one internship before their senior year.

Clark University offer 55 'Problems of Practice' courses which enable students to take learning outside of the classroom with NGOs, Fortune 500 companies and government agencies to apply the knowledge they gain in the classroom to real world problems.

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University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX
#5 Overall, #1 Public University, #1 in Texas
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Overall = 
78.71
Student Engagement = 
70.80
Faculty Involvement = 
93.40
Early Participation = 
70.80

The Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) at the University of Texas at Austin, led by Heather Pleasants, is a University-wide program that seeks to facilitate the implementation of experiential learning opportunities for all undergraduate students.

The ELI have gone some way in achieving their goals of spreading the culture of "learning by doing" across the University, a period of change which has been accelerated by the ELI Faculty Course Developer and ELI Faculty Ambassador Programs which award $5,000 and $3,000 respectively to faculties who wish to develop, implement and promote experiential learning within their courses.

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Morehouse College
Atlanta, GA
#6 Overall, #1 Liberal Arts Institution, #1 in Georgia
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Overall = 
77.61
Student Engagement = 
70.30
Faculty Involvement = 
91.40
Early Participation = 
69.80

Morehouse College pairs traditional and non-traditional curriculum practices to ensure that students can utilize its unique programs to reach their personal, professional and educational goals.

The experiential learning program, led by Associate Director of Experiential Learning Dr. Maya Corneille, places an emphasis on immersion, and providing students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have gained in a professional setting. Morehouse College offers a number of scholarships with an experiential learning focus, such as the Oprah Winfrey Scholars Program which provides students with the opportunity to travel to South Africa to gain leadership experience.

Within the university's Software Engineering faculty, Tonia Gordon has redesigned her course HCSC 435 to place a significant emphasis on experiential learning via virtual job simulations with leading employers of software engineering talent including Electronic Arts, GE and JPMorgan.

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University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH
#7 Overall, #2 Public University, #1 in Ohio
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Overall = 
76.88
Student Engagement = 
70.70
Faculty Involvement = 
87.80
Early Participation = 
72.00

The University of Cincinnati has been delivering experiential learning since first inventing co-operative education over a century ago. With one of the country's largest co-op programs, over 3,500 UC students participate annually, helping to ensure students graduate with a degree, a strong resume and a plan for their future.

The university offers a number of courses to help students prepare for careers including PD1070: Exploring Professional Paths, PD1170: Introduction to Co-op and INT3001: Internship Reflection. These courses are delivered by the university's Career Education team including Heather Nester, Doreen Grontkowski and Brodie Theis.

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Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
#8 Overall, #5 Private University, #1 in Pennsylvania
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Overall = 
76.63
Student Engagement = 
72.80
Faculty Involvement = 
84.80
Early Participation = 
70.30

Carnegie Mellon University is committed to utilizing self-directed experiential learning, which now forms one of the General Education Program requirements. In meeting this requirement, students are exposed to real-word scenarios, mentorship and critical reflection.

Kim Piatt, Director of Experiential Learning for Dietrich College at Carnegie Mellon University, is taking huge leaps towards the goal of embedding experiential learning into "every single step of the undergraduate student education", having recently launched a successful community engagement fellowship program.

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Columbia University
New York, NY
#9 Overall, #6 Private University, #1 in New York
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Overall = 
76.47
Student Engagement = 
69.90
Faculty Involvement = 
86.40
Early Participation = 
75.20

Through the provision of clinics and moot courts at Columbia Law School, and internships and an International Development Consulting Project Travel Fund within the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise, Columbia University is able to ensure that experiential learning is easily accessible to a large cohort of students.

Philip Genty, Vice Dean for Experiential Education at Columbia Law School, is dedicated to integrate elements of experiential learning in to the curriculum. This has led to students being able to engage with over 30 externships, 30+ policy labs and simulations and to volunteer in 8 clinics during their studies to satisfy the experiential learning credit requirement.

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Augustana College
Rock Island, IL
#10 Overall, #2 Liberal Arts Institution, #1 in Illinois
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Overall = 
75.93
Student Engagement = 
70.10
Faculty Involvement = 
86.20
Early Participation = 
71.40

Augustana College has a remarkable 3 year placement rate that sits 10% higher than the national average. Students are given a charted path to career development via the Viking Score, a career readiness program that helps track progress and ensures students are connecting the dots between academic interests and needed work skills. The EDGE Center  (Educational Development through Guided Experiences) provides a place for students across many disciplines to learn by actually 'doing.' Within the general EDGE center, students can gain practical project-based experience through community service, collaboration with local and non-profit businesses, and volunteering. Doug Tschopp, Director for the EDGE Center, ensures students have opportunities to explore participation for local and national organizations as part of their professional development. He teaches two classes at the college, public relations and communication studies, and is also the program chair for HighEdWed, a premier conference focusing on web-development within higher-ed.

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University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
#11 Overall, #7 Private University, #1 in Indiana
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Overall = 
75.73
Student Engagement = 
70.20
Faculty Involvement = 
86.90
Early Participation = 
68.10

Experiential learning is deeply embedded within the core curriculum at the University of Notre Dame, with faculties requiring students to complete credit-bearing seminars, internships or community-based courses or projects alongside their studies.

A salient example of this is through the work of Jim Cunningham and the Mendoza College of Business. Over 150 students on an MBA program participated in a short-term placement scheme which saw them work alongside diverse corporate partners on real projects and tackling real issues.

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Emory University
Atlanta, GA
#12 Overall, #8 Private University, #2 in Georgia
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Overall = 
75.51
Student Engagement = 
69.90
Faculty Involvement = 
85.80
Early Participation = 
70.20

Emory University's experiential learning offering is deeply rooted in the provision of 'education that inspires'. 80% of students at Emory University engage in programs that see them volunteering and serving the local community, a program led by Michele Hempfling, in which students can use their theoretical knowledge to enhance the community in practice.

All students at Emory are required to complete one experiential learning course during their studies to enable the students to address real-world problems, ask meaningful questions and gain a deeper personal and professional understanding.

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Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA
#13 Overall, #3 Liberal Arts Institution, #4 in Massachusetts
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Overall = 
75.47
Student Engagement = 
68.60
Faculty Involvement = 
88.70
Early Participation = 
67.50

Mount Holyoke College focus on embedding experiential learning through the 'Lynk: Classroom to Career' initiative. This initiative, comprising of a number of programs ranging from the COL 211 connecting learning in the world and on campus course, and the 'Nexus' program offering students various routes that link their liberal arts education with their career aspirations.

The initiative is led by Jenny Watermill, Senior Associate Director of Experience & Exploration, and focuses on increasing the engagement from first year and sophomore students in their student employment and internship programs, which provide up to $3,600 for students to embark upon summer internships or research projects.

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University of Mississippi
Oxford, MS
#14 Overall, #3 Public University, #1 in Mississippi
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Overall = 
74.70
Student Engagement = 
69.30
Faculty Involvement = 
84.50
Early Participation = 
69.80

At the University of Mississippi, students are encouraged to take part in a wide range of experiential learning opportunities that are made available to them.

The university's School of Business Administration has commenced integrating experiential learning into course curriculum. At the forefront of this transition has been Wesley Dickens (Assistant Director of Experiential Education) and Dr Meg Barnes (Director of Career Preparation) who have embedded virtual job simulations as a requirement of BUS271: Business Communication. Virtual job simulations have been integrated in other courses such as FIN334, where students learn excel skills direct from Goldman Sachs.

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Stevenson University
Pikesville, MD
#15 Overall, #9 Private University, #1 in Maryland
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Overall = 
74.50
Student Engagement = 
69.10
Faculty Involvement = 
86.10
Early Participation = 
65.40

Stevenson University pairs experiential learning and traditional, classroom-based learning in an effort to enhance students' college experience.

Stevenson utilizes service-learning as an integral part of classes where possible, with students required to complete 20-30 hours per semester.

Jeannine Morber (Internships Coordinator for Brown School of Business and Leadership) has implemented innovative forms of experiential learning within the University's Brown School of Business and Leadership.

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Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ
#16 Overall, #4 Public University, #1 in New Jersey
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Overall = 
74.35
Student Engagement = 
67.10
Faculty Involvement = 
88.20
Early Participation = 
66.20

The Student Involvement and Leadership team at Rutgers University, led by Director Karen Ardizzone, are committed to developing and implementing experiential learning programs that are intended to be thought and action provoking amongst students, staff and the community.

'From Backpack to Briefcase' is one of Rutgers University's flagship experiential learning and leadership development programs. These sessions focus on developing students professional and personal competencies that assist in the transition between education and the world of work.

Within Rutgers' Business School, Zeki Pagda (Assistant Professor of Professional Practice) has leveraged his 25+ years experience working at multinationals including Nestle, Unilever and Kimberly & Clark to design the Road to Consulting, a two-year pipeline program that aims to help rising sophomores and juniors develop the soft skills and industry expertise required for a successful career in consulting.

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Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, NJ
#17 Overall, #5 Public University, #2 in New Jersey
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Overall = 
73.96
Student Engagement = 
71.20
Faculty Involvement = 
80.20
Early Participation = 
68.60

Experiential learning at Stevens Institute of Technology forms an essential component of all students' education. Experiential opportunities take the form of externships, internships, cooperative education programs and virtual job simulations, and are made available to all students by the Career Center, led by Cherena Walker.

Both the externship and internship programs enable students to gain real insights into the world of work to decide which career is for them and to gain the relevant skills that will enable them to be successful in that role. The cooperative education program, which 30% of all undergraduate engineering students take part in, allows students to experience the workplace directly alongside their studies.

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University of Rochester
Rochester, NY
#18 Overall, #10 Private University, #2 in New York
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Overall = 
72.88
Student Engagement = 
69.50
Faculty Involvement = 
75.20
Early Participation = 
78.70

University of Rochester's focus is on "embedding career-related activities into courses to ensure that all students can access career education and attain more equitable post-graduation outcomes".

The University's career center (Greene Center) has implemented Course Development Grants, providing $5,000 in funding to support faculty interested in embedding career-related activities into new or existing courses.

The University of Rochester has recognized the importance of integrating career readiness in curriculum, with the university's innovative approach driven by Joe Testani (Deputy to the President) and Cathy Caiazza (Director of Career Curriculum Initiatives).

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University of North Texas
Denton, TX
#19 Overall, #6 Public University, #2 in Texas
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Overall = 
72.67
Student Engagement = 
68.70
Faculty Involvement = 
79.40
Early Participation = 
70.20

At the University of North Texas, the Center for Learning Experimentation, Application and Research (CLEAR) (including a team of specialists such as Melanie Mitchell) work closely with faculty to ensure that students have the opportunity to learn about themselves and can form a connection between the classroom and the workplace.

The CLEAR team work with faculty to implement work-based learning in the form of problem-based initiatives, projects, simulations, debates, ad community engagement to ensure that all students get the most out of their education at UNT.

Career Resource Centers across the institution (led by dedicated team members like Brian Hirsch) maintain strong faculty relationships, influencing the introduction of innovative experiential learning practices like virtual job simulations as a requirement of coursework.

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Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ
#20 Overall, #7 Public University, #1 in Arizona
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Overall = 
72.48
Student Engagement = 
68.10
Faculty Involvement = 
80.40
Early Participation = 
68.60

Arizona State is an institution with real momentum in the experiential learning space. The university has made a clear commitment to the philosophy and importance of integrating career readiness content into coursework and is seeking to deliver that at scale. The university remains in a pilot phase of using virtual project-based learning in curriculum, with more than 1,500 students participating across 19 courses in the past year. To encourage participation by faculty, the university offers instructors a stipend to embed experiential learning in curriculum. This project is being led by Sukhwant Jhaj, Arizona State’s vice provost for academic innovation and student achievement.

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Indiana University at Bloomington
Bloomington, IN
#21 Overall, #8 Public University, #2 in Indiana
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Overall = 
71.85
Student Engagement = 
68.40
Faculty Involvement = 
77.60
Early Participation = 
69.90

At Indiana University at Bloomington, experiential learning and development has enabled a 93% career outcome rate of students either in employed positions or continuing education, with 88% of those in employment being employed in a career that is relevant to the degree that they studied.

All students within the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs are required to complete at least one internship during their studies. Leading this program is Rhiannon Vaughn, who advises and assists students in securing these internships and evaluating the students progress whilst on the program. Jennifer Schepers has done an exceptional job seamlessly integrating virtual job simulations into IU coursework (such as V252: Career Development) to ensure all students gain experience direct from leading companies like Accenture.

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New York University
New York, NY
#22 Overall, #13 Private University, #3 in New York
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Overall = 
71.81
Student Engagement = 
67.70
Faculty Involvement = 
79.40
Early Participation = 
67.80

Experiential learning at New York University is centred around providing students with the opportunity to engage in the local and professional communities in ways that will enrich their education and help them to make connections between their coursework and the workplace.

Sarah Rosenthal, Manager of Experiential Learning at NYU Wasserman, has led the University's internship grant program that distributed $500,000 annually to students with demonstrated financial needs.

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Yale University
New Haven, CT
#23 Overall, #14 Private University, #1 in Connecticut
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Overall = 
71.60
Student Engagement = 
65.50
Faculty Involvement = 
79.20
Early Participation = 
74.20

Yale University recognizes that experiential learning is an integral aspect of a student's academic experience, and that these opportunities are vital in providing students with the resources to learn more about future careers and how they can be best prepared for the transition between academia and a professional career.

The work of the Yale Center for Customer Insights (YCCI), and in particular Ravi Dhar, is a great example of this work. The YCCI's 'Discovery Projects' program provides students with work experience opportunities with Fortune 500 companies including Pepsi Co and Mastercard.

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Johnson & Wales University
Providence, RI
#24 Overall, #15 Private University, #1 in Rhode Island
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Overall = 
71.39
Student Engagement = 
68.20
Faculty Involvement = 
77.30
Early Participation = 
68.20

At Johnson & Wales University (JWU), the provision of internships that are relevant to students chosen field are vitally important in their experiential learning program. Each year, Sheri Young and the career services team deliver over 1,800 internships to students.

The aim of this program is not only to provide students with the necessary skills and experience to transition from university to the world of work, but also for students to build their visibility with employers and make lasting career connections in a specific field.

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City University of New York, Baruch College
New York, NY
#25 Overall, #9 Public University, #4 in New York
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Overall = 
71.15
Student Engagement = 
68.10
Faculty Involvement = 
76.80
Early Participation = 
68.10

An amendment to the education law in 2015 in New York (see s 6206) mandated experiential learning requirements for CUNY schools and has helped to accelerate Baruch College's shift in recent years.

At CUNY Baruch College, the Digital Learning Hub supports the development and delivery of an employability program that sees experiential learning opportunities integrated within courses at a College-wide level.

These initiatives play a vital role in achieving the goals of CUNY Baruch College set by President S. David Wu, of which the expansion of online teaching to include experiential learning is a key target.

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Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
#26 Overall, #16 Private University, #1 in Tennessee
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Overall = 
71.13
Student Engagement = 
69.40
Faculty Involvement = 
75.10
Early Participation = 
67.60

At Vanderbilt University, every student is assigned a professional staff member who supports them throughout their experiential learning journey through their professional and personal development program.

The cross-school Immersion Program, led by Amy Johnson (Assistant Provost of Immersion and Experiential Learning), provides all undergraduate students with the opportunity to pursue their interests through experiential learning. The model is one built on experiences, reflection, ideation and creation, and seeks to cultivate a students personal and professional skills beyond the learning that takes place in the classroom.

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Duke University
Durham, NC
#27 Overall, #17 Private University, #1 in North Carolina
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Overall = 
71.06
Student Engagement = 
73.00
Faculty Involvement = 
67.80
Early Participation = 
72.20

Experiential learning at Duke University is guided, managed and implemented by Amanda Kelso and the Division of Experiential Education. The Duke Immerse, Global Education Office and Summer Experiences programs are dedicated to providing students with off-campus experiences that engage them with global challenges through a multidisciplinary lens.

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University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
#28 Overall, #18 Private University, #2 in Illinois
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Overall = 
70.89
Student Engagement = 
68.70
Faculty Involvement = 
75.80
Early Participation = 
66.70

Experiential learning at the University of Chicago takes the form of both curricular and co-curricular initiatives. Christopher Skrable, Executive Director of Chicago Studies and Experiential Learning, leads the charge in developing reciprocal relationships between the university, employers and communities that allow students to develop their skills and have a positive impact in the community.

The University of Chicago also provides funding of up to $2,500 for experiential learning programs that enable undergraduate students to learn in and about Chicago.

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Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
#29 Overall, #19 Private University, #2 in Maryland
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Overall = 
70.76
Student Engagement = 
67.60
Faculty Involvement = 
75.80
Early Participation = 
69.50

Experiential learning at Johns Hopkins University aims to develop students passions and interests by offering challenging and exciting experiential education courses.

Leading the transformational journey unfolding at Johns Hopkins is Farouk Dey. He leads 15 departments and centers that orchestrate programs and services to bridge curricular and experiential learning and is working towards a vision where all students pursue their passions at America's first research university.

Dan Sheats is the founder of the Office of Experiential Learning within the Carey Business School. The Carey Business School has supported students in the completion of over 200 on-site projects across the world. In collaboration with Sheats, the work of Jenn Leard (Director of Coaching and Education) and Corinne Brassfield (Director of Employer Relations) helped Carey's full-time MBA program to be awarded an Innovator Award of General Excellence in 2021 for a continued focus on providing students with the opportunity to put their leadership and analytical skills to work in real-world scenarios, both in person and now using virtual job simulations.

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Babson College
Wellesley, MA
#30 Overall, #20 Private University, #5 in Massachusetts
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Overall = 
70.61
Student Engagement = 
71.20
Faculty Involvement = 
71.40
Early Participation = 
66.80

Experiential learning at Babson College begins for every student during their first year by completing the required, year long course Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship (FME). The course enables students to gain real-world entrepreneurship experience, learn how to lead, work in a team, manage obstacles, take risks, navigate uncertainty, and see a plan through to completion. The ventures that students have founded have raised $538,000+ for service organisations.

The Deshpande Foundation recognized the important role that the Babson FME course plays in a student's development, and duly awarded the College with the "Excellence in Curriculum Innovation" award.

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Howard University
Washington, DC
#31 Overall, #21 Private University, #2 in Washington D.C.
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Overall = 
70.48
Student Engagement = 
70.70
Faculty Involvement = 
71.10
Early Participation = 
68.30

Howard University's focus is on increasing a students "self-awareness, motivation, confidence and transferable skills" through the provision of experiential learning opportunities. Howard University is committed to ensuring that students have access to at least one experiential learning opportunity prior to graduation, and that doing so enables the transfer of knowledge from the classroom to an applicable setting.

Melissa Knight leads the Howard University Center for Career and Professional Success in their ambitions to providing rich experiences to students that can facilitate their journey into the pipeline for future careers while having a strong public benefit at the same time, such is the case with their recent partnership with Reading Partners DC.

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Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL
#32 Overall, #22 Private University, #3 in Illinois
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Overall = 
70.23
Student Engagement = 
66.20
Faculty Involvement = 
76.30
Early Participation = 
69.50

Illinois Institute of Technology's experiential learning program is already producing great results, with a career placement rate of 90.5% in 2020. The 'Elevate your Future' initiative, led by Kaelen Evon, Thy Nguyen and Lisa Montgomery, gives due appreciation to the fact that "it takes more than a top-tier education" to set students up for success, and therefore guarantees real-world experiences to all students on the program.

The Illinois Institute of Technology team believe that this program will lead to employment within 6-months of graduation, and provide continued support to students post-graduation to gain additional job ready skills.

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University of Texas at Dallas
Richardson, TX
#33 Overall, #10 Public University, #3 in Texas
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
69.69
Student Engagement = 
67.50
Faculty Involvement = 
73.80
Early Participation = 
67.40

The University of Texas at Dallas experiential learning program, led by Assistant Director of Experiential Learning Brianna Hobbs, seeks to provide students with a plethora of outside of the classroom activities that assist them in solidifying their goals and aspirations. In taking up opportunities such as the university's externship program with employers such as Cisco and Gartner 'Explore the World of Work', students are able to gain real world experience and career knowledge in a sector that is compatible with their professional interests.

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Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY
#34 Overall, #11 Public University, #5 in New York
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
69.64
Student Engagement = 
67.40
Faculty Involvement = 
73.80
Early Participation = 
67.40

The experiential learning offering at Stony Brook University recommends that students fulfill the Stony Brook Curriculum Experiential Learning (EXP+) learning outcomes. Marianna Savoca, Assistant VP for Career Development and Experiential Education, and the wider team lead campus-wide initiatives to infuse these learning outcomes, including interpersonal, professional and collaborative skills, into every students experience.

Integrations of this type have been demonstrated in the College of Business, where students can partake in the BUS488 Internship and BUS475 Teaching Practicum Courses to gain academic credit following an application of their knowledge and theory in a practical setting. Similarly, within the School of Health Professions, Donna Crapanzano (Vice Chair) has innovated in HAN 455: Health Literacy for Public Health to have students complete virtual job simulations where they can apply theory.

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University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
#35 Overall, #23 Private University, #1 in California
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
69.59
Student Engagement = 
67.40
Faculty Involvement = 
73.70
Early Participation = 
67.30

At the University of Southern California, school specific Experiential Learning Centers work to promote learning through active engagement with real-world scenarios. Tammara Anderson and the experiential and applied learning team (ExL) at USC Dornsife place over 1,000 USC students in local experiential programs each year.

The Dornsife ExL team also ensure that all students can access experiential learning opportunities through the provision of a wide range of  scholarships that provide funding for students who would otherwise be unable to participate in such opportunities.

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New Jersey City University
Jersey City, NJ
#36 Overall, #12 Public University, #3 in New Jersey
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
69.48
Student Engagement = 
71.20
Faculty Involvement = 
67.60
Early Participation = 
68.10

New Jersey City University's (NJCU) journey to bring meaningful and authentic career readiness opportunities to all students has accelerated in recent years.

Highlighting this acceleration is the NJCU School of Business' recently announced a historic partnership with Bank of America, whereby Bank of America's is investing $560,000 in students' career development.

This investment enables NJCU to launch the Career Readiness and Placement Program and ensure that career readiness programming is available to all of the school's 1,300 students. Alberto Garofalo (President, Bank of America New Jersey) spoke of how this partnership will "deliver life changing jobs" and ensure "the next generation of leaders have the training and education they need to succeed".

This focus on career readiness has been driven by Dr Sue Henderson (President) and the progress within the School of Business has been carried out by Josh Iannuzzi, Director of Career Services.

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Fordham University
New York, NY
#37 Overall, #24 Private University, #6 in New York
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
69.41
Student Engagement = 
67.00
Faculty Involvement = 
73.70
Early Participation = 
67.40

In order to duly recognize the importance and impact that experiential learning has on students, Fordham University allows students to receive up to 32 credits towards their degree course due to their participation in learning outside of the classroom that enables them to master knowledge or skills equivalent to those within a class.

Alongside this, Bernie Stratford and the university's career service have implemented a 'Fordham Futures' model which is an eight-semester approach to career discovery, planning and professional development, and ultimately assists students in gaining and demonstrating 10 key liberal arts skills.

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Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH
#38 Overall, #25 Private University, #1 in New Hampshire
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
69.24
Student Engagement = 
66.80
Faculty Involvement = 
73.60
Early Participation = 
67.20

At Dartmouth, experiential learning encompasses a wide range of activities that engage students in a real-world experience, allow students to take initiative and make decisions, and require students to critically reflect on the experience.

The Dartmouth College Center for the Advancement of Learning provides grants of up to $5,000 to faculty instructors to support in the development and implementation of experiential learning activities. To date, this initiative has funded 42 projects, engaging hundreds of students.

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University of Houston
Houston, TX
#39 Overall, #13 Public University, #4 in Texas
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
69.17
Student Engagement = 
66.70
Faculty Involvement = 
73.50
Early Participation = 
67.30

The University of Houston, and in particular the Bauer College of Business, seek to provide all students with world-class experiential learning opportunities that facilitate industry engagement and hands-on learning.

The Bauer College of Business provides students with a number of opportunities to engage with experiential learning within the curriculum, an example of which is the BUSI3302 'Connecting Bauer to Business' class led by Assistant Dean Jamie Belinne. This class requires students to complete hands-on learning that they can include on their resume and recently took the innovative step of incorporating virtual job simulations for students.

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Temple University
Philadelphia, PA
#40 Overall, #14 Public University, #2 in Pennsylvania
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
68.80
Student Engagement = 
67.40
Faculty Involvement = 
72.20
Early Participation = 
65.50

Experiential learning at Temple University centered around leadership development, forms a key part of the student experience, and students can participate in a number of university-wide initiatives to gain hands-on experience.

The dedication of the Fox School of Business, whose experiential learning focus is led by Misty Blessley and Dilyara Kashaeva, is evident. Many students have secured internships with leading organizations such as PwC, by learning practical skills from Fox's mandatory Leadership Development Program that sees all students earn 250 points through participation in activities across financial literacy, professional development, cultural awareness and community engagement.

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Young Harris College
Young Harris, GA
#41 Overall, #4 Liberal Arts Institution, #3 in Georgia
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
68.72
Student Engagement = 
65.70
Faculty Involvement = 
73.60
Early Participation = 
67.40

At Young Harris College, experiential learning and personal development begins for all students at the start of their College journey. All students partake in the FOUN 1000 course which provides students with the opportunity to set goals and learning outcomes and a plan to help them to achieve those aspirations. With the recent introduction of John Beck as Director of Career Services, the university has strengthened its focus on experiential learning.

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University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
#42 Overall, #15 Public University, #2 in California
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
68.67
Student Engagement = 
66.60
Faculty Involvement = 
73.10
Early Participation = 
65.20

The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) offers a number of professional minors that ensure that students complete an internship alongside their studies. On a university-wide level, 64% of UCLA students complete an internship during their time as an undergraduate.

Lilia Elias (Experiential Learning Coordinator) and the UCLA Career Center enable students to get involved with a number of experiential learning programs to gain invaluable real-world experience and to develop their skills. This includes internships, fellowships, volunteer programs, virtual job simulations and more.

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New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, NJ
#43 Overall, #16 Public University, #4 in New Jersey
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
68.63
Student Engagement = 
65.10
Faculty Involvement = 
75.10
Early Participation = 
65.30

Experiential learning at the New Jersey Institute of Technology provides students with various opportunities to get involved in hands-on, real-world based learning experiences that enhance a students education.

Within the Newark College of Engineering, Daniel Brateris is dedicated to utilizing prior experience to bring real-world industry challenges into the classroom. Student teams, internships and co-op education and the NJIT Makerspace initiatives all allow students to develop skills and gain experiences that prepare them to connect their academic studies with the professional environment.

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Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
#44 Overall, #26 Private University, #6 in Massachusetts
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
68.47
Student Engagement = 
71.30
Faculty Involvement = 
64.50
Early Participation = 
68.30

Boston College's mission is to provide students with practical experiences that will assist in their professional growth. This includes a number of activities such as internships, TechTreks, clinics and much more. Participation in these initiatives provides students the opportunity to take initiative, make decisions and be accountable.

The College's Praxis program, led by Rachel Greenberg (Director of Career Education and Strategy), is free for students to complete over their summer break and empowers students to reflect on and strengthen skills that provide a competitive advantage when applying to jobs. It includes participation in virtual job simulations offered by companies such as SAP, Accenture and Aon.

At the Boston College Law School, students can choose from a range of over 100 experiential learning initiatives, with all 1L students being required to partake in at least one skills-based course during their studies.

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Tufts University
Medford, MA
#45 Overall, #27 Private University, #7 in Massachusetts
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
67.34
Student Engagement = 
66.30
Faculty Involvement = 
70.60
Early Participation = 
63.20

At Tufts University, the Experimental College, led by Howard Woolf, is dedicated to innovation in curriculum design across schools, and assist in the provision of experiential learning opportunities that provide students with a critical perspective of the world.

The Experimental College delivers interactive elective courses such as EXP-0068-F: Designing Your Career Journey taught by Malakia Silcott and EXP-0069-AF: Personal Career Development taught by Sheryl Rosenberg.

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Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA
#46 Overall, #28 Private University, #3 in Pennsylvania
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
65.16
Student Engagement = 
65.80
Faculty Involvement = 
64.00
Early Participation = 
65.70

Lehigh University, and the Center for Career & Professional Development led by Lori Kennedy, have taken an innovative approach to experiential learning, being the first university to recognize students learning and development from experiential learning initiatives through 'Blockert digital credentials'.

At a College level, experiential learning is integrated within the student experience to ensure that all students can benefit from the opportunities on offer, such as the College of Business' Start Up Academy which is a credit-bearing initiative in which students spend 10-weeks learning about entrepreneurship in practice.

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University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI
#47 Overall, #17 Public University, #1 in Michigan
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
64.94
Student Engagement = 
65.30
Faculty Involvement = 
64.90
Early Participation = 
63.80

Experiential learning at the University of Michigan is deeply embedded within the undergraduate curriculum to ensure that all students benefit from partaking in hands-on work to apply the knowledge they gain in the classroom in a practical environment.

A prime example of this taking place in University of Michigan's College of Engineering. The work-based learning initiatives, directed by John Callewaert, provides vital opportunities for students to develop their skills. The 'Immersed' program allows students to explore the opportunities that are available to them and how to get involved, and the 'Spire' program assists students in developing important professional skills through specific experiential learning opportunities that enable them to make the most of these opportunities.

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University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
#48 Overall, #18 Public University, #3 in California
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
64.35
Student Engagement = 
65.40
Faculty Involvement = 
62.40
Early Participation = 
65.40

Experiential learning has been a focus at UC Berkeley for over 25 years, with growth in this space accelerating in recent times. Each year, over 5,000 undergraduate students engage in off-campus projects and programs to enhance their knowledge and develop their skills.

Advances in experiential learning are exemplified by the work of Kirsten Berzon and the Haas School of Business. A number of courses, such as International Business Development, take a hybrid approach of classroom learning and engagement with for-profit and non-profit clients to allow students to witness how their skills solve real-world problems.

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City University of New York, College of Staten Island
Staten Island, NY
#49 Overall, #19 Public University, #7 in New York
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
63.57
Student Engagement = 
64.70
Faculty Involvement = 
61.90
Early Participation = 
63.70

In recent years, the CUNY system has strengthened its partnerships with industry through the development of the NYC Tech Talent Pipeline and the New York Jobs CEO Council. These initiatives have partnered CUNY schools with organizations such as Amazon, Citi, Google, Microsoft and Linkedin. The industry investment in CUNY schools (along with legislative change - see #25 CUNY Baruch College above) has led to a stronger focus on implementation of experiential learning in curriculum. This has particularly been the case for tech related degrees.

A great example is the development of the CUNY 2X Tech initiative, aiming to double the number of CUNY students graduating annually with a tech-related bachelor’s degree prepared to launch careers in the NYC tech ecosystem. At CUNY College of Staten Island, the 2X Tech initiative is led by Kristi Nielson-Brescia, Fred Loweff and Tatiana Anderson. This team has implemented the Tech in Residence Corps pilot to bring industry professionals into the classroom and also innovated course programming to empower students to participate in virtual job simulations.

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Stanford University
Stanford, CA
#50 Overall, #29 Private University, #4 in California
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graphic of a gage with the needle in the green, showing a high score.
Overall = 
63.46
Student Engagement = 
64.40
Faculty Involvement = 
62.10
Early Participation = 
63.50

The Action Learning Program (ALP) at Stanford University GSB, led by Yossi Feinberg, continues to further the University's mission of integrating work-based learning intitiatives within the core curriculum. Participation in the ALP focuses on providing hands-on experiences in local and global businesses that allow students to explore a new industry as part of their career planning process, apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios and to build a stronger professional network.

The program also has an international scope, with the Global Management Immersion Experience placing students based outside of the US into real-world projects. Andrea Bohmert, co-managing Partner of Cape Town based investment manager Knife Capital, outlines the value of "having people with a different frame of reference" within the organization, and that learning in these settings is definitely "two-ways".

Stanford's BEAM team led by James Tarbox teach a range of courses that empower students to develop career readiness skills including the renowned course ME104B: Designing Your Life.

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