Nazareth University is one of 25 higher education institutions nationwide chosen to study the importance of experiential learning in the classroom and how it can equip students with skills to support their future careers. The Council of Independent Colleges, or CIC, tapped Nazareth to participate in its first-ever Work-Based Learning Consortium.
Nazareth, and the rest of the consortium, will partner with the work-based learning platform Riipen to integrate real-world, employer-designed projects into existing courses to equip students with skills, real-world experiences, and professional connections.
Nazareth has six faculty champions who will have classes working with Riipen this spring — each classroom will be paired with a national organization through Riipen, and the students will tackle a real-world project for the organization. Nazareth’s faculty champions are: Wendy Norris, Courtney Forbes, Stephen Wehner, Devparna Roy, Jenn Billinson, and Eileen Beiter.
“All of our students complete some form of experiential learning during their time at Nazareth already, but it's exciting to be chosen for this consortium — to expand access and introduce students to the various ways their learning can be applied,” said Emily Carpenter, associate vice president for experiential impact. “A project integrated into a class expands the number of students who have gained exposure to organizations and additional opportunities to practice their skills."
Throughout the three-year program, the CIC will also collect data and report on the work-based learning landscape at the participating institutions and the impact of the projects on students, faculty members, and employers. The CIC hopes the partnerships will provide equitable access for all learners to gain employability skills required for their career success.
Julie Long | Senior News & PR Officer | jlong2@naz.edu | (585) 389-2456 | (585) 781-8186 (cell)
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.