The Council of Independent College has selected 25 member institutions, including Point University, to participate in the inaugural cohort of the Work-Based Learning (WBL) Consortium.
The WBL Consortium will provide a national community of practice to support institutions in easing student barriers to internship access and job market preparation, particularly for students from under-represented groups. This experiential learning platform, in partnership with Riipen, will integrate real-world, employer-designed projects into existing courses to equip students with skills, real-world experiences and professional connections to support their future careers.
“This is an exciting opportunity for students to gain valuable hands-on experience through internships embedded in their courses. That these internships are available to all students regardless of where they are located levels the playing field for all students. We are grateful to our funders for making this possible,” said Titi Ufomata, CIC senior vice president for academic programs.
With the selection process completed, CIC and Riipen will work with a team of five faculty members, one career services administrator and the chief academic officer or designee at Point University to update curricula and integrate experiential learning into course materials beginning in spring 2024. Throughout the duration of the program, CIC will also collect data and report on the work-based learning landscape at the University and the impact of the projects on students, faculty members and employers. The results will demonstrate the value and impact of this network to CIC colleges and universities.
“We are proud to be selected for this important initiative,” said Dr. Todd Weaver, dean of the College of Business and Leadership. “Our approach in the College of Business & Leadership has long been ‘pracademics’ – teaching the practical application of academic content. This program with CIC and Riipen will allow us to give our students experience applying what they are learning in their classes to complete projects for real businesses. The more we can do to give students practical skills and abilities in their undergraduate program, the better prepared they will be to launch their careers.”
