Experiential Education for All Undergraduates at Iowa

Project Lead: Angie McKie 

Funding Approved: Fiscal Year 22
Project Status: In Progress  
Funded amount: $540,000 over three years   

"Closing the Gap" aims to provide students with real-world learning experiences that can help prepare them for a career and improve job placement rates.

The project has worked toward identifying barriers to student participation in experiential education and explored innovative ways to support student engagement in activities that prepare them for their career. 

The project was extended for an additional year following year two but with no additional funding requested.

Activities to date: 

• Assessed and identified gaps in experiential education for undergraduate students, including surveys, interviews, and focus groups with students, faculty, and staff
• Provided course stipends for faculty and staff to create experiential courses 
  • Funded 18 courses across 14 academic departments, creating more than 500 enrollment spots in courses with experiential learning opportunities for students
  • Instructors were able to work with staff from the Pomerantz Career Center and Center for Teaching to develop their courses
• Prepared and implemented a pilot course (Experiential Education Preparation) for sophomore First Gen Hawks participants
  • 14 students enrolled in the course in fall 2024
• Developed Career Connectors training program  
  • In-person and virtual sessions equip faculty and staff with the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to support students in their career development
• Created Hawkeye Experience Grant to provide financial support for students in experiential learning opportunities 
  • 86 students have received grants to support summer experiences, with awards ranging from $284 to $4,000. 
• Partnered with the Center for Teaching to offer a faculty workshop focused on developing assignments for experiential learning environments
  • 21 faculty registered for the half-day workshop on Dec. 6, 2024.
• Worked with the Office of Assessment to update the Senior Exit Survey to better capture experiential education

Next steps:

The team is partnering with UICA to work on finding sustainable funding for the Hawkeye Experience Grant to be able to assist students in taking advantage of experiential opportunities. They will also explore integrating the Experiential Education Preparation course into regular Pomerantz Career Center offerings.