The University of North Florida announced that experiential learning opportunities will be guaranteed for all students starting this coming fall semester.

According to the university, 100% of students will have the opportunity to participate in “an immersive, hands-on experience” such as internships and research projects. 

“UNF’s enhanced experiential learning program will distinguish our university as a national leader in connecting classroom learning to career aspirations for each of our students,” said UNF President Moez Limayem in a university press release. “As a key provider of talent in our region and state, we are committed to equipping our graduates with the practical skills needed to thrive in the workforce.”

What is experiential learning?

According to Dr. Erin Richman, UNF’s associate vice president for student success, an “experiential learning opportunity” is an extracurricular or co-curricular activity contributing to a student’s education in their chosen career field.

“For example, a recital if you’re a music major, or an art show if you’re an art major,” she said. 

Most students seem to have taken the initiative to pursue these opportunities. University data shows that 85% of students have participated in an experiential learning opportunity.

Office of Experiential Learning Director Dr. Justin Sipes is not surprised by the number. He pointed out that most university degree programs require experiential learning.

“Academic programs—a large portion of them—already offer experiential learning just through the program of study,” Sipes said.

Sipes and Richman plan to increase the experiential learning opportunities available to students. 

Sipes said the two will work with UNF’s academic departments, faculty and staff to implement additional experiences.

Creating more opportunities for students

To ensure every student will have access to experiential learning opportunities, Richman and Sipes have spent considerable time promoting the experiences to incoming first-year students. 

For the last two years, the two have implemented the promotion of experiential programs into first-year student orientation.

“They’re going to come on campus for their new student orientation. And they’re going to be learning about experiential learning from the virtual orientation, from new student orientation. They’re going to be immersed in it from Day-one.”

“It’s almost like when you walk into a Publix and past the BOGO. You can’t miss it,” said Richman.

Richman also said this type of application helps expose students to options they may not have considered. As a first-generation student, she understands the impact.

“We’re basically designing our experiential learning with access in mind, Richman said.

“We’re creating more on-ramps to getting access to those things that we know help students form connections,” Richman said.

Why does experiential learning matter?

As students advance through their academic careers, they learn to apply the skills they learn in class to real-world situations. Sipes believes experiential learning will give students these real-world opportunities.

“As students are moving into those later phases of their academic career and then transitioning out of UNF into careers, what we want them to do is experiential learning,” Sipes said.

Sipes also sees the experiences as catalysts for successful careers.

“Experiential learning is the bullets on your resume,” That’s the answer to interview questions for our students,” Sipes said. “That’s what’s going to differentiate them and set them apart from other candidates who haven’t had similar experiences.”

Sipes wants students to see the bigger picture through experiential opportunities. He hopes these experiences can prepare students for long-term professional success.

“If it helps students find a new path that will still put them in a career, not a job, but a career, that’s what we’re looking forward to,” Sipes said.

For more information on student opportunities, visit the Office of Experiential Learning website.

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