New College Alliance Hopes to Connect Students with Experiential Learning – Campus Technology
With the current atmosphere of hiring freezes and withdrawal of jobs and internships, students are having a hard time getting hands-on experience in the fields for which they’re preparing. A new network of colleges and universities is working together to connect students and recent graduates to “meaningful experiential learning opportunities and projects contributed by alumni, families, corporate partners and supporters.”
The BridgesAlliance, a project launched by PeopleGrove, already has 42 participating institutions, from Ashford University to Williams College.
Through the alliance, which is free to join, the schools work together to expand the number of opportunities and contacts they have for students. Those schools that commit to the alliance agree to use the PeopleGrove Bridges platform. The company produces software that facilitates connections between students and alumni. The online program allows an institution to attract and publish experiential learning projects offered by members of the college community. Projects run from two weeks to two months. Students who participate also get mentoring from alumni.