Experiential Learning
What is experiential learning? It’s when students apply what they are learning by putting ideas into action through firsthand experiences.
Elon students are engaged learners who work alone, with peers and alongside faculty mentors to solve problems and master difficult material. They take fewer, more intensive courses that are designed for experiential learning. In classrooms, labs and studios, in the local community and abroad, and in internships and leadership roles, learning happens everywhere at Elon.
The co-curricular Elon Experiences extend learning beyond the classroom. Students serve others while studying abroad. They learn on the job through internships and tie those experiences to research with faculty mentors. They have transformative experiences while leading organizations and activities. There are so many opportunities for experiential learning at Elon.
The university believes so strongly in the power of the Elon Experiences that it documents the work on transcripts and ensures that all students complete experiential learning requirements.
By the time Elon students graduate, they have a wealth of real-world experiences that support their transition to life after college and ensure they stand out when applying for a first job or graduate school.
Participation in the Elon Experiences:
*Travel limitations due to the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted participation during the 2021-22 academic year.
Study Abroad: Putting the world within reach
College is a time for learning—but no one said students have to do it all in the same zip code. Or even in the same country. When students study abroad, their perspectives change forever. Elon’s 160+ programs prepare students for a lifetime of global understanding and exploration. In addition to international study opportunities, Elon has an extensive Study USA program that allows students to explore cultures, industries, geography and climate in locations across the United States.
Learn more about the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center.
My study abroad experience was above and beyond what I expected. My classes and internship provided me with new skills I thought I’d never learn in the classroom.
Internships: Gain real-world experience
Elon’s Student Professional Development Center counselors work with students from their first year to create personal development plans, resumes and strong networking skills. Through internships, students earn academic credit, gain first-hand knowledge of the workplace and gain professional skills that put them a step ahead of other college graduates. Elon partners with an expansive network of employers who actively recruit students for internships and full-time positions.
Two-thirds of Elon graduates report they acquired career networking leads directly through their internships.
Learn more about the Student Professional Development Center.
I mainly chose to study abroad in London because of the service internship. I feel like not many people get to say they did an internship in their career field in another country.
Research: Immersed in inquiry
What is experiential learning? It’s Elon students using smart technology to help older adults improve mobility. It’s them investigating the relationship between mythology and globalization in southern Peru. It’s helping scientists improve paints and plastics, make cheaper rubber or reduce greenhouse gases.
Working alongside their faculty mentors, many Elon students conduct the kind of sophisticated research usually found in graduate programs. Undergraduate research challenges students to formulate complex questions, review the work of other scholars and conduct serious inquiry to uncover new knowledge and understanding. Elon students and faculty showcase their in-depth research across a broad range of disciplines annually at Elon’s Spring Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) and at national research conferences and forums.
Learn more about the Lumen Prize, the university’s premier student award to support research.
The idea of doing cancer research in a way
that might be able to extend someone’s life,
so someone in a similar situation can have
the chance to meet their own uncle, I think
that’s what makes it all worth it.
Leadership: Putting ideas into action
Through experiential education at Elon, students learn how to work collaboratively within diverse communities of people, gaining the confidence and competence to put innovative ideas into action for positive change. Elon’s Center for Leadership offers leadership development initiatives to all students.
Elon students advance their leadership knowledge and skills, attend student leader workshops and learn how social identities and lived experiences inform and shape their ideas around leadership. They learn about the stages of group formation and the importance of ethical decision-making.
Learn more about the Center for Leadership.
There is no doubt that Elon has given me plenty of opportunity to explore and practice leadership. The opportunity to assist in teaching a wilderness therapy course in Tanzania was an invaluable experience. It was not only because of the unique location, but I learned how to communicate and guide discussions around hardship and trauma. It was easily one of the most influential things I’ve experienced while at Elon.
Service: Preparing global citizens to build a better world
Students participate in academic service-learning that connects classroom work with the needs in the community. They immerse themselves in service through alternative breaks, address food insecurity through Campus Kitchen initiatives, and participate in Elon Volunteers!
At Elon, we are unafraid to set high expectations, rising to every challenge and working to build a better world. The Kernodle Center for Civic Life partners with local and global communities to advance student learning, leadership and citizenship.
Faculty, staff and community leaders serve as mentors to students in their endeavor to cultivate thoughtful active citizens dedicated to positive social change. Elon graduates are compassionate leaders dedicated to collaborating with communities to create innovative solutions to society’s most pressing problems.
Learn more about the Kernodle Center for Civic Life.
I’ve dedicated so much of my time to service at Elon because it has not only positively enriched my life by widening my perspective of the world and a variety of social issues, but volunteering has also connected me with some of the most determined, passionate and inspirational people.