Experiential Learning Programs

What are experiential learning programs? They are programs that allow you to apply what you are learning and put 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.

Through the five Elon Experiences – study abroad, internships, research, leadership and service – learning extends beyond the classroom. As an Elon student, you’ll participate in at least two, but many students complete all five.

Serve others while studying abroad. Learn on the job through internships and tie those experiences to research with faculty mentors. Transform while leading organizations and activities. There are so many opportunities for experiential learning at Elon.

By the time you graduate, you’ll have a wealth of real-world experiences that support your transition to life after college and ensure you stand out when applying for a first job or graduate school.

Participation in the
Elon Experiences

76%Global Engagement

81%Internships

54%Leadership

23%Undergraduate Research

75%Volunteer Service

A student is in a row boat in a water way around Plaza de España in Seville. Students are engaged through experiential learning programs like study abroad.

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 Global Study

Jules Martin stands in front of a MTV Fresh Out Live sign.

Internship

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.

Learn More About Internships

A student wearing goggles and a lab coat operates a smoking device she created in a laboratory. Students are engaged through experiential learning programs like undergraduate research..

Undergraduate Research

Immersed in Inquiry

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 About Research

Name: Avery Johns ’24

Majors: Biomedical Engineering

“My experience in Ghana was beyond anything I ever expected. The people I met and talked with, the markets, the landscape – from mud houses to canopy rainforests – and the lessons I learned from professors and the country are memories that will stay with me for a long time.“

Name: Genesis Tolbert ’24

Majors: Biochemistry

“I completed an internship with Bona and worked with research and development chemists to produce hardwood floor and all-purpose cleaners. I did efficacy testing such as scrub efficiency and streak comparison. This helped me realize how much I love working in the lab and brainstorming for potential products.“

Name: Jordan Wels ’24

Majors: Computer Science, Physics

“We don’t really know how black holes or galaxies evolve. But we know that all galaxies contain a black hole at their center, and we know that as galaxies grow, so do black holes. If we can get an understanding of how black holes transition through different masses, we can also learn how galaxies transition.“

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.

Learn More About Leadership

Three students dressed in maroon carry a board as part of a cleanup effort in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Fiona. Students are engaged through experiential learning programs like service..

Service

Building 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.

Learn More About Service

Name: Bo Dalrymple ’25

Majors: International & Global Studies, Political Science

“Elon is the perfect place for students to explore interests, find the issues that drive them, and gain hands-on experience through leadership and experiential opportunities. I challenged myself upon arriving at Elon to join clubs and find employment on campus, which three years later has unlocked unforeseen opportunities and allowed me to experience incredible amounts of growth.“

Name: Grace Ackerman ’24

Majors: Human Service Studies

“Every week, I have been presented with a new opportunity to apply my learning outside of the classroom and work towards societal change. … I have also been connected to volunteer opportunities through my professors. These experiences enabled me to interact with the Burlington community, developing an understanding of ethical community engagement and the importance of sustainable partnerships.”

Experiential Learning