In a survey quoted by the Harvard Business Review, “93 percent of executives and 94 percent of hiring managers indicated that they would be more likely to hire a recent graduate who has held an internship or apprenticeship.”
As young graduates go out into the job market, it is often their experiences outside of the classroom, solving real-world problems, that set them apart. On Sept. 24, Delaware Valley University accepted a national award for being a leader in experiential learning.
DelVal’s Experience360 Program, which all undergraduates are required to complete, was named the 2019 Outstanding Experiential Education Program by the National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE). NSEE awards this honor in recognition of “an outstanding institution that has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to experiential education.” Representatives from DelVal accepted the award at the annual NSEE conference in Florida.
The Experience360 Program prepares students to solve problems, integrating classroom knowledge with experience. Through the program, 100 percent of DelVal undergraduates gain experience before graduation.
Students start preparing for their careers from their first semester on campus, beginning with a course incorporating professional development and problem-based learning and ending with the creation of a co-curricular transcript that includes experiences such as internships, study abroad, research and civic engagement.
“Having a prominent organization recognize Delaware Valley University as the national leader in experiential learning is rewarding,” said Dr. Benjamin Rusiloski, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty. “We plan to continue to expand and refine our program and serve as a resource for other schools.”
Since launching the Experience360 Program, the university has seen its career outcomes rate climb by 5.5 percentage points. DelVal’s Class of 2018 – the most recent class surveyed – reported a record-high 93.2 percent career outcomes rate, a measure of the percentage of alumni who are employed, engaged in service work, in the military, or continuing their education within a year of graduating. The university surveys its graduates throughout their first year after graduating.
