Western is expanding and prioritizing experiential learning to ensure all students have the opportunity to apply what they've learned in the classroom to a workplace or practical project.
From internships to studies abroad to projects with local industry partners, Western offers a wide range of experiential learning opportunities. All of them equip students with job skills, real-life experience, new community connections and the ability to grow personally and professionally.
"These experiences are truly transformative for our students," said Kelly Hollingshead, Western's manager of experiential learning. "Western has a strong history of leadership in this space and creating incredible opportunities for our students."
What exactly is experiential learning? It's hands-on learning that gives students practical experiences to grow their skills in a workplace, or an environment that operates like one. One of the principles Ontario's Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities uses to define experiential learning is that students will be "exposed to authentic demands that improve their employability, interpersonal skills and transition to the workforce."
The payoff is huge.
"Students have shared how it's increased their interdisciplinary knowledge, developed skills, clarified their interest and values for future careers or graduate programs and helped them create new networks," Hollingshead said.
As part of the strategic plan, Towards Western at 150, the university pledged to have 100 per cent of undergraduate students leave Western with one or more of those experiential learning opportunities by 2028.
Western is focusing on five "signature" types of experiential learning, available both in their courses and in co-curricular programs - activities outside of typical class work - to reach that goal:
- Education abroad, such as an exchange at a partner university
- Project-based learning, working on a challenge faced by a community or industry partner
- Work integrated learning, including an internship, co-op or practicum
'Bond with the community'
Amber Carroll, BHSc'24, said the project she tackled with Urban Roots London helped her apply knowledge she gained in the classroom to a pressing issue in the city.
Carroll and three other students surveyed London, Ont. residents last year about food insecurity, and its intersections with climate change, to assess the positive impact of urban agriculture.
"I went from writing essays and thinking about concepts on a deep theoretical level to going out and gaining knowledge on the actual state of the London community based on the research I was conducting," she said.
"I really care about food ethics and like to think about how food can be distributed more equitably. It was so fulfilling to take that passion and find tangible, real-life ways to make an impact."
Carroll also embraced the connections formed by getting off campus and engaging with the city she called home.
"One of the most meaningful experiences was going outside Western and developing that greater bond with the community where we as students live for years of our lives," she said.
Building university-community relationships
Western works with more than 225 local partners through community-engaged learning and industry project courses every year, with new connections built all the time.
"At the heart of community-engaged learning is community-based problem solving and mutually beneficial outcomes," Hollingshead said.
"Students not only deepen their understanding, form connections and develop confidence in their futures, but are able to advance the organization's impact by working towards its mission and increasing capacity. Organizations are able to develop and strengthen relationships with Western and provide mentorship opportunities for future community leaders."
Those relationships are a win-win. Students fill openings for work placements - forging a talent pipeline that serves local organizations well - and develop creative solutions to problems industry partners are facing.
"The return on investment is phenomenal," said Andrew Hunniford, general manager of the London Bicycle Café, who received reports from hundreds of students in a geography of tourism class last year.
"It would have taken tens of thousands of dollars in consulting contracts to generate comparable research. When do you get the opportunity to have 500 educated people weigh in your problem? We would not have been able to replicate this on our own." - Andrew Hunniford, general manager of the London Bicycle Café and community partner
The Western class mapped out the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP) - a 45-kilometre, multi-use trail that connects many neighbourhoods around London, Ont. - into sections and analyzed the business interests along it.
The London Bicycle Café is located downtown at the Forks of the Thames, right on the TVP, and wants to leverage that trail system to engage customers, advocate for active transportation and help other businesses thrive. Sharing those goals with Western students proved incredibly useful, Hunniford said.
"This is a very objective work product that's valuable to us," he said of the final reports.
He also loved the idea of engaging local students in the broader community and providing a practical opportunity to apply their studies.
"I was very impressed by the body of work I received. Their responses were so creative, thoughtful and they really considered our business, its relationship to London and how active transportation ties this all together. There were so many ideas," Hunniford said.
Passing down so much knowledge'
For Dhriteeka Dhar, a third-year management and organizational studies (BMOS) student and intern at Voices.com, getting out into the workforce has led to immense growth and development.
"I am constantly learning and interacting with people who are passing down so much knowledge to me. I get to challenge myself every single day. I feel so grateful," she said.
Dhar's learned a wide range of lessons, from effective time management practices and basic office etiquette - like how to craft professional emails - to project management skills and technical abilities like video editing. She can now edit five-hour videos in half an hour.
It's also given Dhar a window into human resources, the field in which she plans to pursue a career after graduation.
"My communication skills have skyrocketed. I was also very shy. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and improving my soft skills. Communicating with almost 600 people builds up that skill," she said.
Dhar helps to hire, manage and pay external talent hired by Voices.com, which connects voice actors with clients.
In addition to her regular assignments, she's been able to shadow leaders at the company and take on projects of interest, like training new hires on the team.
The impact
Dhar said her experience working full-time - her contract was extended twice - also helped build her confidence around future career decisions.
"It's solidifying my skills, creating the foundation to take on all kinds of new challenges and career options if I decide HR isn't the path I want to take. Now I know I can succeed in other areas," she said.
As she completes her degree, she knows she'll be able to implement her newfound skills in the classroom, as well.
"My time management and communication will be so much better, including in group assignments, and now I have experience managing people and projects, so that will show up in my academic life," Dhar said.
Students who take advantage of these hands-on learning opportunities are vocal about the benefits.
Carroll, the recent graduate from Western's Faculty of Health Sciences, said she would highly recommend experiential learning opportunities to friends, classmates and future students.
"To make the most of all you're learning - and to feel like you're making a real impact - experiential learning is definitely something all students should pursue."
