Quinnipiac iQ Career and Experiential Learning Lab
Quinnipiac iQ Career and Experiential Learning Lab

Career and Experiential Learning Lab

Experiential Learning

Medical imaging student and professor perform a diagnostic imaging procedure on a patient.

Career and Experiential Learning Lab

Experiential Learning

At our university, experiential learning is a transformative educational approach that happens on and off campus — and begins when students step foot on campus. Students experience learning in living-learning communities, classrooms, campus organizations and in the broader communities. They participate in activities that help them develop skills to engage in dialogues and problem-solving with the goal of enhancing their abilities to impact internal, local and global communities.

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Experiential Learning Framework

Quinnipiac University's distinct approach to experiential education encompasses experiential learning opportunities that impact students' competency in integrating learning and, therefore, their career preparedness. Experiential learning at Quinnipiac — the University of the Future — provides students with multiple opportunities to apply and develop their learning through work, service and exploration coupled with a strong emphasis on intentional reflection that prepares them for 21st-century careers and citizenship.

Quinnipiac’s distinct approach to an experiential education encompasses experiential learning opportunities that enable students to integrate all aspects of their learning. These experiences provide students with multiple opportunities to apply and develop their learning through work, service and exploration coupled with a strong emphasis on intentional reflection.

Definition: Learning through applied work in professional environments and the development of competencies and credentials.

Opportunities:

  • Internship

  • Externship

  • Co-op

  • Clinical Preparation and Placement

  • Practicum

  • Fellowship

  • Apprenticeship

  • Campus-based Work

  • Student Employment

Definition: Learning through service to the community and building awareness and skills as active citizens.

Opportunities:

  • Service Learning

  • Community Service

  • Civic Engagement

  • Volunteerism

  • Campus-based Leadership such as SGA, Clubs/Organizations, Athletics, Leadership Programs and Mentorship Programs

Definition: Learning through the process of inquiry, discovery and development including cultural exploration and/or business acumen.

Opportunities:

  • Research

  • Field Study

  • Entrepreneurship

  • Competition (Innovation)

  • Shadowing

  • Learning Learning Community

  • Study Abroad

  • Overseas Applied Learning

  • Domestic Applied Learning

Beyond the walls — and borders

At Quinnipiac, a world-sized classroom® is a concept that is critical to a transformative student experience. It includes internships, clinical work, service learning programs, guided research, student organizations and multidisciplinary projects — and more.

It means hundreds of internship sites available to our business students; inner-city schools where our education students teach; research sites in Hungary and Mexico; universities in Ireland and Australia, and museums in Italy. It includes farms an hour from campus, where our students perform health screenings for migrant workers. It means raising more than a quarter of a million dollars to help fight childhood cancer through QTHON, one of our more than 150 student-run groups.

Your learning will take you to some of the most intriguing and inspiring places, from around the corner to around the world. Studying and working outside the classroom challenges you — and changes you. The experiences make you more confident, more independent and better prepared for whatever profession you pursue.

It’s this experiential learning that will prepare you to be an engaged, culturally aware citizen, while learning the kinds of adaptable skills that will serve you for a lifetime.

Course Projects and Capstones

Like every Quinnipiac student, you'll have many opportunities to learn via hands-on experience through course projects and capstones. You can develop your own video game in one of our Game Design and Development courses or apply portfolio management techniques in a finance course. Any project you pursue can illustrate the depth of your knowledge and skill not only to your professors and peers, but also to potential future employers.

Your academic experience here will also culminate in an integrative capstone project. We know that each academic program — and student — is unique, and therefore no two capstone projects are the same in scope or execution. Communications and media studies students may produce a documentary over four years that showcases their visual storytelling ability, while students in civil engineering may spend the bulk of their senior year working with a local environmental agency. Capstones also can be collaborative and interdisciplinary, allowing you to contribute your expertise to a greater project alongside peers from several other majors.

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Study Abroad and Domestic

A group of Quinnipiac students stand on a ledge high above the city of Barcelona, Spain

Make lasting connections around the world

Here you’ll join an extensive network of programs and partnerships that extend your reach across the United States and throughout the globe. See the world by participating in one of our programs in 32 different countries. Intern at NBC Entertainment or the "Conan" show in our semester-long QU in LA program, or get involved with politics with our QU in D.C. program. We'll connect you with unique environments where you'll apply your learning, acquire professional skills and learn about yourself in the process.

Explore study abroad and domestic opportunities

Fellowships, internships and clinicals are about much more than earning a few mandatory credits while “getting your feet wet.” In a modern, globalized economy, employers across industries value hands-on experience and a proven track record from young job recruits. As such, we recognize the importance of professional exposure in a modern education, and we take your internship and clinical placement very seriously.

The Quinnipiac network spans countries and industries — and continues to grow. Each year, we help students from all schools and academic disciplines secure internships and clinicals at thousands of globally recognized companies, organizations and firms. They develop their leadership skills and technological expertise at innovative giants such as Google and Comcast; they work alongside doctors, nurses and other health care professionals at St. Vincent's Medical Center; they contribute to newscasts at major networks such CBS, NBC and ESPN; and they learn innovative public relations and marketing strategies used at HarperCollins Publishers and Disney.

Whatever your major, professional fellowships, internships and clinicals are the key to bridging your current passion to your future profession. In many instances, our students are offered full-time positions at their internship and clinical locations after they graduate, proving readiness to tackle challenges in any professional environment confidently and competently.

Nulin Phrommavanh pointing to something off camera
Nulin Phrommavanh ’20, OTD ’23 pioneered the Mystic Aquarium Sensory Friendly Night with 3 other graduate occupational therapy students as a part of her clinical.
Daniel Galvet in front of a dinosaur skeleton display
Daniel Galvet ’23 followed his passion and landed a prestigious internship at Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Francesca Marchiano posing for a picture in her scrubs
Francesca Marchiano ’22 was one of only five nursing students selected for the 2021 Susan D. Flynn Oncology Nursing Fellowship Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Toyloy Brown typing on a laptop in the USA Today offices
Toyloy Brown ’22 spent nine weeks writing for USA Today in New York City.
Two students talk at a computer.
Zahra Murphy ’23 and Megan Sloane ’23 participated in Quinnipiac’s Presidential Public Service Fellowship Program at the Hamden Mayor's Office. 
Petrosino walks outside the entrance of Viacom in New York City
Richie Petrosino ’20 participated in a graphic design internship at Viacom in the heart of Manhattan.
Management alumna Brittany Hayles poses in front of Google's headquarters in California

Competitions and Conferences

National competitions and professional conferences enable students from all academic disciplines to address real world issues, present their own research and match their expertise against the brightest minds from other nationally ranked universities across the country. Moreover, they have the chance to earn their first of many publication credits and be regarded as peers by veteran scholars and other leaders in their fields — all of which are great resume builders that employers look for.

These events allow you to represent Quinnipiac on the national stage and open doors to powerful networks, membership to professional organizations and a many other professional resources. Below are just a few competitions and conferences you can take advantage of each year:

  • American Mock Trial Association Competition
  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Student Design Competition
  • Global Game Jam
  • National Student Advertising Competition
  • New York Society of Security Analysts (NYSSA) Challenge
  • Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition (NISC)
  • Quinnipiac University App Development Hack-a-Thon
  • Rotman Financial Trading Competition
  • Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Case Competition

  • American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress
  • American Association of Colleges of Nursing annual summit
  • American Marketing Association Conference
  • Center for Women and Business, Professional Development Seminars
  • National Student Nurses Association annual meeting
  • Pediatric Medical Student Research Forum
  • Quinnipiac Global Asset Management Education (G.A.M.E.) Forum
  • Society for American Archaeology Conference

Business students get in the GAME

A business student introduces speakers at the GAME Forum in New York City

Quinnipiac GAME Forum

What’s the name of the game? Getting hands-on experience that translates into real-world success. Each year, 40 or so Quinnipiac business students play an integral role in organizing the annual GAME Forum, a three-day conference held in New York City that brings together the sharpest minds in the finance world. This engaging event — the largest, student-run financial conference in the world — draws more than 1,200 students and faculty from more than 150 colleges and universities. GAME Forum participants hear 140 high-level speakers sound off on everything from investment strategies to the role of social media in the stock market.

QU students, who act as hosts at the event, have the chance to get up close and personal with these finance superstars by participating in Q&A sessions, and attending breakout discussions and workshops on everything from investing to career development.

Learn more about GAME Forum

The Quinnipiac University Interdisciplinary Program for Research and Scholarship (QUIP-RS) provides vital funding for undergraduate students of any major to collaborate with faculty members and conduct research on their areas of interest. This immersive, multi-disciplinary program takes place over eight weeks during the summer and provides students with a $4,000 stipend and up to $1,000 in research materials to develop their scholarly skills, foster their curiosity and complete their research projects.

In addition to working on their projects, students meet weekly with other QUIP-RS fellows and faculty mentors, sharing their successes and failures and discussing as an interdisciplinary team what it means to be a university scholar.

Donate to the QUIP-RS scholarship fund

3 students sitting on the grass with bee catching nets
Dr. Sarah Lawson, professor of biology, led one of Quinnipiac’s paid interdisciplinary summer research programs studying native bee populations around the Mount Carmel Campus.
A close shot of a student studying a bee
Max Stenslie '22 studied native bee populations as part Dr. Lawson's interdisciplinary summer research program.
2 students standing in a river with the professor on the bank taking notes
Sophie Davis '21, MS'22 and Stephen Porobija '22 collected and studied water samples from the Quinnipiac River as part of Quinnipiac University's Interdisciplinary Program for Research & Scholarship (QUIP-RS).
A student tossing a jar of water from inside of the river to a professor while another student climbs up the bank
Davis and Porobija completed their research with Courtney McGinnis, associate professor of biology.
Close up of a baby swallow being measured
QUIP-RS biology students and professors studied swallows during a fieldwork session at Lake Chamberlain in Bethany, Connecticut.
A student holding a baby swallow while a professor looks at it
Sabrina Escobar ’21 and Professor Scott Davies studied and took measurements of baby swallows as a part of a fieldwork session.
Students digging and planting in the Quinnipiac pollinator garden.

Pollinator Gardens

The pollinator garden at Quinnipiac's Albert Schweitzer Institute provides food and shelter to a wide range of local pollinators, promoting a healthy ecosystem. Consisting of six themed beds, our pollinator garden encompasses over 200 species of native plants or native cultivars that produce nectar and/or pollen. 

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Giving Back to Our Community

A Camp No Limits volunteer pushes a participate on a roller scooter while the participate collects tennis balls

Educating the Whole Person

Quinnipiac strives to develop students into enlightened citizens who lift communities and embrace inclusive excellence. From hitting the dance floor to raise money and devoting one big day to assisting hundreds of local nonprofits, to celebrating people of all abilities and delivering programs to promote the health of mind, body and spirit, our Quinnipiac community is dedicated to serving our extended community.

Through many university-wide events and initiatives, students, staff and faculty members work to enhance the lives of our neighbors, including:

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Leadership Programs and Peer Mentorship

Photo of School of Business engagement fellows

Role-modeling and mentoring from a successful student’s perspective

Engagement Fellows

The School of Business engagement fellows program, led by Professor Fullick-Jagiela, is a hands-on leadership opportunity for students who are highly invested in not just their own learning but also in the learning and development of others. Throughout the academic year, engagement fellows facilitate student and faculty exchanges in classes where hands-on learning is crucial to achieving learning outcomes. They go beyond the traditional approach of teaching assistants, supporting students throughout class interactions and serving as a successful role model.

In addition to working with students and the faculty in the courses they support, engagement fellows themselves participate in an exceptional learning experience that prepares them for their careers and for life. Each week, the fellows meet with Professor Fullick-Jagiela to share highlights, tips, techniques and communication strategies. They work together to brainstorm ways to overcome challenges and talk extensively about societal impact, conflict resolution, team dynamics, time management, providing and receiving effective feedback, empathy and emotional intelligence. During their time in the program, engagement fellows take advantage of ample opportunities to reflect upon their own reasoning processes while gaining insight from reasoned discussions with others. 

Since Fall 2020, Professor Fullick-Jagiela has worked with 82 fellows who supported over 100 classes within the School of Business. These former fellows have applied their experience in the program to secure internships, jobs and admission to graduate school programs.

More Ways to Learn

Two students examine human bones as part of a research trip

Centers and Institutes

We have identified specific areas of excellence where our students interact with researchers and professionals at the leading edges of their disciplines. From humanitarian service to entrepreneurism and innovation, our 17 centers and institutes open doors to amazing opportunities for you to intern, study, work and conduct research — both on campus and in countries around the world. That means, you'll have the chance to learn from the best minds in their fields.

Explore Centers and Institutes
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Student Groups

We offer more than 150 student-run groups, where you’ll have the opportunity to join students with diverse backgrounds who have a common passion. Whether that’s Student Government Association, Psychology Club or joining a sorority or fraternity, you’ll find a way to connect with others who share your interest. And it doesn’t stop there. If the group you want to join doesn’t exist, we’ll support you in creating it. It’s up to you what you’ll do.

Explore student groups

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Centers and Institutes at Quinnipiac

We believe education doesn’t begin and end inside the classroom. We live in an increasingly diverse and complex world that demands the knowledge, collaboration and empathy required to deliver meaningful impact. 

Whether it’s turning ideas into viable business applications or digging through human history by analyzing ancient artifacts, each of our centers and institutes pairs our students and faculty to transform academic theory into real-world solutions.

Learn More About Our Centers and Institutes

Academics

Our broad liberal arts core complements deep expertise across more than 100 degree programs to provide an education that equips you for an extraordinary career. Whether you are in high school and ready to pursue your undergraduate degree, currently in the workforce and looking to advance your career through one of our graduate programs or have ambitions of becoming a lawyer or doctor, we have the schools, programs and faculty that will help unlock your potential.

Learn More About Our Schools and College Explore Our Programs
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