Center for Experiential Learning (CEL)
Modular Village  •  507-786-3268  •  www.stolaf.edu/services/cel  •  email: cel@stolaf.edu

 

Enrich Your Education With Experience!

The CEL is comprised of four umbrella programs offering a host of opportunities to gain experience while pursuing an undergraduate degree. Within each program are initiatives that promote the CEL’s mission to “create and facilitate experiential learning that complements the St. Olaf curriculum.” In addition, the CEL is a resource center for students, providing information and assistance to help determine vocational goals and devise well-informed post-graduation plans.

 

Four Collaborative Experiential Programs 

Career Connections
This program assists students in developing career and life plans that are personally relevant and professionally meaningful with resources and one-on-one help to:

  • Determine values, interests, skills, and abilities (VISA)
  • Explore careers that are compatible with one’s VISA
  • Develop career and life plans
  • Network with professionals and develop contacts
  • Identify and apply to post-graduation employment, service, or graduate school opportunities

Internships
This program promotes internships that are closely related to academic work, giving students an opportunity to apply classroom learning in a real-world environment. The internship program partners with students as they:  

  • Explore and procure internships and job shadowing experiences, for academic credit or career experience
  • Develop transferable skills, test interests, and identify growth areas
  • Evaluate career and graduate school options
  • Develop professional contacts

Civic Engagement
This program broadens academic experiences by linking students and faculty with service and civic engagement opportunities on local, national, and international levels. Initiatives raise awareness of social issues and encourage students to:

  • Participate in course-based service-learning, community-based research, and public scholarship projects
  • Engage with community organizations to address social issues
  • Demonstrate leadership in nonprofit and public organizations
  • Develop the knowledge and skills necessary to initiate social change

 
Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship
This program nurtures the entrepreneurial spirit in the broadest sense, by providing students opportunities to:

  • Work with faculty, alumni and community partners on collaborative entrepreneurship projects
  • Apply for grants of up to $3,000 for start-up ventures (for-profit or non-profit)
  • Participate in OASIS (Oles Advancing Social Innovation and Sustainability) or Ole Ventures student groups
  • Intern with entrepreneurial alumni or organizations

Participate in case challenges; attend lectures, panels, and events.

Though it’s a long way off . . . To be competitive for any path your son or daughter pursues after St. Olaf – employment, graduate/professional school, and volunteer commitment – it is necessary to complement our rich liberal arts curriculum with a series of experiential learning activities.  The Center for Experiential Learning works with students to individualize the process illustrated below by creating experiential learning plans in tandem with students’ academic programs.  

As a parent, you can assist by encouraging your son or daughter to work experiential learning into the St. Olaf years.  Familiarize yourself with our programs and services by taking time to read through CEL’s parent resources on the website listed above.