MISSION
The mission of the Center for Experiential Learning is to create and facilitate experiential learning that complements the St. Olaf curriculum to enrich students' academic programs and guide students in the process for pursuing vocational goals.
PROGRAMS
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.
Download the annual report for information on specific initiatives within the CEL's programs.››
Career Connections
The Career Connections program helps students develop, implement, and evaluate career/life plans and collaborates with academic departments to integrate concepts of career development into courses of study. The career connections process emphasizes career exploration, experiential learning, and reflection through a wide range of assessments, resources, services, and programs throughout the campus community. For more information contact Kirsten Cahoon '98, associate director for career connections or Raschel Rask, career counselor.
Entrepreneurship Program
The Finstad Program for Entrepreneurial Studies promotes social innovation and entrepreneurship among students, faculty, and alumni. Dedicated to education, research, and service within the liberal arts, the program supports a community of people actively engaged in social innovation and entrepreneurship through grants, courses, internships, and special events.
Academic Internship
The Academic Internship program provides services and resources to assist students in applying their classroom learning to structured educational work experiences. It works closely with academic departments to facilitate internships that offer a high level of correlation between conceptual knowledge and application, and enhances work experiences by providing students and faculty with strategies and guidelines that help ensure meaningful internships. For more information contact Sandy Malecha, associate director for internships.
Civic Engagement Program
The goal of the program is to initiate and promote civic engagement activities that are academically relevant and contribute to the needs of the community. Collaborations between the CEL, faculty members, and community partners build on the college’s longstanding commitment to service with an emphasis on challenging students to be responsible and knowledgeable citizens of the world. Community-based federal work-study options coordinated through the CEL provide a further avenue through which students may fulfill personal and academic objectives. For more information contact the associate director for civic engagement, Nate Jacobi.
Lilly Grant Program "Lives of Worth and Service"
The Lives of Worth and Service program aids students, faculty, staff and alumni in their discernment of and reflection on vocation. This unique program, funded with a grant from the Lilly Endowment's Program on the Theological Exploration of Vocation, seeks to make and institutionalize change in such a way that the entire St. Olaf community is engaged in coming to a new understanding of the meaning of "vocation." From Week One to graduation and beyond, workshops, mentoring, curricular programs and retreats will integrate the discussion of vocation into the very fabric of the St. Olaf experience. Learn more »»
