Experiential Learning
Whenever you put your knowledge into action, that's when the real learning happens - it becomes deeper, more interconnected, and more true to life. And when you start your career, you will have more nuanced perspectives and experiences to build on compared to peers without these opportunities. So as you choose a degree program, find out how you will get to apply your learning and what kind of scenarios you will take part in. Some of these experiences may just transform the rest of your life.
At Smith, you will:
- Connect face-to-face with employers
- Get hands-on leadership experience
- Develop your critical-thinking skills
- Enhance your teamwork and communication skills
- Foster flexible and adaptive thinking
- Boost your confidence in your abilities
- Position yourself for career growth
Undergraduate Programs
In addition to business curricula that enhance the student learning experience with real-world application of concepts, these initiatives at the Smith School are just a few that foster even more experiential learning opportunities.
The Quality Enhancement Systems and Teams (QUEST) Honors program is a unique, three-year program focused on multidisciplinary, experiential learning for undergraduates studying business, engineering or science.
The Smith Business Leadership Fellows (SBLF) Program cultivates mentorship and community-building at Smith for freshman and sophomore students through cohort-based co-curricular activities.
Interdisciplinary teams of students apply their problem-solving, analytics, and data visualization skills during this multi-day annual competition sponsored by Deloitte. Students receive mentorship, participate in skills workshops, and can win cash prizes.
The Dingman Center is an award-winning hub for entrepreneurship committed to empowering students with the business skills needed to be successful entrepreneurs and connecting them to resources necessary to make their business ideas a reality.
Graduate Programs
Graduate students also have opportunities to engage in experiential learning during their course of study. Within our portfolio of 14 graduate programs, these learning experiences vary from program to program.
Work with your peers to provide innovative solutions to business challenges brought by visiting executives using real scenarios and data.
Demonstrate your teamwork, presentation, strategic thinking and analytical skills in national and international team competitions.
Manage the Mayer Fund, Smith's multi-million professional asset management fund or the Global Equity Fund, a portion of the university's endowment fund.
Gain confidence in your abilities by partnering with a real company to help them solve a business challenge or improve their processes.
Refine your skills through projects, field trips and other exercises that mirror real-world scenarios.
Prepare for professional certifications such as the Certified Public Accountant, Financial Risk Manager, or Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt.
Advisory Councils
We have convened councils of industry experts and leaders to inform our curriculum and ensure that we remain up-to-date and in touch with current needs and trends in business. Our strong industry connections enrich learning experiences by allowing us to source business cases, speakers, and simulations for our classrooms through these impressive individuals. Many are alumni themselves and invest their time and energy into building the next generations of Smith grads.