How 4 Programs Instill Learning by Doing

Experiential learning has become a defining priority in higher education as colleges and universities nationwide expand opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience beyond the classroom.

That push aligns with student demand. Inside Higher Ed’s most recent Student Voice survey of 1,135 two- and four-year students found that nearly all expressed interest in participating in some form of work-integrated learning, with many citing technical skill development and professional networking as top motivations.

The urgency may be even greater in the age of generative AI. Some 55 percent of students said firsthand experience has become more important as automation and AI reshape the future of work.

Against that backdrop, institutions are building increasingly immersive learning ecosystems that blur the lines among classroom, lab, industry and start-up spaces. Here’s what Inside Higher Ed has learned about what that looks like in practice.

1. Santa Clara University: AI Kitchen

Santa Clara’s AI Kitchen is a weekly workshop launched this spring where students, faculty, staff and Silicon Valley professionals gather to experiment with emerging artificial intelligence tools.

Every Friday, about 50 participants come together to test new AI tools and explore how they’re being used across fields ranging from medicine and marketing to education and real estate.

Kai Lukoff, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at Santa Clara, said the name “AI Kitchen” was chosen intentionally.

“The kitchen metaphor is based on research that finds that if you create a [computer science] space or a space that is kind of stereotypical tech bro culture, a lot of women and underrepresented students will opt out,” Lukoff said. “It signals that we’re going for something that’s more familiar, communal and creative, as opposed to perhaps an AI hacker space.”

To reinforce that sense of accessibility, every session is intentionally kept “code-light,” allowing, say, an anthropology major, a computer science student and a curious staff member to participate in the same hands-on exercises.

“What I wanted to start with AI Kitchen is not just a course about AI literacy, but what one might call AI fluency,” Lukoff said. “So not just having an understanding of the tools, but also hands-on ability to work with these tools, explore their strengths and weaknesses, and engage in real-world projects that apply them.”

2. Stevens Institute of Technology: AI in Biology and Chemistry Community

Stevens Institute of Technology recently launched the Artificial Intelligence in Biology and Chemistry (AiBC) Community, a collaboration with Hudson County Community College and Saint Peter’s University that introduces first-year STEM students to the ways artificial intelligence is transforming scientific research.

The program combines research with industry engagement. During a four-week summer experience, students analyze real cancer RNA–sequencing datasets using AI and machine learning tools, while workshops and corporate partnerships expose them to careers in biotechnology and health care. 

During the inaugural workshop, professionals from Pfizer, Merck and Bristol Myers Squibb served as panelists and advisers, discussing how AI is reshaping the industry.

Patricia Muisener, a teaching professor at Stevens, said such interactions help students connect classroom learning with future careers.

“We’re finding our students say that they’re feeling more confident about their choices and their reasons for adopting a career [path] because it changes after they’ve been with the career role models,” Muisener said. “We do feel that they are connecting their science identity and getting more of an identity by hearing from and connecting with others.”

3. Jacksonville University: Formula One Racing

Jacksonville University recently launched its first Formula SAE chapter, part of an international engineering competition in which college students design, build and test Formula-style race cars.

Supported by faculty and alumni mentors, the program gives students across disciplines—including engineering, business and psychology—an opportunity to participate in active learning while developing skills relevant to careers in motorsports and automotive engineering.

As a newly established chapter, Jacksonville plans to compete in the Formula SAE competition in Michigan next May. In addition to designing and building a race car, students will develop and present a business plan.

Lisa Sutherland, incoming president of Jacksonville, said the institution intentionally calls upon its alumni network—which includes Tiger Tari, an International Motor Sports Association driver—to help students translate their interests into real-world opportunities.

“When a student has an interest and a passion, we say, ‘Who’s an alumnus that we think would also love this opportunity to be with our students? Who in the community are the right partners? Who are the possible funders and donors that might want to invest in this opportunity for the students?’ And we start to put that ecosystem together,” Sutherland said.

4. University of New Haven: Connecticut Invents

Every year, thousands of K–12 students develop inventions aimed at solving real-world problems. Few, however, have the resources, business expertise or financial backing to bring those ideas to market.

Seeking to create a pathway from invention to commercialization, the University of New Haven has partnered with the nonprofits FORGE and NextMinds to launch Connecticut Invents, a program designed to help young innovators turn their ideas into viable products and businesses.

Paul Lavoie, vice president of innovation and applied technology at the university, said the partnership was created to address a recurring challenge: Students who come up with promising inventions often lack a clear path to market.

“The problem that we were solving was that we had these brilliant inventions that were never commercialized because there was no path to commercialization,” Lavoie said. “How do we take these young kids who invent something that’s pretty cool and commercialize it, but then also provide a future for these students by giving them a four-year education and giving them an equity position in their own product and in the company that we create from their product?”

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