CAREER AND EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION CENTER

The Career and Experiential Education Center (CEEC) empowers students to explore possibilities, to experience learning beyond the classroom, and to expand their horizons in order to build a life of purpose. Through career education, experiential learning, and community engagement, the CEEC equips students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make informed career decisions and connect their academic experiences with their personal, professional, and career goals.

Students are encouraged to build on their classroom learning through high-impact experiences such as co-ops, internships, service-learning, research, study abroad, leadership opportunities, and other forms of experiential education. The CEEC cultivates strong partnerships with employers, nonprofit organizations, alumni, and community partners to help students gain access to career-connected learning opportunities, professional development resources, networking experiences, and service-learning opportunities that prepare them to contribute meaningfully to their communities and thrive in their chosen professions.

1. CAREER DEVELOPMENT

The CEEC provides resources and support to help students explore career possibilities, understand their strengths, develop professional skills, and create intentional plans for their futures. Career development services are available to students at all stages of their academic journey and include:

•       Individual career advising

•       Career exploration and support

•       Interest, values, skills, and personality assessment

•       Shadowing opportunities

•       Interview skills and preparation

•       Professional document reviews (resumes and cover letters)

•       Job search strategy navigation

•       Graduate school preparation

•       Networking opportunities and employer engagement events

•       Career-related workshops, presentations, and programming

•       Career Fairs for all majors

•       Career-related prep courses

Students utilize the Career Center’s online platform, Handshake, to search for opportunities, access career resources, register for events, connect with employers, and report experiential learning and post-graduation outcomes.

2. ALUMNI JOB SEARCH ASSISTANCE

Students will find individual support to successfully navigate the transition from college to career and receive assistance with:

·       Developing resumes, cover letters, and other professional documents

·       Planning job and internship search strategies

·       Building professional networks

·       Mock interviews

·       LinkedIn profile reviews

3. EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION

Experiential education provides students with opportunities to apply knowledge, develop skills, and gain meaningful learning experiences beyond the traditional classroom. Through intentional engagement, reflection, and application, experiential education connects academic learning with real-world experiences that support students’ personal growth, professional development, and commitment to their communities.

These opportunities include:

·       Work-based learning, such as co-ops, internships, and on-campus jobs

·       Service-learning

·       Study abroad and study away

Work-based Learning: Cooperative Education & Internships (Co-op)

The Mount’s Co-op program provides students with opportunities to integrate classroom learning with meaningful, career-related work experiences. Through planned, supervised, and evaluated professional experiences, students apply academic knowledge in workplace settings while developing career readiness competencies and professional skills. Work-based learning opportunities may include co-ops, internships, on-campus positions, and other career-related employment experiences aligned with a student’s academic and professional goals.

Qualified students can earn academic credit through participation in the Co-op Program by registering for academic credit. Students can earn up to nine hours of approved co-op experiences. Requirements for participation, registration, and credit eligibility are available through the CEEC.

Service Learning

Service learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Service learning is available to all students of all majors, both undergraduate and graduate.

Service learning can be embedded into a course, or it can be attached to a course as an additional, unbilled credit. Credit-bearing service-learning experiences involve a total of at least 30 hours of community service with one community partner. Each service-learning credit is free, with a maximum of three free service-learning credits. Service-learning credits can count as elective credits, and they can fulfill the undergraduate experiential education requirement for graduation. Since 1994, our service-learning students have contributed over $2,055,177 worth of in-kind service in Greater Cincinnati through our credit-bearing service-learning program.

Study Abroad and Away

The Career and Experiential Education Center (CEEC) supports global and domestic experiential learning opportunities that broaden students' perspectives, strengthen career readiness, and connect classroom learning with real-world experiences. Whether studying internationally, participating in a faculty-led domestic travel course, or engaging with diverse communities through immersive learning experiences, students develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world.

Through study abroad and study away experiences, students have opportunities to:

·       Develop cross-cultural communication and global awareness.

·       Build career-ready competencies valued by employers.

·       Strengthen adaptability, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.

·       Apply classroom learning in new cultural and professional settings.

·       Gain meaningful experiences that enhance graduate school and employment opportunities.

Study Abroad

Study abroad programs allow students to expand their academic experience through international education and cultural immersion. Opportunities are available through the University's program partners and may include:

·       Semester, summer, short-term, and faculty-led international programs.

·       International internships and other experiential learning opportunities.

·       Programs that align with a variety of academic majors and degree requirements.

·       Opportunities to study or strengthen proficiency in a foreign language while experiencing another culture firsthand.

Study Away

Global learning does not always require international travel. Study away programs provide immersive domestic experiences that allow students to explore different regions, cultures, and communities within the United States. Faculty-led programs may include travel to cities such as New York or Washington, D.C., as well as course-connected experiences focused on topics such as community engagement, rural development, leadership, and social justice.

Study away experiences are ideal for students who wish to:

·       Connect academic learning with hands-on experiences.

·       Participate in community engagement or service-learning projects.

·       Explore social, cultural, and civic issues within the United States.

·       Experience immersive travel while earning academic credit.

4. COMMUNITY & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

The CEEC supports students in developing a deeper understanding of their role as engaged members of our community through opportunities that connect learning, service, and social responsibility. Students can engage in multiple ways with community organizations and participate in initiatives that promote positive change.

Student Philanthropy

Student philanthropy is an experiential pedagogy that helps students make wise investment decisions in nonprofit organizations. Faculty apply for their class to participate in the Student Philanthropy Project.  Student philanthropy courses are given a grant of $500-2,000, and the students research local nonprofit agencies that do work related to course content. Research strategies may include making site visits, reviewing the nonprofit’s tax forms, the organization’s most recent annual report and audited financial statement, as well as the content on their website. After the research has been compiled, students present their findings, and then the class selects one nonprofit organization in which to invest the funds. Since 2015, the Mount’s student philanthropy program has invested over $65,000 in 40+ local nonprofit organizations.

Civic Engagement

The Career Center also offers comprehensive democratic engagement programs and services that are available to students at no cost including:

·       Voter registration assistance

·       Voter identification assistance

·       Absentee ballot request assistance

·       Polling location assistance

·       Proof of residency letters for students who live in the residence halls

·       Distribution of nonpartisan voter guides

The CEEC also facilitates National Voter Registration Day, issue forums, and campus dialogues. The Mount has been designated as a Voter Friendly Campus by the Office of Student Experiences Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) since 2017.

5. GRADUATE SCHOOL PREPARATION 

The Mount is committed to helping students who plan to continue their education by pursuing graduate or professional school.  Students have access to a variety of resources to help them prepare competitive applications, succeed at admissions exams, secure graduate fellowships and financial aid, and more.  The Mount offers designated advisors for popular graduate school paths, such as pre-med, pre-vet, etc., which includes additional guidance for students who wish to head straight to graduate studies.

Graduate school preparation support includes:

·       Exploration of graduate and professional school options

·       Shadowing and informational interview opportunities

·       Understanding admission requirements and timelines

·       Preparing resumes, CVs, and personal statements

·       Developing interview skills

·       Discovering resources for admissions exams

·       Identifying financial options

·       Connecting with faculty, advisors, alumni, and professionals in relevant fields

The CEEC is committed to helping students confidently pursue advanced education and prepare for careers that align with their interests, strengths, and purpose.

6. PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT

Mount St. Joseph University is committed to responding to the need for academic and experiential learning by providing a full range of educational services adapted to the needs of traditional and non-traditional undergraduate students. The Mount recognizes, for non-traditional students, that experiential learning tied to the degree and major being pursued may have occurred prior to the start of a student's academic journey. As part of this commitment, the Mount recognizes and gives credit for college-level learning that takes place outside a college or university setting through one of our Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) options. This allows our non-traditional students to earn the experiential credit required for graduation based on their prior learning, work, and/or service experiences.

Learning acquired through the following kinds of activity may qualify:

•       Structured education programs in the armed forces, business or industry that are recognized by the American Council on Education for college-level credit.

•       Structured education programs in a non-accredited institution (e.g., business college, art school, professional school, nursing school).

•       Learning acquired through activities, such as non-credit courses, workshops, seminars, self-taught knowledge or skills, career/work experiences, volunteer work, community services, travel, avocation (e.g., art, music, dramatics), leadership roles in associations and organizations, and personal life experiences. Students seeking credit through prior learning assessment must pursue evaluation through the appropriate channels.

Both traditional and non-traditional students have the option to pursue credit via The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests as well. CLEP is a national program, developed and administered by the College Board, offering a series of standardized tests to earn college credit. The Mount accepts 32 CLEP tests in a variety of subjects for credit. You can search "College Level Examination Program" at https://www.msj.edu for a list of accepted CLEP tests.