EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
OVERVIEW
Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Experiential Learning is Purdue Fort Wayne's effort to make sure that kind of experience isn't left to chance. It's built into how students move through their degree — planned with faculty, grounded in real settings, and connected back to what's being taught in the classroom — so that by graduation, every Mastodon has done more than study their field. They've worked in it.
MORE THAN AN INTERNSHIP
A Diverse Portfolio of Paths Tailored to Every Student
Internships get most of the attention, but they're one option among many. Depending on a student's major, schedule, and goals, experiential learning at PFW can also mean a co-op, an apprenticeship, faculty-mentored research, a practicum, service-learning in the community, or a semester studying away or abroad.
WHY IT WORKS HERE
Where Regional Scale Meets Personal Mentorship
Fort Wayne is Indiana's second-largest city, which means students don't have to leave the region to find real healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, and business partners to work with. And because PFW isn't a massive campus, undergraduates tend to work directly with faculty chairs and program directors — not get routed around a large graduate program.
WHO'S STEERING IT
Driving Campus-Wide Integration and Academic Synergy
An Experiential Learning Advisory Board — made up of faculty chairs, program directors, and staff from across the university — sets the direction for this work: defining what counts as experiential learning at PFW, helping departments build it into their programs, and coordinating with offices like CELT and the Career Development Center so the effort doesn't happen in silos.
Mastodons are social creatures
Purdue Fort Wayne is always buzzing with activity. Take a look to see what’s going on in the Herd.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
We've Got Answers
Review these frequently asked questions for detailed insights into the Experiential Learning pathways. For any specialized inquiries not covered in this directory, please contact our office directly to connect with an advisor.
Answer