Experiential learning has become one of the most powerful ways higher education prepares students for life after graduation. Internships, co-ops, service learning, research, study abroad, and field placements give students the chance to apply what they learn in the classroom and build the skills employers are looking for.
But for the staff and faculty who run these programs, managing experiential learning can be a challenge. Every department has its own requirements. Hours need tracking. Evaluations need collecting. Employers, students, and faculty all need to stay in the loop. And at the end of the semester, leadership wants data that shows the impact.
That’s where Symplicity CSM’s Experiential Learning (EL) module comes in.
The EL module is built to adapt to your institution, whether you’re a small college or a large multi-campus university. It supports the full range of outside-the-classroom learning, including high-impact practices, service learning, experiential teaching, study abroad and study away, field placements, labs and demonstrations, research, creative inquiry, and leadership development.
Rather than forcing every department into the same process, CSM gives each team the freedom to configure its own workflow. That flexibility is often what sets it apart.
As Melissa Medlin of the University of North Alabama explains, “It was the customization that was the selling point because departments don’t like to all do the same thing. They have different hour requirements, types of questions, and evaluations.”
Side note: UNA also upgraded resume support with Symplicity AI Resume Review. See how they did it here ⤵️
One of the biggest time drains in experiential learning is the back-and-forth. Tracking down employer evaluations, collecting signatures, and following up on student checklists can eat up hours every term.
CSM’s all-in-one messaging system lets staff communicate directly with students, employers, and departments from a single place. Evaluations, signatures, and checklists can all be sent and managed through the platform, so nothing slips through the cracks.
At the University of North Alabama, that has made a real difference for faculty. Medlin notes that being able to share data from within the EL module means faculty “don’t have to chase down particular employers at the end of the semester. They can just automatically send out the evaluation forms through the system.”
Experiential learning programs generate valuable information, but only if that information is captured and easy to use. CSM documents every opportunity and tracks student hours, documentation, accreditation, and communication in one system.
That means end-of-semester reporting no longer involves stacks of paper. Staff can pull year-by-year comparison reports in minutes, and college leadership gains a clear view of participation and outcomes to inform retention and employability strategies.
Technology is only part of the picture. Institutions using CSM consistently point to the partnership they have with the Symplicity team, from implementation through day-to-day use.
Dr. Kyle Roark of Florida State University shares, “Any time our team wants to brainstorm utilizing CSM in a new way or implement a new program through CSM, the Symplicity support team will always go above and beyond to make sure we’re happy and that we’re getting the most from the system.”
Christine Arsenault of the University of Toronto Scarborough echoes that experience, noting that what has kept her team with CSM is innovation within a system that “still remains very customizable,” paired with what she describes as “one of the best customer service functions within the industry.”
From Georgia Tech and Florida State University to the University of Toronto, the College of William & Mary, and the British Columbia Institute of Technology, institutions across the globe rely on CSM to increase participation, strengthen campus collaboration, and deliver robust reporting on experiential learning.
When experiential learning is easier to manage, more students can take part, and more institutions can show the value these experiences create.