When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in 2020, William & Mary's approach to experiential learning looked like many institutions': well-intentioned, but scattered. Internships lived in the career center. Student teaching lived in the Education department. Research lived in the Charles Center. Study abroad had its own system. Community-engaged learning used gift cards. No one was speaking the same language—or even agreeing on what "applied learning" meant.
That fragmentation was about to change.
"If you are doing it alone, you're doing it wrong. Find your people and start the movement." — Kathleen Powell, Chief Career Officer & Associate Vice President for Advancement, William & Mary
In 2020, William & Mary's President established the Career Pathways team and tapped Kathleen Powell to lead it. Rather than building a program in isolation, Kathleen's first move was convening an experiential learning squad that brought together the Charles Center (research), Reeves Center (study abroad), community-engaged service, and the career center—four groups that had never formally collaborated.
Step one was deceptively simple: agree on a definition.
Four years of campus-wide conversation ultimately landed on a framework that was both rigorous and inclusive: applied learning is credited, compensated, and coached. The definition was broad enough to welcome faculty from across disciplines—as Kathleen put it, "the more people in, the better."
William & Mary organized their applied learning ecosystem around four pillars:
In February 2022, William & Mary launched Vision 2026—a strategic plan built on four pillars: data, democracy, water, and careers. President Rowe asked Kathleen to lead the careers pillar, and the career center was repositioned from Student Affairs into Advancement.
That move proved to be a catalyst. With a seat at the Advancement table came access to development staff, donor relationships, and new funding streams. The team hired their inaugural Director of Internships and Applied Learning, who built out a dedicated team—and the dollars followed.
"Don't do more with less. Do more with more. Figure out how to make that happen." — Kathleen Powell
Unpaid and underfunded internships are among the most persistent equity barriers in experiential learning. William & Mary's answer was the FEES (Funding for Unfunded and Underfunded Experiences) Program—originally a summer-only initiative launched around 2015, now a year-round funding engine.
The program evolved considerably over time. A flat $4,000 stipend gave way to a budget-based model—one that teaches students real financial planning skills while distributing aid more equitably. To avoid taxing student dollars, the team created a zero-credit (and later one-credit) course that students enroll in alongside their experience, giving them coaching from a faculty mentor.
The results:
Leadership buy-in starts with data—and William & Mary built a robust tracking infrastructure to make that case continuously. Using Symplicity CSM and more, the team captures a full picture of every student's applied learning journey:
The goal isn't just measurement—it's equity. By identifying which students are not participating, the team can close gaps proactively. For example, William & Mary worked with their Office of Veteran and Student Affairs to develop micro-internship pathways specifically for student veterans who face unique scheduling and financial constraints.
Every Friday, William & Mary's Internship Collaborative—a standing cross-campus working group that includes faculty, staff from multiple divisions, and community partners—meets to check in, share updates, and keep the ecosystem moving forward.
Students who receive FEES funding are required to participate in the annual Applied Learning Showcase—a campus-wide event where students present their work, meet with the donors who funded their experiences, and inspire peers to pursue their own applied learning opportunities. It's accountability, community, and recruitment all at once.
Kathleen was direct in debunking the most common misconceptions that stop programs before they start:
"Faculty won't support it." Ask them—don't assume. Most faculty want to be involved once they understand the why.
"We don't have the time or staff." Make a plan and follow it. Start with what you have, name who's responsible, and execute.
"We don't have the budget to scale." Your advancement and development colleagues are your best allies. Tell a compelling student story and donors respond.
"Students can't fit it in." Design for real student lives. Micro-internships, flexible credit options, and financial support remove structural barriers.
"Wide-scale implementation is impossible." It's not. Start small, pilot everything, and build on what works. One bite at a time.
"You have to start sometime—and you don't have to start big. Put your plan together, find your people, and go." — Kathleen Powell
Watch the Full Webinar! This success story is drawn from Episode 1 of Symplicity's From Zero to Scale webinar series, featuring Kathleen Powell of William & Mary.