2nd Annual Experiential Learning Mini-Conference
On June 17, 2025, the Office of Experiential Learning (OEL) hosted its second annual Experiential Learning (EL) Mini-Conference, bringing together experiential learning practitioners from across MIT for professional development and networking.
The event featured a keynote talk by Dr. Jennifer Dobbs-Oates, Associate Vice Provost for World Readiness at Purdue University and a leading experiential learning scholar-practitioner. Dr. Dobbs-Oates discussed the importance and relevance of experiential education as a response to funding challenges, growing distrust of higher education, and the threats and opportunities AI presents. She highlighted three fundamental aspects of experiential education: planned pedagogy, authentic experience, and student reflection, which combine to create an effective and meaningful learning experience for students. She also challenged attendees to craft and share their own “elevator pitch” for experiential learning, preparing them to quickly and effectively answer the question: why is experiential learning worthwhile?
Afternoon sessions focused on practical strategies to reach students and support their learning. The sessions included a panel of experiential learning program leaders sharing their experience serving graduate students; a workshop to improve the pre- and post-experience assignments that help students refl ect and deepen their learning; a presentation by Lauren Pouchak of OVC on how Stellic, MIT’s new student success system, could improve advising and data collection around experiential learning; and a session led by Steph Hamilton and Sara Leavitt from the Undergraduate Advising Center on how to improve undergraduate-facing communications.
OEL is grateful to all the participants and especially to the EL+ and OVC partners who led the afternoon sessions, and we look forward to more learning and connecting in the coming year!
— Kate Weishaar, OEL