The Council of Independent Colleges and Riipen joined forces to launch a multi-year WBL initiative for CIC member institutions

July 2023 – Washington, DC

The Council of Independent Colleges has selected 25 member institutions to participate in the inaugural cohort of the Work-Based Learning (WBL) Consortium.

The WBL Consortium will provide a national community of practice to support institutions in easing student barriers to internship access and job market preparation, particularly for students from under-represented groups. This experiential learning platform, in partnership with Riipen, will integrate real-world, employer-designed projects into existing courses to equip students with skills, real-world experiences, and professional connections to support their future careers. This multi-year program is expected to reach over 11,000 students at CIC member institutions. It has an estimated value of over $65,000 per institution and will be administered free of charge to the selected colleges and universities.

“This is an exciting opportunity for students to gain valuable hands-on experience through internships embedded in their courses. That these internships are available to all students regardless of where they are located levels the playing field for all students. We are grateful to our funders for making this possible,” said Titi Ufomata, CIC senior vice president for academic programs.

With the selection process completed, CIC and Riipen will work with a team of five faculty members, one career services administrator, and the chief academic officer or designee on each campus to update curricula and integrate experiential learning into course materials beginning Spring 2024. Throughout the duration of the program, CIC will also collect data and report on the work-based learning landscape at the participating institutions and the impact of the projects on students, faculty members, and employers. The results will demonstrate the value and impact of this network to CIC colleges and universities.

“Riipen is excited to partner to provide authentic skill-building experiences for CIC’s Work-Based Learning Consortium. Our mission compels us to seek out such partnerships to provide equitable access for all learners to gain employability skills required for career success. We congratulate the CIC institutions selected for this important initiative and look forward to delivering meaningful results for their learners,” said Dave Savory, co-founder and vice president of experiential learning at Riipen.

The selected CIC member institutions are:

• Albion College
• Allegheny College
• Alma College
• Brenau University
• Centenary College of Louisiana
• Coe College
• Concordia College
• Drew University
• Elms College
• Franklin University
• Holy Cross College
• Keuka College
• Lane College
• Lindenwood University
• Mercy College
• Morningside University
• Nazareth College
• Ohio Northern University
• Point University
• Roanoke College
• St. Ambrose University
• The College of Wooster
• Viterbo University
• Waynesburg University
• Wingate University
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This CIC initiative is made possible thanks to funding from Ascendium Education Group and Strada Education Foundation.  

About CIC: The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) is an association of more than 700 nonprofit independent colleges and universities, state-based councils of independent colleges, and other higher education affiliates, that works to support college and university leadership, advance institutional excellence, and enhance public understanding of independent higher education’s contributions to society. CIC offers conferences, seminars, publications, and other programs and services that help independent institutions improve educational quality, administrative and financial performance, student outcomes, and institutional visibility.  

About Riipen: Riipen is a work-based learning platform helping educators, organizations, and learners collaborate on real industry projects to bridge the gap between higher education and employment. With a network of 27,000+ employers and trusted by 430 academic institutions and training providers, Riipen helps educators integrate real-employer projects into program curriculum leading to improved student engagement and employability outcomes.

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