South Florida University taps online learning marketplace to bring real-world employer projects into business education.

HIALEAH, Fl. (October 1, 2025) — Florida National University (FNU), a private, accredited university in South Florida recognized for expanding access and social mobility among first-generation and Hispanic students, today announced a new partnership to provide business students with flexible work-based learning opportunities that connect classroom learning to real-world projects. In collaboration with Riipen, developer of a popular online marketplace platform that enables college students to take on real-world projects from organizations, the university is expanding access to micro-internships and other work-based learning opportunities for its diverse body of undergraduate business students.

“Career relevance and access to work experience are non-negotiable for our students, all of whom enroll seeking to launch or advance their careers. Too often, traditional internships don’t provide the flexibility students need, especially for those with demanding schedules, family obligations, or a lack of local options,” said Dr. Ernesto Gonzalez, head of business and IT academic programs at Florida National University. “This is about redesigning business education to make work experience more accessible and relevant for students—connecting classroom learning with real, hands-on opportunities to engage with employers in high-demand industries.”

The partnership marks a pivotal step at a time when even recent college graduates are finding it increasingly difficult to secure meaningful work after earning a degree—making the internship process more competitive than ever. According to a Business-Higher Education Forum Survey, 8.2 million learners wanted to intern in 2023. Only 43.9% had opportunities available, and even fewer had quality internship experiences.

In collaboration with Riipen, FNU will connect its nearly 500 business students with flexible work-based learning experiences across its 36-credit Master’s program. Unlike traditional internships that can only accommodate a small percentage of students, Riipen’s virtual model allows institutions to offer flexible, scalable, and diverse project-based experiences.

FNU offers undergraduate business programs for professionals seeking to advance their careers. The business program curriculum spans six business concentrations, including health administration and accounting, and every course emphasizes the development of two key skill areas highly valued by employers: effective communication and the ability to identify, analyze, and solve complex problems.

Students enrolled in the business program will begin using the platform in the spring semester. Over time, FNU is considering plans to expand the offering to additional disciplines, including humanities, allied health, and social and behavioral sciences. 

By integrating projects from real companies, including Florida-based organizations, into FNU’s courses, students will have the chance to work on projects customized to their different learning objectives, while interacting directly with employers, broadening their professional networks, and boosting their economic mobility as a result. 

Riipen’s unique platform enables faculty to embed employer-created projects into courses and activities. Companies of all kinds—from small, community-based nonprofits like the YMCA to large corporations like IBM—use the platform to connect with students who can contribute to projects and assignments, build their talent pipelines, and strengthen their brand among students and young professionals.

“Students aren’t satisfied with abstract coursework divorced from the labor market, and understandably so,” said Dana Stephenson, co-founder and CEO at Riipen. “They want experiences that reflect the genuine article: projects with real companies, real deliverables, real incentives and real stakes. FNU’s business program is a powerful example of connecting students to opportunities where they solve real problems, build a portfolio of meaningful work, and develop the confidence to be market-ready from day one.

To learn more about FNU’s business programs, visit FNU.edu.

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About Riipen: Riipen is the world’s leading online work-based learning platform and ecosystem, aiming to end underemployment and close the skills gap. Riipen partners with governments, colleges, universities, and short-cycle training providers to provide authentic, accessible online training for employment-focused skills and technical/professional proficiency. To date, Riipen has successfully and proudly implemented more than 18.4 million learning hours for over 272,000 learning experiences with more than 44,000 employers and 700 academic partnerships, portals, and training providers in 9 countries, in both English and French. Learn more at www.riipen.com.

About Florida National University: Florida National University, formerly Florida National College, was established in 1982 and has been serving the South Florida community for more than 41 years. FNU currently graduates more than 1,600 students per year and has more than 23,000 satisfied alumni that graduated or completed one or more of the many programs offered at FNU. 

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