Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Students listening to a recruiter at the inaugural DigitalWMU career fair at Western Michigan University.

Experience-Driven Learning Venture Grants 2025

Western’s ambition is to accelerate and scale high-quality Experience-Driven Learning opportunities that support students in their pursuit of meaningful careers and a life well lived. The 2025 Venture Grants are awarded to innovative ideas that will pilot, inspire and provide distinctive experiences to elevate WMU as a leader in experiential education.

The 2025 grants are supported with financial investments from the Empowering Futures Gift, the Office of the Provost and the Office of the President.

Provost and Vice President
for Academic Affairs
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5204 USA
(269) 387-2380

IDEAS Collaboratory Phase 2: Building for Enduring Impact

The InterDisciplinary Experimentations in Art and Science Collaboration Laboratory (IDEAS Collaboratory) bridges art and science education through immersive, interdisciplinary experiences. After a successful pilot semester, Phase 2 will expand the program with a dedicated laboratory, internship, fieldwork, community engagement, professional development and collaborative projects.

Project leaders

Jacklyn Brickman, assistant professor, co-area coordinator of kinetic imaging and assistant director of the Gwen Frostic School of Art; Dr. Sharon Gill, professor of biological sciences

The IDEAS Collaboratory creates authentic interdisciplinary experiences that prepare students for emerging careers at the intersection of art, science and leadership across career fields. The program is designed to immerse students in a unique blend of art and science, fostering innovative thinking and professional growth. Phase 2 of the IDEAS Collaboratory will work to further empower students as decision-makers and engage in collaborative research in a newly dedicated physical space, with enhanced teaching opportunities and support, supplies for collaborative projects and support for guest speakers and local field experiences. 

DigitalWMU 2.0: The Career Fair for Digital Marketing Professional Preparation

DigitalWMU 2.0 is the enhanced iteration of an in-person career fair event launched in fall 2024. This grant project will bring together employers in the digital marketing field with hundreds of well-prepared students whose aspirational needs are unmet by existing career fairs. 

Project leaders 

Dr. Scott Cowley, associate professor of marketing and director of the Digital Marketing Program; Dr. Eric Harvey, assistant professor of marketing; Greg Gerfen, executive-in-residence and marketing instructor 

The inaugural DigitalWMU career fair was attended by 19 companies and nearly 150 students from a dozen majors, resulting in new jobs and connections. DigitalWMU 2.0 plans to further introduce Western to major businesses, bridging the talent gap by providing pertinent hiring information to students and giving companies increased access to Bronco talent. DigitalWMU 2.0 will support increased investment in preparatory events to boost student preparation, improved employer outreach and enhancements to the overall event experience.

Evaluation, Measurement and Research Practicum: Experiential Learning and Giving Back to Campus & Community

This project will expand opportunities for students in the Evaluation, Measurement and Research (EMR) graduate program to gain practical experience planning and conducting evaluations and providing research support for community organizations as well as WMU faculty and units. 

Project leaders 

Gary Miron, professor of educational leadership, research and technology

An Evaluation Practicum, as a form of Experience-Driven Learning, has been available to a small number of students over the past few decades. This grant project will expand these opportunities year-round and expand services and support provided by our graduate students to also include measurement, qualitative research and quantitative research. This project aims to strengthen evaluation and social science research capacity and productivity at WMU. The EMR Practicum will also work to improve relations with—and strengthen—communities across Southwest Michigan by providing pro bono evaluation and research services for community-based nonprofits that serve historically underrepresented minorities and disadvantaged populations.

The Bronco Challenge for Sustainable Impact

The Bronco Challenge for Sustainable Impact is an interdisciplinary, team-based competition that empowers students to tackle complex global problems rooted in environmental, social and economic challenges. 

Project leaders 

Dr. Timothy Palmer, professor of management and director of the Center for Sustainable Business Practices; Dr. Neil Drobny, lecturer of management and business; Jeffrey Spoelstra, director of the Office for Sustainability; DeNel Stoltz, chief development officer of Haworth College of Business; Ronicka Hamilton, director of the Seita Scholars Program; Dr. Beth Ernst, director of the Haworth Communication Center

The Bronco Challenge is a problem-solving competition proposing solutions to challenges embedded in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students form four-person teams to propose bold, transformative ideas for products, businesses, services or public policy. Previous projects have tackled diverse topics including textile recycling, zero-trace events, digital equity in education and food waste minimization. Proposals progress through three competitive phases: concept submission, development and business case evaluation, and a final competition involving written reports and oral presentations, with the top three teams receiving cash prizes provided through the generous support of corporate sponsors including Greif, Haworth Inc., Invenergy, Kalsec, W.K. Kellogg Co., Landscape Forms and Owens Corning.

Paid Internships for Future Teachers

This grant project provides paid internships to teachers, enhancing learning by applying theory to practice, shaping careers with real-world teaching experiences and empowering students from a broad array of lived experiences.

Project leads

Meredith Reinhart, assistant professor of elementary science education; Katherine Suender, faculty specialist and lead instructor for Grow Your Own undergraduate elementary teacher education; Dr. Wei Zhang, faculty specialist of the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies

Paid Internships for Future Teachers expands on the 2024 Experience-Driven Learning Venture Grant, which provided paid pre-internship opportunities for Grow Your Own (GYO) students through summer school programs across Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties. This year’s project will provide additional summer school experiences for GYO students, extend participation to additional populations through partnerships with TRIO and Future Teachers of Color and partner with the WMU INSPIRE Program to offer out-of-classroom experiences working with elementary children and their families.

An Immersive Audio Lab for Multimedia Arts Technology Students

An Immersive Audio Lab for Multimedia Arts Technology Students aims to transform an existing workspace in Dalton Center into a state-of-the-art mixing station for creating artistic and commercial projects using immersive audio standards.

Project leads

Carter Rice, associate professor of multimedia arts technology; Lisa Coons, associate professor of music composition and music technology

Immersive audio formats have become the standard method of delivery for audio mixes in the film, television and video game industries. While lecturing on the best practices of immersive audio is useful, students require hands-on experience to complete a project from start to finish with a workflow that matches current industry standards. This can be accomplished through the creation of a dedicated lab housing the requisite tools and technology. By creating such a space, students will acquire the skills to create projects based on immersive audio and have portfolio-worthy examples to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

Setting the Stage: Theatre for Social Change

Theatre of the Oppressed (TO) is an interactive form of theater aimed at social and political change, engaging students in critical thinking and empathy building. Through this grant project, undergraduate and graduate students can participate in a critical arts-based, Experience-Driven Learning project focused on the principles of TO.

Project leads

Dr. LaSonja Roberts, associate professor of educational leadership, research and technology; Dr. Jonathan Bush, professor of English and faculty director of the WMU Essential Studies program; Dr. Lofton Durham, professor of theatre; LaRonda Moore, Ph.D. student and graduate assistant in educational leadership, research and technology

Setting the Stage offers WMU undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to engage in a critical arts-based Experience-Driven Learning project focused on the tenets of TO. Students may enroll in a College of Education and Human Development special topics course focused on seven weeks of TO theory and another seven weeks of TO practice that allows students to partner with campus and community organizations to facilitate training for the successful implementation of TO strategies aligned with the organization’s social or political change agenda. Students will also have the opportunity to pilot and participate in the inception of WMU’s TO Troupe, a student and faculty organization that can provide free or paid services to community organizations for TO performances, workshops and professional development.

The Center for Excellence and Research in Public Service (CERPS)

The Center for Excellence and Research in Public Service (CERPS) aims to enhance experiential learning by integrating panels, symposia and project-based activities into the curriculum of the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA).

Project leads

Daniela Schröter, associate professor of public administration; Isabel Pratt, project coordinator at the School of Public Affairs and Administration

The Center for Excellence and Research in Public Service (CERPS) fosters partnerships between students, faculty and representatives of community organizations to address real-world challenges in public and nonprofit administration, providing students with practical learning opportunities that bridge theory and practice. These events feature professionals from government agencies, nonprofits and the private sector who share expertise on topics such as innovation and social entrepreneurship, workforce challenges and program evaluation, among other topics. Students will plan, facilitate and participate in these panels and participate in service projects, gaining hands-on experience in core public service skills.

Future Forward Experience Learning for Kinetic Imaging Program

Kinetic imaging prepares students for professional practice as multimedia artists through a flexible curriculum that supports a range of contemporary approaches. This grant project will offer real-world experience in art curation and administration by giving students an opportunity to create their own gallery to participate in ArtPrize, an international art competition in Grand Rapids. 

Project leads

Eric Souther, assistant professor of kinetic imaging and co-area coordinator; Jacklyn Brickman, assistant professor of kinetic imaging, co-area coordinator and assistant director of the Gwen Frostic School of Art.

Kinetic imaging at Western’s Gwen Frostic School of Art offers bachelor’s degrees with tracks in animation, game art and video art. With the first cohort of kinetic imaging students set to graduate in 2026, this project will focus on empowering them with career-ready, hands-on experience through partnerships with community organizations, including WMU-Grand Rapids for ArtPrize 2025 and the Prairie Ronde Artists Residency. Through these experiences, students will gain advanced technical proficiency in cutting-edge technologies such as AR/VR, 3D modeling and multimedia art. Professional readiness will be developed through internships and real-world projects, equipping students with practical skills in gallery management, curatorial practices and arts administration.