Lessons on Using Experiential Education with Under-Represented Students
Enactus is a global organization that mobilizes youth to use business for good. With a mission to serve college and university students, Enactus operates in 33 countries, reaching over 37,000 students on 2,000+ campuses. Enactus creates social and environmental impact on and through students, measuring the success of its programs by student growth and social/environmental impact.
Students Use Critical Thinking and Business Principles to Launch Projects ==> Projects Generate Positive Impact ==> Students Build Competencies
The Enactus model uses experiential education to simultaneously develop entrepreneurial leadership and affect positive social and environmental transformation.
We strongly believe this model is well suited to supporting under-represented students because it develops soft skills, builds students’ network and networking skills, and empowers students to advocate for themselves professionally and personally.
Enactus United States partners with teams at over 200 college campuses, including at diverse-serving educational institutions – 16 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and 21 Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Additionally, more than half of Enactus students are women, more than half identify as people of color, and more than 33% are the first in their families to go to college.
Jarvis Christian University, an HBCU located in Texas, offers students a range of resources and support to help them complete their degrees, acquire the skills and experiences they need to be career-ready, and get networked into the business community. Enactus serves an important role in these offerings. Enactus students at Jarvis achieve higher completion rates and employment rates in their majors after college than their peers, including taking all 10 spots for the top paid alumni from the University.
Recently, Enactus President Zvia Schoenberg and Ches Talley, the Faculty Advisor at Jarvis Christian University, spoke at the VentureWell OPEN 23 about the
importance of experiential education and its impact on under-represented groups. The Enactus model offers students the skills and experiences they need for successful careers, while also helping them address challenging global problems.
With Enactus, students are empowered to use business as a force for good – creating opportunities for themselves, for their communities, and globally.
