Experience More Opportunities

There are lots of opportunities to get experience and learn in new environments. Below are the types of experiential learning that are available through courses at the Thompson Rivers University

For examples of Experience More Opportunities-contact the Experiential Learning Coordinator to find out how to start

Below is a sample of opportunities students can complete as experiential projects for an industry or community partner. Each idea can be expanded to incorporate analysis, virtual class presentations, and reflection. Some work well for an individual student and others work well for students working in groups.

• Complete a project based on a need of an industry/community partner.  The partner presents a problem or need (ex. design, marketing, strategy) to students and students present a report (or a prototype, strategy, analysis, etc.), which addresses the need, to the partner at the end of the semester.  This can also work as a problem-based activity in which the student(s) investigate and identify the problem to be solved and then work to solve it. TRU has access to Canada wide community partners through the Riipen Platform-Contact the Experiential Learning Coordinator for more information (Larry Iles).
• Similar to the project or problem-based learning above, students work with multiple disciplines across campus or multiple institutions to build an interdisciplinary or cross-institutional project for a partner.
• Conduct research for an industry/community partner in response to their stated need.
• Analyze data for a partner.
• Create marketing content, assist with social media, or build websites using content and/or guidelines provided by a partner organization.
• Manage eCommerce marketing.
• Organize, plan, and/or promote fundraisers or events that partners are hosting or would like to host.
• Assist with writing stories about the community partner’s programs and help to document its activities.
• Write or update manuals, brochures, or other internal or community documents.
• Assist in writing grant proposals.
• Digitize resources, archive material, analyze past and present work. These are excellent for cultural and art organizations.
• Develop virtual programming for patrons of art and cultural institutions.
• Conduct research of community partners and their programs, examining their COVID-19 response or impact, identifying how it relates to the course, and what action they could take. “Topics such as bias and discrimination, mental health, housing and food security, environment, economic impact, etc., can be explored from multiple disciplinary perspectives.”¹
• Participate in virtual field trips conducted by a partner or create a virtual field trip for a partner to share with their customers/clients or other students using photos or video clips provided by the partner.
• Mentor and/or tutor high school students.
• Phone or provide supplies for isolated individuals and/or seniors.
• Help newcomers develop their verbal and/or written English skills.
• Assist in online counselling.
• Create or collect online resources for those who are marginalized (i.e. in long term care, those with developmental needs) such as online exercise videos for stability, how to listen to a podcast, etc., based on what a partner needs.  

This list was adapted from Wilfrid Laurier University’s Experiential Learning in a Remote Environment: Instructor Resource.