Experience Expo
The Experience Expo is an 8-week experiential learning opportunity during the summer (July-August). Students from different colleges at the Seattle campus form teams to work on five industry-relevant projects under the supervision of industry mentors and faculty advisors. Additionally, the Expo includes six professional seminars to enhance participants’ leadership, teamwork, communication, and presentation abilities. (Application for the next Experience Expo will open in May or June of 2024. Please stay tuned for updates.)
Expo Highlights
The video above captures the team’s journey and commitment during Experience Expo 2023.
From Previous Expo Participants:
“The one word I’d use to describe my experience at the Expo is ‘rewarding.’ It was satisfying and fulfilling every day. We learned new things constantly, and it wasn’t just about technical skills. This experience also taught us people and project management, focusing on how people collaborate effectively to achieve goals.”
—— Divyadharshini Muruganandham, Khoury College of Computer Sciences
“I’d like to take a moment to talk about my team. I’m truly grateful for their professionalism. Each member consistently showed up on time, whether it was for meetings or tasks. Whenever we encountered a problem, they didn’t hesitate to bring it up promptly, which allowed us to address and solve it efficiently. Yes, I’m really appreciative of their approach.”
—— Quyen Hoang, College of Professional Studies
The Experience Expo is a summer experiential learning program running through July and August. Students across different colleges at the Seattle campus form teams to work on five industry-related projects guided by industry professionals and academic mentors. The program is enriched with six professional seminars to refine essential skills like leadership, collaboration, communication, and public speaking.
Experience Expo: July 3rd-August 22nd 2024
Below is a tentative schedule for the Expo:
Week 1: Welcome and Team Kickoff Session
Week 2: Professional Seminar 1 – Leadership Skills
Week 3: Professional Seminar 2 – Collaboration Skills
Week 4: Professional Seminar 3 – Communication Skills
Week 5: Professional Seminar 4 – Presentation Skills
Week 6: Professional Seminar 5 – Preparing for Presentation
Week 7: Professional Seminar 6 – Practice & Coaching for Final Presentation
Week 8: Final Group Presentations and the Award Ceremony- August 22nd
At the end of 8 weeks, you will learn the following :
- Reflect, integrate, and apply skills and knowledge acquired from the classroom to real-world problems.
- Develop and practice skills in collaboration, communication, presentation, public speaking, problem-solving, project management, and leadership.
- Make connections with industry professionals and faculty advisors
- Gain confidence in public speaking and presentation
All students who complete the requirements of Experience Expo will receive the Innovation and Collaborative Learning Badge.
There will be a selection process. Students who fulfill the eligibility and skillset needs of the projects will be selected.
- Must be enrolled in a graduate program at the Seattle campus throughout the course of the summer; no recent grads!
- Must complete at least 2 semesters of their program (Khoury, COE and CSSH) or 2 quarters (CPS students)
- Must NOT be committed to another Experiential Opportunity or co-op or internship at the time; i.e. must not be working 20+ hours a week.
- Priority will be given to those who have never participated in a co-op
- Must commit to spend 20 hours per week working on the project .
- Mandatory participation in ALL planned sessions from July 3rd-August 22nd
- Must currently be located in Seattle
Applications open April 29th, 2024 and will close on May 10th, 2024.
Group interviews will be held between May 20th-28th 2024 for those selected
Selected students are expected to commit to the following.
-
- Attend ALL Estimated hours : 20 hours per week
- Show up on time for all project meetings, seminars and sessions
- Complete all assigned pre-work and tasks in accordance to timelines
- Demonstrate positive attitude of learning
- Listen carefully to others and take time to understand and ask appropriate questions without interrupting
We are actively engaging with industry partners and developing the program for Experience Expo 2024. Selected students will receive details about their specific projects before they begin the projects.
Industry Partners for Experience Expo 2023:
- Betacom
- Awantunai
- Washington Commute
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Stay tuned for more information regarding the faculty advisors for 2024.
- Can I participate in the Experience Expo while engaged in a summer co-op?
- No, students engaged in a co-op cannot participate in the Experience Expo, as it requires at least 20 hours of weekly commitment. The intensive nature of the Expo’s workload makes it challenging to undertake alongside a summer co-op. Additionally, consider that peers not involved in a co-op may rely on this opportunity for essential skill development and showcasing their capabilities.
- Am I allowed to enroll in summer courses concurrently with the Experience Expo?
- Absolutely, you’re welcome to take summer classes while participating in the Experience Expo. Just ensure that you’re balancing your workload effectively to avoid overcommitting.
- Should I include participation in the Experience Expo on my professional resume?
- Yes, you should definitely add your participation in the Experience Expo to the ‘Project Experiences’ section of your resume. This experience highlights not just your technical abilities but also important soft skills like teamwork and communication.
- Does involvement in the Experience Expo contribute to academic credit requirements?
- No, involvement in the Experience Expo does not count toward academic credit or graduation requirements. It is designed as an experiential learning opportunity, allowing you to apply classroom knowledge to real-life project practice.
Contact Us
If you have any questions on Experience Expo, please email to seattlecareerteam@northeastern.edu or make an appointment with a career development advisor.