LEPE welcomes the New Year

Reflecting on Project-Based Learning’s Valuable Experience:
Students, Faculty, Organizations and Society

The Marketing Committee is pleased to share the second edition of LEPE’s newsletter! Published quarterly in January, April, July, and October.

This may be recency bias, but I’m seeing and hearing far more about experiential learning than I have in the 15 years I’ve used this pedagogy.

In recent months, experiential learning has surfaced in unexpected places. Experiential learning is having its moment.

The rising interest in experiential learning responds to fundamental shifts in higher education and the workforce.

AI creates what can be called a “pipeline gap.”  Entry-level work that once built critical thinking skills like research, analysis, and writing can now be automated. Students who might have developed judgment through repetition and feedback may never get that experience. Experiential learning becomes one of the few remaining spaces where students can build these capabilities before they need them professionally.

The gap between what students learn and what employers need has always existed, but it’s widening. Technical skills have short half-lives. What endures is the ability to work across differences, manage ambiguity, and learn continuously—exactly what experiential work develops.

As experiential learning gains prominence, our questions become more urgent: How do we define quality? How do we assess learning when outcomes are emergent? How do we support faculty navigating these pedagogies?

These aren’t new questions for our community, but they’re newly important to a broader audience.     

Sincerely,
Shannon McKeen

Registration now open: LEPE Conference 2026

Join us for LEPE’s annual conference, hosted by Washington University in St. Louis, from June 15-17, 2026! Registration is now open through the LEPE website. Those interested in presenting have until April 6 to register but general registration will be ongoing through May 31.

This year’s theme, Archways of Opportunity, reflects our commitment to building connections and opening doors for experiential learning programs nationwide. Expect an expanded conference schedule: now two full days, with optional sessions for first-time attendees and presenters occurring before the welcome dinner on Monday night!

The Conference is an excellent opportunity to pursue the timely and transformative issues in the Chairman’s Corner and more.

LEPE Discussion Board

The Technology Committee is excited to formally roll out a members‑only LEPE Discussion Board—an exclusive space for LEPE members to connect, share ideas, and collaborate throughout the year. Current members can access this feature by logging into their account. Several discussions are already live, and we encourage members to join in by replying to current threads, starting new ones, and subscribing to notifications for topics they’re interested in following.

Looking for inspiration? Consider engaging with questions like the ones Shannon posed above:

• How do we define quality in experiential learning?
• How do we assess learning when outcomes are emergent?
• How do we support faculty navigating these pedagogies?

Not yet a member but want to join the conversation? Explore LEPE membership options!

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