Bridge Experience Program for Students
The Bridge Experience Program (BEP) provides a framework for undergraduate students to connect their experiential learning with their academic and professional development. Whether you're participating in an internship, undergraduate research, study abroad, service-learning, fieldwork, co-op, or another approved experiential learning opportunity, the Bridge Experience helps you reflect on what you've learned and how your experience has shaped your knowledge, skills, and future goals.
The Bridge Experience goes beyond completing an experience. Through guided reflection, you'll gain a deeper understanding of your growth and learn how to communicate the value of your experience in future academic and professional settings.
Reflection is a key part of the Bridge Experience Program. It helps you move beyond describing what you did to understanding what you learned.
Through reflection, you can:
- Connect your experience to what you've learned in the classroom.
- Recognize the knowledge and skills you've developed.
- Identify areas for continued personal and professional growth.
- Build confidence in communicating your experience during interviews, graduate school applications, networking opportunities, and other professional conversations.
Students participating in the Bridge Experience Program complete a dedicated Canvas course that guides them before, during, and after their experiential learning opportunity. While some requirements may vary by academic program, the course is designed to help students prepare for their experience, reflect throughout the process, and articulate the knowledge and skills they develop.
Before the experience, students complete activities focused on their goals and expectations. Depending on the department/program, students may complete check-ins to reflect on their progress and learning during the experience. After the experience, students complete a final reflection and a showcase that connects their experience back to what they learned. Final showcases may take many forms, such as a poster, paper, presentation, artwork, portfolio, or another format related to the opportunity.
Students in participating programs can work with their department/program’s Bridge Experience contact for guidance, questions, and information about program-specific requirements.
Program Contacts
Bridge Experience requirements and contacts vary by academic program.
Find the appropriate contact for your college or department to learn about program requirements, approved experiences, and reflection expectations.
AAD – Kathryn Johnson - kathrynaj@vt.edu
Industrial Design (IDS)
Raquel Rabago – rrabago@vt.edu
Landscape Architecture
Terry Clements - tclement@vt.edu
Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management (AHRM)
Michael Gawrys – mgawrys@vt.edu
School of Performing Arts (SOPA)
Ariana Wyatt - ariana1@vt.edu
School of Visual Arts (SOVA)
Michael Borowski - borowski@vt.edu
Art History
James Jewitt – jjewitt@vt.edu
School of Plant & Environmental Science (SPES)
Karen Drake-Whitney – kdrake@vt.edu
School of Animal Science (SAS)
Cindy Wood – piglady@vt.edu
Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AAEC)
Normand Adams - nadams10@vt.edu
Department of Food Science & Technology (FST)
Dr. Morgan Denzer - mdenzer@vt.edu
Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education (ALCE)
Donna Westfall-Rudd – mooredm@vt.edu
Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise
Heather Cox - hecox1@vt.edu
Engineering Education (ENGE)
Mark Huerta - markhuerta@vt.edu
School of Communication (COMM)
Syrenthia Robinson - sjrob@vt.edu
Department of Philosophy
Hannah-Wildman Short - whann79@vt.edu
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA)
Christopher LaPlante - chrisl@vt.edu
Department of Human Development and Family Science (HDFS)
Alexis Henderson - lexcham@vt.edu
Department of English (ENGL)
Katherine Hall - kahall2@vt.edu
Department of Religion and Culture (RLCL)
Danille Christensen - dec09@vt.edu
School of Education
Nancy Bradley - nbradley@vt.edu
Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures (MCLL)
William Taggart - wtaggart@vt.edu
Department of Sociology
William Jamerson - wtjamers@vt.edu
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE)
PPE – Claudio D’Amato – claudio1@vt.edu
History
Jennifer Hart - jenniferhart@vt.edu
Department of Political Science (PSCI)
Robert Hodges - robertah@vt.edu
Department of Geosciences (GEOS)
John Chermak – jchermak@vt.edu
Department of Chemistry (CHEM)
Tim Saarinen – tsaarinen29@vt.edu
Computational Modeling & Data Analytics (CMDA)
Angie Patterson - anneff@vt.edu
Academy of Integrated Science (AIS)
Sharon Stacy – sharonsb@vt.edu
Public Health
Kristi Lewis - lewiskl@vt.edu
Have Questions?
Visit the Experiential Learning FAQ for answers to common questions about the Bridge Experience Program, SOC, and more.