University launches student institute to expand experiential learning opportunities

By Samantha Clark

Rider has launched the Brodsky Institute for Economic and Community Impact to offer additional experiential learning opportunities that connect students to projects and community partnerships.

Through the support of businesses, nonprofits and other clients within the Mercer County area, students across multiple colleges and majors will now have access to real-world professional development.

“Rider has always had a strong connection with the community, particularly with the city of  Trenton. … So one of the things that we want to do is to make sure that we are continuing to connect and reconnect in deeper ways with the city of Trenton and across Mercer County,” Vice President of Community Engagement and Belonging Darryl Mace said.

Mace oversees the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), the Center for Community and Belonging, the Bonner Community Leaders Program and the Office of Service and Civic Engagement, all with which promotes internal community building. 

After being selected as the Institute’s senior vice president and chief operating officer, Mace now aims to promote external community building through engagement with local networks.

Unlike an internship, which allows a student to work for a single company for a semester, the Institute offers a set of experiences for students to work on multiple projects at one time.

“A student might be working on three or four different projects in a semester, and over the course of a school year, they would have six to eight different mini internships,” Mace said.

In addition to the project-based positions, the Institute offers a multitude of training programs for all Rider students, not just the fellows involved. With topics on user experience, sales training, social media marketing, business planning and more, there are training sessions for any and all Broncs. 

Senior psychology major Ellie Baptichon is a part of three teams within the Institute, two of which she serves as the team lead. 

“As a psychology major, I rarely get to work with students from the business school or other fields, and I enjoy hearing how they approach problems differently,” Baptichon said. “In class, we mostly learn theories, so I’m looking forward to applying them through our projects, especially concepts around motivation, communication and group dynamics, as I lead my teams.”

Beyond its function as a business incubator, the Institute links to other experiential learning opportunities at the university, such as the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies Maker Space, Saxbys café and Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program, further contributing to the overall emphasis placed on offering practical experience for students, both in and out of the classroom.

To get involved in the Institute, students can apply on Handshake, the official online career management and student employment platform used by Rider. They will then have an option to be interviewed, which helps employers learn their hobbies outside of their major.

“That doesn’t just have to be what your major is, it’s what your passion is,” Mace said. “We want to put students in positions where they’re doing projects that speak to their passion.”