Work in progress

Dal’s newest Rhodes Scholar (our 91st) is an author, engineer-in-training, playwright, community volunteer and all-around exceptional individual.

Nayani Jensen is also one of nearly 2,000 Dalhousie students each year who take part in co-operative learning—workplace experiences that help make our graduates real-world ready from the moment they cross the Convocation stage. Nayani has completed three co-op terms during her Mechanical Engineering degree and says co-op helped her better understand her field and discover her passion for research.

She’s not alone in her enthusiasm. A study from the Maritimes Provinces Higher Education Commission found that co-op graduates are more satisfied with their financial situation after they leave university, and are more likely to say their program prepared them for the workforce and that their education was worth the investment. No wonder, then, that co-op is becoming increasingly popular at Dal, growing by 18 per cent over the past three years.

For some academic programs, co-op is a great fit. For others, different kinds of experiential opportunities can enhance the learning experience. A growing area of emphasis at Dalhousie is work-integrated learning, where activities like simulations, practicums and other additions to the curriculum give students hands-on experiences in their field. Last year, more than 225 courses at Dal (teaching 4,200+ students) involved work-integrated learning in some fashion.

In total, across the university, 100 per cent of our students have access to some sort of experiential learning during their studies, and the vast majority (86 per cent) take advantage of it. That means our graduates leave Dal not just eager to make a difference in the world, but ready and able—music to the ears of students and prospective employers alike.