SYLLABUS

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The Bridge Experience provides an alternative for those exiting the traditional university experience for a time, but who want to continue in their personal and professional development. The program offers an exciting, engaging, 12-week learning experience that includes content, collaboration, and coaching around personal and professional development in a real-world work environment. It is an intensive program facilitated by distinguished business and education leaders who are passionate about investing in the next generation. The program allows students to develop their hard and soft skills, practice teamwork and collaboration, and apply their knowledge to address real-world business problems. It also helps students maintain a link to their school and provides a bridge to re-enter the on-campus experience. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Develop the personal and professional skills necessary to succeed in business and in life.
• Develop an increased sense of purpose and focus as well as confidence in communicating and working collaboratively with others.
• Solve real-world issues that demonstrates their new-found expertise and learning. 
• Develop of networking skills including access to mentors that will be helpful in their future development.

The 5 Voices is designed to help every individual discover their leadership voice and be empowered to use it effectively. We believe teams and whole organizations can be transformed when everyone operates securely in their own voice and learns to value the voices of others.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Apply knowledge of one’s leadership voice to lead self well through directed reflection.
• Apply knowledge of the 5 Voices to lead and collaborate in business and team situations through small group discussions.

The following hard skills learning modules are designed to improve productivity and efficiency in business tasks. These skills are learned abilities acquired and enhanced through practice, repetition, and education. Employers and recruiters most often look for these hard skills in professional resumes.

Collaboration and Organization

• Investigate and compare collaboration and project management applications for business use.
• Develop current Office 365 Suite skills for business application through advanced training for Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Demonstrate effective collaboration using the Microsoft Teams application.

Research Skills Development

• Summarize the research process. 
• Demonstrate use of the research process in an application project.
• Design searches strategically and evaluate results.
• Select sources that best meet an information need.
• Evaluate the authority of information from various sources.
• Refine information need and search strategies based on results.
• Synthesize and Organize information. 
• Cite sources through proper MLA formatting.

Communication Skills Development

• Employ “best practices” in email communication within business projects and applications.
• Prepare a business presentation and proposal with a PowerPoint presentation that demonstrates use of “best practices.”

Analytical Skills Development

• Develop problem-based solutions to scenarios using data resources
• Apply the philosophy of Design Thinking to solve a real-world problem in collaboration with team members or in an external internship.

INTERNSHIPS: 

The Bridge Experience will provide each participant with an internship with a Bridge Builder Strategies’ partner. The designed internships will last four weeks and put your personal and professional skill development to work on real-world problems seeking data-driven solutions.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Integrate classroom theory and practice into a real-world business experience.
• Explore career alternatives prior to graduation.
• Assess interests and abilities in their field of study.
• Develop work habits and attitudes necessary for employment success.
• Develop communication, interpersonal and other critical skills for employment success
• Build a record of real-world work experience that can used for resume building.
• Acquire employment contacts leading directly to a full-time job following graduation from college.