Presented by Marquette University
This past summer, Marquette University’s Office of Economic Engagement launched the Faculty Externship Pilot Program, which pairs Marquette faculty members with a regional corporate or community partner for a mutually beneficial experience impacting research and talent development. The competitive program allows faculty to have an immersive experience learning about issues facing various industries and community organizations.
The externship is aimed at creating two benefits:
- Providing an opportunity to explore new research areas.
- Enhancing faculty’s pedagogical approaches allowing them to bring their externship experience into the classroom and engage students in real-world projects.
External partners gain expertise from our faculty and have access to future talent. Faculty applied to be paired with Froedtert Hospital and Next Door Foundation, based on their areas of research and professional interest. The pilot program was forced to pivot due to the pandemic; however, our team successfully navigated the virtual environment.
In pivoting the externship opportunity, attendees of this dynamic panel will learn about the value of:
- Clear process management
- Direct and consistent communications with faculty and external partners
- Flexibility in programmatic design, including virtual accommodations where possible and/ or necessary
- Responsiveness to unique organizational challenges experienced by the university and community partners