Making College “Worth It”- Season 2, Episode 3

This episode covers the complexities of a work-integrated learning experience, including both the benefits and the challenges. With guests, Dr. CJ Fleming, an associate professor of psychology, and Annelise Weaver, a senior at Elon majoring in psychology, we learn about the impactful practice of WIL’s.  

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Meet our Guests

Annelise Weaver is a senior at Elon University pursuing her undergraduate degree in Psychology, with minors in both Spanish and Communications. She is currently a CEL Student Scholar, conducting research on Work-Integrated Learning. Through CEL, she has had the opportunity to work with international, multi-institutional collaborators that have allowed her to expand her knowledge on the topic. Annelise currently works in the university Registrar’s office as a student assistant, advising students with degree requirements. She has held a leadership position as the student director for Girls in Motion, a mentoring program for elementary and middle school girls that focuses on physical activity and nutrition. She also served as the education coordinator for the Intersect Conference, a conference examining the inter-disciplinary work around diversity and leadership. 


Dr. CJ Fleming is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Elon University. As a clinical psychologist, she conducts research at the intersection of treatment seeking, intimate relationships, and mental health concerns. Given her own background with clinical internships, she is a passionate advocate of experiential learning and served as the Faculty Fellow for Internships in Elon College and as a CEL seminar leader in the CEL research seminar focused on work-integrated learning. She currently serves as the Associate Director of Undergraduate Research at Elon. 


Episode Credits

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a second-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Episode art was created by Nolan Schultheis and Jennie Goforth.

Funky Percussions is by Denys Kyshchuk (@audiocoffeemusic) - https://www.audiocoffee.net/. Soft Beat is by ComaStudio. 

Explore Center Resources Related to this Episode

Elon Statement on Work-Integrated Learning

Download a printer-friendly (PDF) version of the Elon Statement on Work-Integrated Learning by CJ Eubanks Fleming, T. Judene Pretti, Gianna T. Smurro, and Annelise R. Weaver From 2022 to 2024, twenty scholars participated in the Center for Engaged Learning research…

Elon University Center for Engaged Learning. 2024. “Elon Statement on Work-Integrated Learning.” www.centerforengagedlearning.org/elon-statement-on-work-integrated-learning.

Work-Integrated Learning

Definition Work-integrated learning (WIL) is an approach to education that allows students to obtain work experiences related to what they are learning in a classroom setting (International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, n.d; Jackson 2016). Ferns, Campbell, and Zegwaard (2014) describe…

Center for Engaged Learning. “Work-Integrated Learning.” Center for Engaged Learning, Elon University. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/research-seminars/work-integrated-learning/.

Center Blog Posts on Work-Integrated Learning

Gradient background with text overlay, "Multiple models suggest that students gain the most from experiences like internship when they can connect hands-on learning to their prior knowledge and then use reflection practices to integrate their new experiences."

Lining It All Up: Creating Alignment Between Learning Objectives and Assignments in Internship Coursework

I have been partnering recently with Elon’s Center for Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) as well as the Student Professional Development Center (SPDC) to focus on the pedagogy of internships, and specifically best practices for writing and assessing learning…

Gradient background with text overlay: "As we move forward, I believe it will be to our benefit to help students see the overlap among their experiences in addition to the distinguishing qualities, and to encourage them to think about their experiences in terms of their growth and development on the whole rather than as a line on their resume."

Internship as Research and Research as Career Readiness: Blurring the Lines

As I come to the close of my work as the Faculty Fellow for Internships in Elon’s College of Arts and Sciences, I am transitioning into a role in our Undergraduate Research Program. In part due to fortuitous timing in…

Picture of Elon student dancers with the following text overlayed: "Fire (2) Toolkit: Facilitating Integration and Reflection of the Elon Experiences." The bottom of the image features the logo for Elon University and the Center for Engaged Learning.

Facilitating Integration of and Reflection on Engaged and Experiential Learning

Since 2019, I’ve been working with my colleague Paul Miller to create an institutional toolkit for fostering both students’ self-reflection and their mentoring conversations with peers, staff, and faculty in order to deepen students’ educational experiences. Our institution, Elon University,…

A diagram titled "Factors for Faculty Engagement with Work-Integrated Learning." The diagram has a box in the center containing the following text: "Faculty Engagement." Surrounding this box are four bubbles with arrows pointing from each bubble to the box. The bottom-left bubble is titled "Personal," and the bulleted list below the title says "Identity," then "Values". The bottom-right bubble is titled "Professional," and the bulleted list below the title says "Status/rank," then "Work history." The top-right bubble is titled "Institutional," and the bulleted list below the title says "Mission/values," then "Budget," then "Policies." In addition to pointing at the box in the center of the diagram, this bubble also has an arrow pointing to the top-left bubble, which is titled "Communal." The bulleted list below the title says "Department support," then "Professional community support."

Tipping the Cost-Benefit Analysis to Support Faculty Engagement in Work-Integrated Learning

When faculty consider the many ways in which they can be involved in student learning opportunities, there are a myriad of factors that affect the choices they make about how and where to engage. Work-integrated learning (WIL), which includes activities…

A stack of books, with text: "Systematic literature review is more than just a research tool; it's a mindset, a rigorous approach that demands thoroughness, critical thinking, and an openness to new ideas."

Embracing Systematic Literature Reviews in Education Research: A Path to Rigorous Discovery

In the ever-evolving landscape of education research, the approach we take toward investigating new domains can significantly influence the outcomes and insights we garner. One such approach, which we firmly advocate for, is the systematic literature review (SLR). This method…


Center for Engaged Learning. “Work-Integrated Learning (WIL).” Center for Engaged Learning, Elon University. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/category/wil/.