The January Project concept was conceived initially as a way to unite a disconnected community amidst the ongoing global pandemic and overcome developmental gaps in student development related to restrictions placed on experiential learning. The outcome was far more substantial and lasting. On the most basic level, the project sparked deep conversations about the importance of experiential learning to connect the liberal arts to the world beyond Wellesley’s campus. In the years since the January Project, several lasting programs have been developed and cemented themselves into the Wellesley student experience. These programs display the ongoing commitment of our educational model to allow students to grow into active citizens, career professionals, and dedicated intellectuals ready to lead meaningful lives.

• Embark! First Year Career Retreat: January retreat for all first years leading students through impactful self-assessment, life design basics, early career exploration, and exposure to the importance of experiential learning throughout their undergraduate education
• Short-Term Internship Projects (SHIPs): Early experiential learning for first year students that match them with 40 – 80 hour virtual internship projects led by alum mentors
• Upskill January Skill-Building Intensives: Week long skill-building intensive tracks designed to complement a liberal arts education with career-related skills, project-based learning, and industry immersion
• Clinton Fellows Sophomore Experience: A yearlong experiential program teaching all sophomores the basics of active citizenship, changemaking, and leadership
• Experiential Learning Degree Requirement: New degree requirement beginning with students entering in fall 2024 that requires all Wellesley students to participate in two units of meaningful experiential learning prior to graduation