Technology Is Not the Point
Seven years ago, the University of Michigan announced a campus-wide extended-reality (XR) initiative based at the Center for Academic Innovation. From its inception, the initiative’s promise extended beyond any particular software or hardware.
An early Epic MegaGrant helped the university recruit and train a cohort of 50 student fellows in Unreal Engine and professional real-time workflows. These students moved from learning about the technology to using it in consequential work, building simulations and writing code alongside faculty and staff.
The objective was not simply to train students in the tools currently used by industry, as those tools will inevitably change. The larger goal was to teach students how to approach unfamiliar technology, work with people across different areas of expertise, and navigate ambiguity. The aim is to make students capable of remaining ready as the nature of work evolves.
Designing a Connected University
Isolated experiences, however valuable, are insufficient. The larger challenge for higher education is to build a more connected learning ecosystem. This requires creating opportunities for authentic work across the entire undergraduate experience, not just during a final-semester capstone.
It also requires a more intuitive infrastructure. Students increasingly expect their university experiences to be as seamless as the technology they use in their daily lives. While DeVaney notes that "productive struggle" remains essential to education, institutional systems should not be so difficult to navigate that exceptional opportunities remain hidden.
A more connected model would show learners how different experiences relate to one another and what capabilities they are developing. This relationship should not end at commencement. Through initiatives like Michigan Online, the university is building an infrastructure that allows learners to return as their goals and industries evolve.
If graduates are expected to engage in continuous learning, universities must provide mechanisms for them to return throughout their careers for shorter experiences, new credentials, and expert guidance.
Urgency, Agency, and Hope
The shift toward a more integrated model of education and industry is not about designing every experience around the immediate needs of an employer. Rather, it is about recognizing that the enduring purposes of higher education become more powerful when students have the chance to put knowledge into motion.
For universities, the imperative is to make applied learning and industry engagement accessible to every student, regardless of their background or social capital.
For students, the message is one of agency. "You do not need to predict the future or prepare for a narrowly defined job," DeVaney says. "Seek experiences that require you to create, collaborate, and solve problems. Learn how to tell the evolving story of what you can contribute."
The future of work remains uncertain, but that uncertainty makes the capacity to learn, adapt, and demonstrate value more important than ever. The degree should open a door and prepare graduates for everything that lies beyond it. Career readiness, it seems, is a journey that begins long before graduation and continues long after.
