As the academic year commences at the University of Michigan, the campus is once again filled with the energy of thousands of students embarking on their undergraduate journeys. Among them are two freshmen whose arrival marks a generational milestone for James DeVaney, the Associate Vice Provost for Academic Innovation at the university. Having navigated the same campus as an undergraduate years ago, DeVaney finds himself reflecting on a fundamental shift in the higher education landscape: the world his nephews are entering is vastly more complex, volatile, and demanding than the one he encountered decades prior.
The transition from the classroom to the workforce has long been viewed as a final hurdle to be cleared in the senior year. However, as the pace of technological and economic change accelerates, educators and institutional leaders are beginning to recognize that career readiness can no longer be a post-script to a degree. Instead, it must be an integrated, developmental journey that begins on day one.
In a recent analysis of the modern educational landscape, DeVaney argues that universities owe their students more than just a collection of courses and a list of extracurricular opportunities. They owe them a structured experience that enables them to make increasingly informed decisions, exercise agency, and learn from the consequences of their choices long before they receive a diploma.
The Limits of the "One-and-Done" Internship
For decades, the internship has been the gold standard of career preparation. These experiences provide students with a glimpse into professional life, help them build networks, and bolster their confidence. Yet, relying on a single internship as the primary bridge between college and career is increasingly seen as an insufficient strategy for both students and the broader labor market.
Data from the Strada Education Foundation’s 2025 State Opportunity Index highlights a significant gap in access. Only 43 percent of seniors at four-year institutions reported having participated in at least one paid work-based learning experience. This disparity is often driven by factors beyond a student’s control, including geographic location, financial flexibility, and "social capital"—the existing professional networks that often dictate who gets a foot in the door.
Furthermore, the demand for these positions far outstrips the supply. According to a 2026 analysis titled "Lost in Translation: Navigating the Work-Integrated Learning Landscape" by the Business-Higher Education Forum, approximately 8.2 million students sought internships or similar professional experiences in 2023. However, nearly 4.6 million of those students were unable to access the opportunities they desired.
Even for those fortunate enough to secure a high-quality internship, a single experience is rarely enough to prepare a student for a career that may span forty years and multiple industry disruptions. DeVaney suggests that the goal should not be simply to check a box with one summer job, but to place that experience within a much richer "continuum" of career-connected learning.
Creating a Continuum of Career-Connected Learning
If the goal of higher education is to prepare students for a lifetime of contribution, then the opportunities to connect learning with work must be frequent and progressively more challenging. This continuum moves beyond the traditional job placement and into the very fabric of the undergraduate experience.
