The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), in collaboration with Riipen, is expanding access to meaningful, career-connected learning for students through the launch of the Individual Educator Portal. This initiative is intended for educators and faculty members at CIC member institutions not currently participating in the 2023–26 CIC Work-Based Learning (WBL) Consortium program.
Starting in Fall 2025, CIC is accepting applications to participate in the Individual Educator Portal that will provide selected faculty members with the opportunity to incorporate real-world, career-connected learning in courses at no cost to the institution or faculty members. The courses will be fully supported through Riipen’s platform. This fully subsidized opportunity is made possible through the generous support of Ascendium Education Group and Strada Education Foundation, and is offered as a benefit of CIC membership.
Benefits
- Embed real-world, career-connected learning in your course(s)—100 percent free and fully supported
- Join a growing CIC educator community via cic.riipen.com
- Explore scalable, experiential learning models at your own pace
- Access to Riipen’s library of templates, tools, and case studies to support course-aligned project design
How the Portal Supports Your Teaching
Provide students with relevant, real-world experience seamlessly embedded into your course(s). You’ll have the flexibility to explore and apply new approaches to work-based learning, while gaining access to curated industry projects that help you build valuable partnerships with external organizations and companies. Additionally, Riipen offers guidance and tailored support to help you design and implement experiences that are aligned with your course objectives.
“Riipen transformed the way I approach experiential learning. It made project sourcing and coordination more efficient and enriched my students’ education by exposing them to real-world business challenges. This is the kind of learning experience that truly prepares them for the future.”
Carlton O’Neal, Clinical Professor of Marketing, University of San Diego (CA)
How the Portal Works
- Receive confirmation of participation from your dean or chief academic officer
- Submit a brief statement of interest
- Receive notification of acceptance
- Sign up for an introduction session with Riipen
- Begin faculty onboarding Fall 2025 and courses begin in Spring 2026
Application Details
Apply online by October 15, 2025.
Contact Information
For more information, contact Anthony Burton, CIC project management specialist, at aburton@cic.edu or (202) 519-3556.
For questions about Riipen, contact Steven Broadway, senior partner relationship manager, at steven.broadway@riipen.com.