Collab Lab 73: Experiential Learning – Connecting Higher-Ed and K-12

Season 10/Collab Lab 73

Opportunities multiply when experiential learning in higher-ed supports experiential learning in K-12.

Work happening in innovative K-12 classrooms provides ready opportunities for higher-ed to fold in support as experiential learning for their own students, with wins all around:

• K-12 students can benefit from near peer mentorship and coaching and see career pathways through the eyes of those just a few years farther down the road.
• K-12 Educators can benefit from additional support and connection to local institutions.
• College students gain opportunities to mentor, lead teams, and for field work
• Higher-ed is able to build a stronger pipeline of talent that is already connected to the institution.

All great possibilities, but with a number of factors that can get in the way:

• Matching opportunities in K-12 with the right classes in higher-ed to meet learning goals for both sides
• Coordination across academic calendars that differ
• Equipping K-12 and higher-ed students to work effectively together
• Time and transportation constraints
• Policies and procedures around background checks and work with K-12 students

Join us to explore possibilities, identify constraints, and map out some ways to move forward.

As always, you’ll be joined by peers and collaborators from K-12 higher education, industry, and the nonprofit community. If you work with or know of a student who would like to join the discussion, please extend the invitation.

Agenda

5:30 to 6:00 pm Grab something to eat and meet someone new

6:00 to 6:20 pm Welcome and introductions

6:20 to 8:15 pm Let’s explore some possibilities

8:15 to 8:30 pm Wrap up and next steps

Featured Participants

Ben Trager — Director of Community Engagement and Experiential Learning, UWM’s Center for Student Experience & Talent
Ben has a professional background in education, training, and management. Ben is interested in service-learning and internships, especially how these practices can support the professional and civic development of students. He’s also excited about building partnerships with the myriad of nonprofit organizations and government agencies across the metropolitan area. At SET, Ben directs campus’s vision for community engagement and experiential learning and supports the Community Engagement and Experiential Learning staff to implement an array of service-learning courses and service programs. When outside work Ben enjoys swimming, seeing live music, and exploring the Milwaukee food scene.

Kelsey Otero — Sr. Director of Community Engagement, Marquette University

Kelsey is Marquette’s representative for engagement in the community, tasked to explore and promote community-engaged opportunities for Marquette students, faculty and staff. Previously she served as the Director of Innovation at the 707 Hub at Marquette University. There she ran business bootcamps for students and community entrepreneurs and helped to build a social innovation ecosystem in Wisconsin. She is naturally curious and enjoys connecting the dots between people, ideas and resources!

Kristin Steinbach Holtz —Experiential Learning Manager, MIAD

Kristin has a background in education as a social studies teacher after graduating with a MA in Social Studies Education from NYU. While teaching, she participated in the “Enduring Themes in American History” (ETAH) program, which was a three-year professional development program for high school history teachers, established around 2003 through a collaboration between Columbia’s Teacher’s College, and the U.S. Department of Education. Involvement with this collaboration was where she gained insights into the potentials of experiential learning. She earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership with a concentration in instructional design from UWM and worked for MPS as a social studies teacher at Bradley Tech High School where her students completed interesting projects with community organizations like Arts@Large and Serve2Unite. She then worked for Employ Milwaukee providing career readiness enrichments for several high schools and acted as a Youth Apprenticeship regional coordinator. She returned to Bradley Tech as the Industry Liaison from 2020-2025. Since July 2025, Kristin has taken on the role of Experiential Learning Manager for Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.

Natalie Villegas — Director, MSOE’s CREATE Institute

Natalie has led MSOE’s CREATE (Community-focused Real-world Engagement in Academics through Experiential-Learning) Institute since 2019. An MSOE grad with several years teaching science and Project Lead The Way courses, she understands the constraints K-12 teachers work within as well as the the sense of purpose that calls one to the profession to begin with.