Ursinus College Unveils APEX

Ursinus College is proud to announce the launch of APEX at Ursinus, a transformative new learning ecosystem, combining curricular and co-curricular experiences that will redefine the student journey starting in fall 2025. APEX—applied, professional, experiential—is designed to prepare students to be nimble, forward-thinking professionals and leaders in emergent fields who are ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.

APEX will enable all students to apply their learning in project-based courses, collaborate with faculty and fellow students on solutions to global problems, and build career-relevant competencies.

“Ursinus students don’t just learn about the world, they engage with it,” said Robyn Hannigan, Ph.D., president of Ursinus College. “APEX gives every student a clear pathway to connect rigorous academics with hands-on learning, leadership development, and professional preparation. It’s a reimagining of college for today’s world and tomorrow’s opportunities.”

Based on market research, industry data, and input from both faculty and students, APEX was designed to intentionally integrate career-focused competencies beginning in the first year. Each incoming student will be paired with a professional academic and career coach who will offer tailored guidance as they navigate a structured, four-year experiential-learning journey:

• First Year: Students will engage in hands-on experiences, including faculty-led trips, community visits, and real-world case studies focused on complex problem-solving.
• Second Year: Students will shadow professionals in various fields, from government and business to healthcare and beyond, both in Pennsylvania and nationwide.
• Third Year: Students will join teams to design and prototype solutions to real-world challenges.
• Fourth Year: The journey culminates with a final presentation, showcasing the student’s academic and experiential achievements.

“APEX empowers students to take charge of their own education, connecting what they learn in the classroom with who they want to become in the world,” said Gundolf Graml, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs and campus life. “It’s about integrating applied, professional, and experiential learning into every student’s journey, with a dedicated support team to help them navigate, explore, and innovate from day one.”

A key component of APEX is the creation of Innovation Centers, collaborative spaces where students from any major can come together to tackle pressing global challenges. These interdisciplinary teams will include students from fields as diverse as biology, sociology, media studies, computer science, and more. Additionally, every incoming student will be eligible for an experiential learning grant of up to $2,000 to support transformative experiences like unpaid internships, study abroad programs, or faculty-led research. “Hands-on learning experiences can be costly,” said Hannigan. “We want to remove financial barriers to ensure every student has the opportunity to participate.”

Investing in Students’ Success

With nearly $10 million committed to date for the implementation of APEX, donors have already recognized the impact it will have on student success. Commitments for transformative gifts to support APEX have been received from:

• The Corson Family Foundation - Philip Corson, Jef Corson P’04, H’12, and Flynn Corson ’04
• Arlene Andrews McLean, Ph.D. ’62
• Joan Bradley Parlee ’57 and the late Donald Parlee, M.D. ’55
• Dave Kovach ’90, P’21

Funds raised for APEX will be used to support student and faculty research, laboratory renovations, innovative teaching, experiential learning opportunities, the Parlee Center for Science and the Common Good, and more.

A Promise to Students

“APEX isn’t just an acronym; it’s a promise,” said Graml. “It represents the highest point, and we believe that with the right environment, support, and challenge, that’s exactly where our students are headed. This is an exciting new chapter for Ursinus, and we can’t wait to see how our students rise to meet it.”