Gonzaga Students to Gain Real-World Career Experience Through New Global Partnership

Gonzaga University students will have the opportunity this summer to work on real projects for companies including Intel, Netflix and Airbnb — without leaving campus.
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and the School of Business Administration (SBA) are launching a pilot of the Global Career Accelerator (GCA), a for-credit course developed in partnership with Podium Education. Open to undergraduate students of any major, the course offers a semester-long, fully digital experience designed to build career-ready skills and intercultural competence through project-based work with global companies and organizations.

The course runs under UNIV 480 (Special Topics) for 3 credits and is scheduled to begin May 18, aligning with Gonzaga's Summer 1 session.

Bridging the Internship Gap

Research by the Burning Glass Institute and Strada Education Foundation has found that students who complete an internship during college are at substantially lower risk of long-term underemployment. Yet access remains uneven: nationally, only four in 10 college graduates land an internship before graduation — and just 27% of first-generation students do so.

The Global Career Accelerator is designed to address that gap. Students work in small teams alongside peers from universities across 68 countries on projects tied to real company challenges, building both technical skills and the intercultural communication competence that employers increasingly expect. The course is appropriate for students at any stage of their college career, making it a resource for first- and second-year students who may not yet qualify for traditional internships.

"The course helps students develop technical skills, the ability to communicate and collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds, and the ability to articulate to employers how those skills apply in their desired field," wrote Dean Jacquie Van Hoomissen of the College of Arts and Sciences and Dean Ken Anderson of the School of Business Administration in a proposal to university leadership.

Skills, Credentials and Connections

Students who complete the Global Career Accelerator earn LinkedIn-shareable microcredential badges and industry project certificates — tangible evidence of skills in areas such as digital marketing, AI and data analysis that can strengthen a resume and signal readiness to employers.
In a survey of more than 850 Global Career Accelerator alumni conducted in fall 2025, 94% said they would recommend the program to a friend, 83% said it gave them experiences and skills not available through their regular coursework, and 74% said it made their college degree more valuable.

Podium Education, which administers the program, works with more than 100 university partners — including Georgetown University, Harvard University and the University of Michigan — and more than 50 employer partners.

Supporting Gonzaga's Strategic Commitments

The Global Career Accelerator aligns with several commitments in Gonzaga's University Strategic Plan, including expanding experiential learning opportunities for undergraduates, fostering global engagement and supporting student success and retention. Arizona State University, an early Podium partner, has documented a 10–14% increase in student persistence among those who completed the program.

Associate Dean Stacy Taninchev of the College of Arts and Sciences will serve as instructor of record for the pilot course. Podium will provide a customized Gonzaga landing page, student advising support and co-branded course assets.

Enroll This Summer

The Global Career Accelerator pilot is open to all Gonzaga undergraduates. No prior experience is required. Students interested in enrolling can visit careeraccelerator.gonzaga.edu for details and registration information.