Leveraging Experiential Learning to Encourage Role Transition From “Student” to “Professional”: Insights From Identity Theory

Drawing on identity theory, this conceptual inquiry posits a need to redefine the standard that individuals use to judge themselves as a “business student.” Learners will be more likely to succeed in a corporate context if they experience daily interactions throughout a curriculum that approximate a professional environment. These social interactions will reinforce a revised business student identity if carefully orchestrated. A conceptual argument is presented to this end that builds toward a curricular-level solution emphasizing experiential learning that has broad focus beyond marketing students to all business students. A number of obstacles and opportunities are identified while developing a set of propositions linking curriculum design with granular day-to-day interactions. Experiential learning is presented as a path forward but must be implemented in an exhaustive and theoretically sound manner in order to facilitate student transition from an academic to a corporate environment.