University Recognized Experiences

Help students turn their co-curricular experiences into career-ready, verified experiences through the University Recognized Experiences process!

What is a University Recognized Experience (URE)?

A University Recognized Experience is a co-curricular experience that meets UF’s standards for high-impact experiential learning. Through a structured reflection and verification process, students can have their experience officially recognized and included on their Gator Experience Record, UF’s co-curricular transcript.

You can help students turn their co-curricular experiences into career-ready, verified achievements. When you share this information with your students, you’re giving them a clear pathway to understand what a University Recognized Experience is and how it strengthens their academic and professional story. You’re helping them see the value of documenting their learning and take ownership of their growth. Most importantly, you’re empowering them to showcase their achievements in a way that stands out to future employers, graduate programs, and campus partners.

Why It Matters

  • Promotes career readiness and reflective learning
  • Encourages students to document real-world experience
  • Helps us track and advocate for student success beyond the classroom
  • Supports institutional goals around high-impact learning and experiential learning engagement

How Students Participate

This is a retroactive process (after the experience has been completed). Students can then follow these steps:

  1. Submit a URE submission through the Gator Experiential Learning Hub through the URE tab.
  2. Based on the Experiential Learning category, students will be asked to provide various forms of evidence to verify and support their existence. Some example are:
    • An offer letter from the employer (on letterhead or a copy of the email from the employer) or a verified form of acceptance or agenda.
    • A written reflection about what they learned during their experience.
    • An artifact or work sample showcasing the impact of their experience.

Experiences Must Be:

  • Co-curricular (not for academic credit)
  • Supervised by a professional (for internships, co-ops, and work-based opportunities)

How You Can Support

In your advising, classrooms, and programming:

  • Communicate with students about their past co-curricular internship experiences (Summer 2025-present day)
  • Encourage students to document and reflect on co-curricular internships
  • Share these University Recognized Experience Resources
  • Recommend colleagues keep offer letters, supervisor contact info, and examples of their work
  • Share the Gator Experience Record CareerHub page for information and guidance
  • Refer students to the Gator Experience Hub
  • Sample Syllabus Statement:
    • If you are participating in a co-curricular experiences that is not for academic credit, you may be eligible to have your experience recognized by the University of Florida as a University Recognized Experience. This experience, once verified, will appear on your Gator Experience Record, UF’s official co-curricular transcript. To learn more or begin the process, visit University Recognized Experience on the Career Connection Center’s Career Hub or email the Career Connection Center’s Experiential Learning Team at uf-uri@ufsa.ufl.edu.

Faculty & Staff Resources

  • URE Informational One-Pager (Available upon Request)

Questions?

Contact the Career Connection Center’s Experiential Learning Team at uf-uri@ufsa.ufl.edu