Education in Action

From Classroom Concepts to Real-World Impact

At Expo, students share how hands-on learning prepares them to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s world.

As the future of work demands new skills and greater adaptability, UMSI students are leading the way by applying their knowledge to real-world challenges. At the 2025 Project EXPO, students shared how hands-on, tactical learning experiences are helping them build the skills, confidence, and adaptability needed to thrive beyond graduation.

From designing AI-powered solutions to improving community health access, students presented projects that demonstrated creativity, resilience, and the kind of problem-solving skills that are highly sought after across industries. Nina Creimer Almeida, a senior majoring in Information Analysis with a minor in Statistics, shared, “At UMSI, I didn’t just learn about critical business intelligence tools. I became proficient in applying them for a variety of different stakeholders. I’m looking forward to bringing that experience directly into my professional career after graduation.”

Throughout the exposition, a clear theme emerged: UMSI students are not just studying theory. They are applying their knowledge in real-world settings that challenge them to think critically and communicate effectively. “Working directly with clients challenged me to adapt to shifting needs and to think more strategically, which is exactly what I will face after graduation,” said senior Regan Henderson, who is completing a dual degree in Information Science (UX Design and Research pathway) and Organizational Studies, with a minor in Entrepreneurship. “My capstone experience provided me with the opportunity to create a full end-to-end project that I can not only include in my portfolio, but also discuss with future employers. UMSI has been such an incredible experience.”

Engaged learning opportunities are embedded across every UMSI program, ensuring that students graduate with more than academic knowledge. They develop the agility, technical expertise, and human-centered focus needed to thrive in an evolving workforce. This year’s first-place BSI Capstone project, Interlibrary Loan: Connecting Rural Libraries to National Resources, reimagined access to academic materials for underserved communities by designing a more inclusive and scalable system. It was one of several award-winning projects that showed how UMSI students apply design, research, and innovation to real-world challenges, including efforts to enhance medical device security and streamline data processing for digital collections.

“I really appreciate the project-based learning format because I feel like UX specifically is so hands-on that you can learn a lot of theories and ideas, but if you don’t have practice with them, it doesn’t amount to anything,” said senior Elissa Li, a UX/UI major. “Just being able to work with clients has been really meaningful and impactful for me. It has solidified the idea that this is what I want to do. Seeing how happy our work made the client and the impact we can make for them and their target audiences has been incredibly rewarding.”

As industries continue to evolve, the demand for professionals who can bridge data, technology, and human impact will only grow. Through its commitment to experiential, project-driven education, UMSI is shaping students who are ready not only to succeed in the workforce but also to lead it.