Real World Experiences

We learn by doing. We tinker and sculpt. We are makers and artists, farmers and researchers. We work with experts and pitch our own ideas. In our unique, three-week terms, in our small, hands-on classes, in our faculty-mentored research, we test drive and hone ideas about the world we want to see. We shape our own futures.

Sweet Briar students get their hands dirty working in our apiary. Sweet Briar students get their hands dirty working in our apiary.

What the buzz is about

We keep the bees and maintain the hives. We market the honey. We research the impact of bees on the ecosystem.

Angel Lindberg '21 constructs a hydroponics system as part of an Engineering Capstone project.

Rachel Logan '21 assembles a hydroponic system as part of her Engineering Capstone project.

Emily Schloshberg '19 works with a horse in a riding internship.

Music Professor Joshua Harris works with students in the multimedia production studio.

Alexa Dahlin '18, internship at VCCA.

Engineering Community

We tackle community projects and showcase our prototypes, like a hydroponic system for the greenhouse, a smart compass to locate lost hikers, a silent alert system for library windows. If it’s needed, useful and interesting, we’ll engineer it!

Internships

From Capitol Hill to the steppes of Kazakhstan, 80% of students do internships. We join the horse business and the political world. We are EMTs and kayak guides, arts administrators and journalists.

Elizabeth Phaup '18 in Alaska working as a sea kayak guide.

Admissions Blog: Summer internship success stories

There’s only one way to gain experience in something, and that’s to actually, physically do it. Yes, we’re talking about internships. At Sweet Briar, 80 percent of students intern at least once during their time here. (If you’re an engineering student, make that 100 percent.)