Co-Ops For All
Professional Work Experience Designed for Your Future
Wherever your path leads — a laboratory, an office, the studio, a clinic — the workplace is where learning becomes action. Ideas are pitched. Strategy takes shape. Problems get solved. Theory is tested. Experience becomes your teacher.
At Hendrix College, your co-op provides that experience while you’re still a student. This semester-long, full-time professional work placement delivers on-the-job training long before you get your first professional job.Your co-op bridges the classroom and the professional world, giving you real experience while building the skills and confidence that employers value.
What Is A Co-op?
Every Hendrix student completes a co-op, a 12- to 14-week full-time work experience at an organization in an area of interest during their junior year.
Co-op Experience
In your co-op placement, you are a contributing member of the team for your employer, putting everything you’ve learned in the classroom into action to make real decisions and real impact. It is a resume-building experience where you are deeply integrated into the daily operations of your company with higher-level responsibilities and a direct connection to a broad professional network of support and future employment opportunities.
Undergraduate Research
Depending on your goals, you can fulfill your co-op requirement with an intensive research experience rather than a traditional placement. Faculty advisors will help you plan your project, giving you a head start on the type of work you will do if you pursue a graduate degree.
Via Hendrix
Via Hendrix combines our time-tested liberal arts curriculum with dedicated career preparation. Intensive advising, a co-op, and practical skills help you make the most of your Hendrix experience while preparing for what comes next.
What are the Benefits of a Co-op?
Unlike internships that are often balanced alongside classes and other commitments, your co-op is a full-time, semester-long experience that allows you to step fully into a professional role. You’ll contribute as a member of the organization while engaging in guided reflection that helps connect your workplace learning to your academic experience.
Professional Exploration
Your co-op lets you experience possible career paths up close, helping you make informed decisions about your future. You may discover new avenues to pursue while meeting professionals who can tell you what to expect, no matter which path you decide to follow.
Personal Development
When you enter the workforce, it can be natural to wonder how your skills will stack up. Your co-op lets you test your abilities, discover where you excel, identify areas for growth, and gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities and environments where you will thrive, while building confidence and professional competencies.
Enhanced Career Prospects
Nothing speaks louder than experience, which is why employers value it so much in prospective hires. Your co-op experience and proven ability to work in a professional setting can give you an edge in the job market. You may even receive an offer from your co-op employer, leading to your first job and opening doors to future opportunities throughout your career.
Industry-Relevant Portfolio
Don’t just tell future employers you can do the work. Prove it by sharing tangible projects, work samples, and achievements completed during your co-op. Your portfolio will be an asset that can open doors.
Enhanced Academic Understanding
Your co-op changes the way you see your education. Applying classroom work in a professional setting gives you a deeper appreciation for what you’ve already learned. And when you return to campus after your co-op, you will have the added confidence knowing that what you study has real-world importance.
Co-op Locations
Hendrix students will have the opportunity to complete their co-ops in places like:
- The Minnesota Wild, a National Hockey League team based in St. Paul
- Little Rock Zoo
- Franks Dermatology, a private dermatology practice in Little Rock
- Landmark CPAs, a full-service public accounting firm with offices in Arkansas and Arizona
- Wright Lindsey Jennings, a full-service law firm in Little Rock
- Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs
- Our House, a Little Rock nonprofit that helps those experiencing homelessness
- Summit Industrial Construction, based in Houston
Real Work. Real Growth. Real Opportunity.
Learn more about how you can launch your career with confidence and preparedness in the Hendrix College co-op program.