“The market is currently missing a holistic, equal opportunity solution that provides students with the ability to participate in experiential learning, and access to the critical social capital toolset to succeed in their job search,” said Chris Freire, CEO of SOC. “This presented a tremendous market opportunity to fill that gap and better prepare students to find the right career path for them.”
Upon the closing of the transaction, Freire will serve as Vice President of Experiential Learning at PeopleGrove. In this role, Freire will lead and oversee the company’s Experiential Learning products and services.
Through PeopleGrove, millions of college students and alumni have access to unmatched social capital-building opportunities and dedicated mentors eager to provide meaningful career support. With the addition of SOC’s innovative Experiential Learning and High-Impact Practices domain expertise, PeopleGrove now offers the most comprehensive and centralized Career Access Platform to its users, now including seamless access to real-world, experiential education pathways that will help students build the skills and connections they need to succeed.
"At a time when resources are stretched thin, SOC has been well positioned in the post-COVID environment to add value to the undergraduate experience by facilitating and scaling participation in HIPs and other experiential learning activities, on and off the campus," said Dr. George Kuh, SOC advisory board member, and leading authority on assessment, and improving the quality of the undergraduate experience. "With SOC and PeopleGrove coming together, what is especially exciting now is the unique capacity of the combined organization to assist institutions in the integration of experiential learning into the campus experience and documenting the efficacy of such activities to enhance the positive effects of the next generation of HIPs."