Professional Development
The Institute’s innovative work-and-learning opportunity helps students
graduate debt-free with confidence in their future career
Too many college grads finish with loads of debt and no idea what to do next.
Don’t be one of them.
ProDev connects your biblical education with real world experience, helping you gain skills and explore a career trajectory from day one. With cooperation with Nashville’s top businesses and nonprofits, you’ll gain experience, feedback, and mentorship while in college (not after), so you can graduate debt free and confident of your next steps.
Participation in ProDev qualifies students for our highest scholarship and hourly wages, enabling them to pay for college without accruing debt.
What does ProDev Do for a Student?
Helps You Afford Your Education
Participants in ProDev qualify for the most significant scholarship offered to students, around $9,000 a year. Students also earn an hourly wage, allowing them to pay other costs of living.
Builds Experience for a Specific Career Path
Gain experience in your occupational track from day one, helping you graduate with confidence and experience in hand.
Job Offer after Graduation
Upon graduation, 98% of students who complete ProDev and The Institute’s academic program receive a job offer in their field of focus.
How it Works
Academically
Students choose an occupational focus to augment their biblical and community development training. This includes fields in church ministry, education, health care, administration, housing and trades, media, and the performing arts
Spiritually
Students receive a mentor who holds them accountable to their character and faith at work.
Professionally
Students gain over 800 hours of workplace experience each year of the program. This makes them eligible for our largest scholarship and an hourly wage, helping make college more affordable.
Globally
Students also gain exposure and experience in their occupational focus in a third-world context, seeing firsthand how their work can be a part of God’s mission.
How it Pays
The Institute offers the highest value work-college experience in the US
ProDev Participation Levels
Align your ProDev experience with our standard semester timelines, or add weeks and grow your scholarship. Figures reflect base-level ProDev scholarship values for incoming freshmen in 24-25.
-
A part-time ProDev Experience for 33 weeks, aligning with traditional semesters, designed for students who want the benefits of ProDev, but have familial support.
-
The traditional ProDev experience aligning with semester timelines, with students working about 25 hours a week.
-
Extend your timeline by a month with the same number of weekly hours.
-
Extend your ProDev experience by 8 weeks, still having time for normal holiday breaks and summer trips.
ProDev Student Testimony
Watch our segment of The College Tour where student Gabby Parker explains her experience and success with the Professional Development Program.
Along with their Biblical Studies or Community Development degree, students choose an occupational focus where they gain a relevant certification, increasing their hireability.
Occupational Focuses
Church Ministry
Pastoral Counseling
Church Administration
Worship Arts
Education
Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
Secondary Education
Out of School (OST) Education
Coaching
Health Care
Clinical Health Care (Medical Assistant)
Medical Administration
Childbirth Education & Labor Support (Doula)
Pre-Midwifery
Wellness Therapies
Administration
Bookkeeping
Human Resources
Business Administration
Hospitality & Tourism
Grant writing
Housing, Land & Trades
Solar Energy
IT Networking
Horticulture
Plumbing
Electrical
HVAC
Project Management
Real Estate
Media
Web Development & SEO
Copywriting
Documentary Film
Photography & Journalism
Social Media Management
Graphic Design
Performing Arts
Theater
Dance
Music
ProDev explained by President Gregg D. Garner
This special episode of College Conversations features the formal launch of the Professional Development program in 2023 after building it iteratively since The Institute began.