Synergy Lab: Ready to Turn Your College Experience Into Something More?

You know that feeling when you’re sitting in class thinking, “This is interesting… but when am I actually going to use it?” It’s a familiar thought for a lot of students—and it’s exactly the gap Synergy Lab was created to close.

Based in Northern Illinois University’s 71 North Partnership Studio, Synergy Lab is a people-centered skill accelerator designed to help students turn learning into experience. It’s a space where theory meets practice, curiosity meets opportunity, and students are encouraged to build skills that actually show up in their work—both now and after graduation.

Synergy Lab is for students who want more than just checking boxes. Whether you’re still figuring out what direction you want to go, looking to strengthen skills outside your major, or preparing for internships, jobs, or research, Synergy meets you where you are. There’s no expectation that you arrive with everything figured out—just a willingness to explore and engage.

Inside Synergy Lab, students participate in free, industry-aligned learning modules that focus on building practical, in-demand skills. What makes Synergy different is that learning doesn’t stay theoretical. The skills you develop are designed to be used immediately—supporting studio projects, student teams, startups, research initiatives, and community work. Over time, this work becomes a portfolio-ready experience and meaningful examples you can speak to with confidence.

Another defining feature of Synergy Lab is flexibility. Students choose what they want to learn and when they want to learn it, allowing the experience to fit into already busy schedules. Learning happens at your own pace, but never in isolation. Built into the program are opportunities for peer learning, mentorship, and collaboration that help keep you supported and accountable throughout the process.

There’s no required experience to join Synergy Lab—just curiosity and openness. Students can explore areas such as digital and UX foundations, product and project practices, data, AI, emerging technologies, and professional communication skills. As Synergy continues to grow, the program is expanding toward even more industry-oriented learning, including structured assignments and platform-based experiences that connect directly to real-world expectations.

Community is at the heart of Synergy Lab. Through shared learning sessions, peer cohorts, and collaborative meetups, students grow alongside one another. You’ll learn with people who may share your interests—or challenge your perspectives—and that mix is what makes the experience richer. It’s not about competition; it’s about building together.

This spring, Synergy Lab is launching as a pilot program, and the doors are open. Weekly meetups begin the first week of February and take place on Wednesdays from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., with an orientation for first-time participants from 3:30 to 4:00 p.m. The orientation will walk you through the platform and the structure of the program, and you’re encouraged to stay for the full session to begin learning alongside the community right away. Participation may also count toward Honors Engage, Passport, or engagement points.

Synergy Lab is about momentum. It’s about taking what you’re learning and turning it into something tangible. It’s about finding people who are building, questioning, and growing right alongside you.

If you’re ready to build skills, apply them in meaningful ways, and become part of a community that values learning through action, Synergy Lab is ready for you. Join the pilot, show up curious, and start turning your college experience into something more.