Gold Standard

Gold Standard

Learning by doing isn’t just powerful — it’s what employers expect. The Gold Standard celebrates your proactive approach to experiential learning, marking you as an accomplished, career-ready graduate. You’ll stand out with a digital badge for your LinkedIn and résumé, and wear a gold medallion at commencement, signaling excellence to employers and peers alike.

Students who complete the Gold Standard program will be recognized with a distinction at graduation and receive a digital badge for use on résumés and LinkedIn, highlighting their commitment to excellence and career readiness.

What is a High Impact Experience?

Members of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA, Inc.) at Truist
Members of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA, Inc.) at the Truist Innovation and Technology Center
Global marketing class study abroad trip to France and Croatia
Global marketing study abroad trip to France and Croatia
Bank of America leadership simulation
Bank of America Leadership Simulation
Prior to CO-LAB's grand opening event, five teams of Belk College of Business and College of Computing and Informatics scholars participated in the student competition.
Belk College of Business and College of Computing and Informatics scholars participated in a student competition at CO-LAB at UNC Charlotte Center City. With guidance from mentors from the business community, each team developed ideas for innovative projects and presented their concepts to judges.
Financial modeling workshop from Training the Street
Financial modeling workshop from Training the Street
Belk College of Business students and Kimberly Moore-Wright '95 at the Truist Immersive Learning Experience.
Belk College of Business students and Kimberly Moore-Wright ’95 at the Truist Immersive Learning Experience.

Today’s job market is competitive and employers are looking for more than a degree. They want proof of initiative, real-world experience, and leadership. The Gold Standard is your chance to demonstrate all three.

Internships

Internships are defined as a work experience in a professional setting that is an extension of the academic experience. Internships may be obtained through an established internship program or something that the student and the employer create together to fit the student’s skills and interests and the employer’s specific needs. They can be paid or unpaid and can vary in number of hours worked to accommodate the needs of both the student and employer.

more about internships
GOLD STANDARD
  • Students must complete 100 internship hours.
    • Students can complete two 50-hour internships to receive 1 internship credit
    • Please note, for academic credit, internships must be at least 150 hours
VERIFICATION
  • Students will provide a verification form with company, internship title, supervisor and hours completed which is signed by both the intern and their supervisor.
  • Academic credit, via a Business 3400 course or the Career Center’s UCOL 3410 course, would verify credit for an internship.

Study Abroad

UNC Charlotte Education Abroad (EA) offers hundreds of study abroad and intern abroad program options in over 70 countries. These programs range from semester and year-long to spring break and summer.

more about study abroad
GOLD STANDARD
  • Students must receive UNC Charlotte equivalent credit for at least one, three-credit course taken abroad.
VERIFICATION
  • Course credit counts toward verification. In rare cases where a student completes an international experience for transient credit or through a non-affiliated program, the experience may still qualify with prior approval and documentation of academic relevance. 

Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning offers students the chance to work on real-world projects that blend academic knowledge with practical application. For the Belk College of Business, project-based learning would include students working with an external client or industry partner on a real-world project related to class content. 

see an example of project-based learning
GOLD STANDARD
  • Belk College faculty will identify classes with project-based learning and these courses will be indicated in Banner.
VERIFICATION
  • Students will receive credit for this Gold Standard metric through successful completion of the course that has been designated in Banner for project-based learning. If a student feels like they have completed Project Based Learning outside of the courses listed in Banner, the experience may still qualify with prior approval and faculty confirmation.

Case Competitions, Hackathons, and other Experiential Workshops and Seminars

These experiences involve immersive, real-world problem-solving in fast-paced, collaborative settings. Students apply classroom knowledge to tackle business challenges, innovate solutions, and present ideas to judges or facilitators. Formats include case competitions, hackathons, simulations, technical skill or strategy workshops, and intensive skills-based seminars.

see upcoming events
GOLD STANDARD
  • Students must participate in a structured, faculty- or industry-led event that includes:
    • A defined problem or prompt
    • A team-based or individual deliverable
    • Mentorship, feedback, or judging component
    • The experience must last at least 8 hours total (in one day or spread across multiple sessions).
    • Examples may include: Business case competitions (on-campus, regional, or national), industry-sponsored hackathons, strategy or technical skill workshops (such as Training the Street), bootcamps or simulation-based seminars
VERIFICATION
  • Confirmation of participation from a faculty advisor, organizer, or employer.

Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate research involves students engaging in inquiry, investigation, or exploration that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline. In business, this may include case studies, market analyses, data-driven investigations, applied research projects, or theoretical explorations under faculty mentorship.

learn more from the office of undergraduate research
GOLD STANDARD
  • Students can participate in a faculty-mentored research project related to business or 
  • Engage in a research-based independent study that culminates in a written report or presentation, approved by a faculty member or
  • Present their research at a conference such as the UNC Charlotte Undergraduate Research Conference or a regional/national business symposium or
  • Publish findings in an academic journal or institutional repository.
VERIFICATION
  • Faculty verification, conference program with name and presentation listed or a copy or citation of the published paper or abstract.

Significant Leadership

Leadership in a high-impact context involves taking responsibility for guiding a group, initiative, or project toward a shared goal. For business students, this may include leading a student organization or serving in a formal leadership role on or off campus.

see the belk college student organizations
GOLD STANDARD
  • Serve for a minimum of two semesters in a formal leadership position (e.g., president, vice president, committee chair) in an actively registered student organization with the University and/or Belk College of Business 
  • Hold a supervisory role in a workplace, internship, or campus job that includes responsibility for training, scheduling, or overseeing others
  • Complete a structured leadership program on or off campus (examples include: Women’s Leadership Development Program, Emerging Leaders, Leadership Fellows and Women in Business Ambassador)
VERIFICATION

Letter or form from the student organization’s registered advisor, workplace supervisor, or leadership program coordinator verifying role, duration, and responsibilities.

How can i be a part of the Gold Standard program?

  1. Opt-in: Add yourself to the Canvas page where your HIEs will be tracked. Don’t forget to self-enroll on Canvas to get to the Gold Standard course!
  2. Record your HIEs: All three experiences must be submitted at least four weeks before your intended graduation date.
Gold Standard badge for graduation medallion
i’m ready to opt-in!