why bentleyplus?
A 2018 study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers surveyed both graduating college seniors and employers and found that less than half of college graduates are proficient in professionalism/work ethic, leadership, and global/intercultural fluency (among other competencies). This same study showed that college graduates perceived their proficiency in these competencies to be much higher than their employers.
While Bentley students spend much of their time completing academic coursework and attending class, a critical component of a student’s Bentley education is their experiences outside of the classroom. These experiences have tangible impacts on strengths and skillsets students develop while in college and prepare students for a lifetime of professional and personal success.
Taking advantage of opportunities outside of the classroom to develop competencies differentiates a Bentley education from others as BentleyPlus is the only program of its kind at all colleges and universities in the country. While Bentley offers many resources and opportunities to occupy students' time when not in class, BentleyPlus provides guidance to assist students in selecting opportunities that maximize learning in the competency areas they wish to develop and is open to all undergraduate students.
bentleyplus benefits
✓ Utilize a valuable tool that helps you be strategic about how you spend your time outside of the classroom.
✓ Focus time and attention on developing skills that you and employers think are really important.
✓ Learn how to market yourself and your skills for future employers.
✓ Earn a certificate showing the competencies that you grew in.
✓ Add to your résumé to highlight your skills and show that you made the most out of your Bentley experience.
How it Works
Join BentleyPlus Orientation
Attend a live orientation led by a staff advisor to learn about the program and select two to three competencies to focus on for the academic year.
Put Competencies into Action
Find opportunities to work on each competency by participating in student organizations, attending sports practices, working a job, or doing anything outside of class and meet with an advisor halfway through to check in on progress.
Reflect with an Advisor
Meet with an advisor to reflect on how you have grown in each competency and learn how to market these skills to future employers.
Attend a Ceremony
Celebrate your achievements and receive your official BentleyPlus certificate showing the competencies you developed and how to display them on your résumé.
Competencies
A team of 30 professionals from every department within Bentley's Division of Student Affairs organized co-curricular classroom experiences on campus into 11 competency areas. These competencies fall into three learning domains: Think, Develop, and Act. The competencies in each learning domain are:
Competency Descriptions
FAQ
No. The BentleyPlus program is included in the undergraduate student Bentley experience.
A student only needs to attend THREE advising sessions throughout the year to earn their BentleyPlus certificate. Outside of these sessions, students are not required to add more to their plate. While some students may choose to get involved in more as a result of their reflections in BentleyPlus, the primary focus is to provide intentional reflection and strategy around the developmental experiences a typical Bentley student experiences outside of the classroom.
Students can choose from 11 competencies and select 2 to 3 to focus on for the year. This process is very self-driven. A student may choose to develop competencies they feel are already strengths of theirs, competencies they do not feel as strong in, or a combination. Our trained staff advisors will walk students through this process during their first advising session.
BentleyPlus was designed with as many "on-ramps" as possible. While we encourage students to sign up as early as possible to get the most out of their year, students are able to sign up at any point during the fall semester. We also provide an expedited version of BentleyPlus for any new spring undergraduates who join the Bentley community in January.
BentleyPlus is open to all undergraduate students who wish to sign up.
- Student Affairs: The Division of Student Affairs at Bentley encompasses departments that focus on the student experience outside of the classroom. This includes Student Programs and Engagement, Multicultural Center, Athletics, University Police, New Student Programs, Center for International Students and Scholars, Health, Counseling and Wellness, Residential Center Housing, Gender and Sexuality Student Programs and more.
- Co-Curricular Experience: Opportunity offered outside of the classroom that helps students develop strengths and skills. Some examples of co-curricular experiences are participating in a student organization, being on a sports team, attending a campus event with a speaker, attending a community discussion about a current event, etc.)
- Competency: Knowledge, skills and/or abilities that lead to superior performance in an area.
Earn your BentleyPlus Certificate
Staff and Faculty
If you are a staff or faculty member and manage a co-curricular program or experience that you would like to highlight with the BentleyPlus competencies, or you would like to learn more about the program, please complete this form or email jberman@bentley.edu.