Staff Interview with Tarah Darge

What inspired you to work for iXperience?

I love the purpose-driven nature of what we do. We truly help students to realize their potential and unlock personal and professional growth.

Describe a typical day at work.

When the program is on, it's all hands on deck! We all chip in to plan events, coordinate the ops, and capture the memorable moments. When we're in the planning phases, our marketing team works closely together to get the word out there to students who would be a great fit for the program and benefit from it most.

Why do you do what you do?

I love being a part of a team that is pioneering in the education space. It's path-finding, always-exciting work that has a real, tangible impact that is a true joy to be a part of.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Meeting so many different, bright, passionate students who are intent on shaping the world for the better. Meeting the inspiring teachers who are breaking ground in their fields is also exciting.

How do you use your education and international background in your role as Head of Content for iXperience?

I have a great love of travel, and believe in the idea that growth and learning happens from doing. We try to incorporate that into how we structure the programs, as well as how we position them to students.

What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?

We are a newish business, with radical growth ideas. Trying to execute on numerous projects and navigating a constantly changing business landscape is always a challenge.

What are some current projects you are working on?

We are working on building new courses, updating the structure of our program, and creating new, value-add materials for all of the stakeholders and students.

What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?

You don't love the typically touristy stuff and you probably never will. Get out there and be in the moment, enjoy the quirky stuff, and keep a journal.

What makes iXperience special?

iXperience started in 2013 as a study-abroad coding bootcamp that would bridge the gap between academia and industry. Since then, it's grown into a global operation that has helped more than 1400 students accelerate their career while exploring the world. Throughout, our focus has stayed on creating authentic connections within our community. We go to great lengths to get to know our students, teachers, and partner companies, which we believe has been instrumental to our success.

Why should someone choose iXperience over competitors?

Our programs develop the skills and knowledge you need to build a purposeful and impactful life. We offer a unique combination of learning, interning, and exploring abroad. More than that, our blended internship model means that students are supported throughout their internship and therefore have more to show for it.

What hopes do you have for the future for iXperience?

It is my hope that we continue to grow and reach a broader body of students, expand our course offerings into year and semester programs, while retaining the community aspect that makes iX so special.

Are there any developments within your organization that you would like to share with us?

We plan to launch new courses in 2020, focused on the careers of the future and in partnership with some global organizations. We are also opening a fifth campus, in an exciting new continent.

What makes iXperience easy to market to potential participants?

Our unique internship project model. In order to ensure strong integration of teaching and practical deliverables, two days a week will be spent in the classroom learning new concepts and reviewing progress against those deliverables. This provides an exciting opportunity to positively impact a company, with the support you need to ensure maximum success.

Internship projects are structured by the respective partner firms in collaboration with your teaching teams to ensure that the skills you learn in the classroom are the skills you’ll need in the company where you’re placed. Projects may vary from company to company and from year to year, but they’re all designed to challenge our students and help them to grow.

What is the iXperience mission and how do you continue to work toward it?

It is our mission to help our community of students, team members and teachers unlock radical growth, both personally and professionally. We are pioneering a holistic, experiential approach to education that empowers students for the future of a rapidly changing business world.

What do you hope participants take away from your programs?

I hope that all of our students leave with a set of very real, relevant skills and practical experience that enables them to stand out in subsequent applications for dream jobs. Not only that, I hope that they leave feeling connected to new friends, and achieve personal growth.

If you could participate in an iXperience program, where would you go and what would you do?

I love Cape Town but would absolutely love to explore Tel Aviv. The weather, the food, the nightlife and history all look absolutely incredible. Our team and students had the best time there this year.

What questions do participants often ask you, and how do you typically respond?

They ask us a lot about the internship companies we partner with. Typically, we like to partner with start-ups and innovators, as our students have the opportunity to have a bigger impact in these smaller environments where their projects get put to practical application.

Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?

Students have often expressed that they feel like they live in a bubble. Independence, encountering new cultures and people, learning how to navigate foreign cities and developing a deeper understanding of who you are and your place in the world will challenge, empower, shape and ultimately help to make you a better human.

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

The world is more globalized than it has ever been before. Meaningful travel means seeking to understand the increasing interconnectedness of society and how that impact is felt culturally, socially, politically and economically. Global citizens have a developed lens through which they view the world and its challenges. Meaningful travel is the means by which we develop this lens.

What does ethical global engagement mean to you?

It’s about finding the match of community needs, student interests, and academic area expertise, experience, and skills, as well as being humble enough to continually remain open to criticism and therefore improvement, developing the reflective skills necessary to realize mistakes and correct them.

What hopes do you have for the future of international education?

It is my hope that more and more students have access to an international education, despite economic or cultural backgrounds. International education is the means by which we break barriers, overcome prejudice, and realize our collective potential to shape the world we live in for the better.