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Learning with Academic and Community Return on Investment
This imperative centers the question of value. When students invest their time, money, and energy in a Sacramento State education, that investment must yield real returns: upward economic mobility, expanded career opportunities, skills development, and meaningful community impact. This imperative reflects the university's accountability to students and to the region it serves. It draws most directly on learning and student success and teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity, connecting the outcomes students achieve to the quality and innovation of the academic experiences the university provides.
Artificial Intelligence Initiative
Sacramento State’s Artificial Intelligence Initiative is positioning the university at the forefront of one of the most transformative technologies of our time. Through innovative academic programs and strategic investments, the university is preparing students to graduate with the AI-related skills and knowledge employers increasingly demand. These efforts reflect Sacramento State’s commitment to maximizing student return on investment by connecting education to emerging workforce opportunities.
The Artificial Intelligence initiative includes the launch of an AI Management degree concentration and undergraduate minor offered through the College of Business, the expansion of access to education through new AI courses offered by the College of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies and the College of Continuing Education's Open University, and a strengthening of our institutional expertise through a cluster hire of faculty in Computer Science. Together, these investments create new pathways for students, working professionals, and lifelong learners to develop in-demand AI competencies while benefiting from instruction and mentorship from leading experts in the field.
Black Honors College
The Sacramento State Black Honors College is a first-of-its-kind academic initiative designed to maximize students’ return on investment by combining a rigorous educational experience with mentorship, leadership development, research opportunities, internships, and community engagement. Open to students of all majors and backgrounds, the Black Honors College equips students with the knowledge, networks, and real-world experiences that enhance academic achievement and career readiness while centering Black history, culture, and contributions. Through cohort-based learning, dedicated support systems, and high-impact experiences, students graduate with the skills, confidence, and connections needed to thrive as leaders in their careers, communities, and beyond.
Certificate of General Studies
The Certificate of General Studies represents a move toward improving a student’s return on investment because it tells employers and other relevant contacts that a student has two years’ worth of new skills, abilities, and personal and intellectual growth. When a student attends community college, they walk away with an associate’s degree after two years. Our students should also be able to show something on their resume for their first years of work.
The Certificate of General Studies has been successfully established through the curriculum approval process and is now officially listed in the University Catalog for Academic Year 2025-26, marking completion of the foundational academic approval phase.
We will now focus on retroactive certificate awards to reengage people who may have stopped out to get them the return on investment that they deserve.
Internship Opportunities
Paid internships are one of the most powerful ways to connect classroom learning with career success. In Fall 2025, Sacramento State launched 210 paid student internships, creating opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience, build professional networks, and develop the skills employers seek— all while earning income that helps support their educational goals.
These internships represent a direct investment in student success. By removing financial barriers that prevent students from participating in experiential learning, we are helping students graduate with stronger resumes, clearer career pathways, and a competitive advantage in the workforce. This initiative reflects President Wood’s commitment to maximizing student return on investment by ensuring every Hornet has access to opportunities that translate learning into long-term career and economic mobility.
Wileety Native American College
The Wileety Native American College advances Sacramento State’s commitment to student success by providing a culturally grounded educational experience that delivers lasting value for students and their communities. Through a tribally centered model that integrates Native American Studies, leadership development, community engagement, and experiential learning, students gain both academic knowledge and practical skills that strengthen their personal, professional, and civic impact.
As California’s first Native American college of its kind, Wileety is designed to enhance students’ return on investment by connecting classroom learning with leadership opportunities, mentorship, and culturally responsive support. Graduates leave prepared to pursue purposeful careers, serve Tribal Nations and Native communities, and create positive change while carrying forward Indigenous knowledge and values.
