Work on real projects for real organizations
xLab gives CWRU students the opportunity to work on real transformation challenges with real organizations.
Instead of lectures, quizzes, or hypothetical assignments, xLab students work in small teams on scoped projects for external partners. Projects may involve customer discovery, market research, data analysis, digital strategy, AI use-case exploration, concept design, prototyping, proof-of-concept development, or recommendations for future implementation.
The work is challenging, practical, and highly visible. Students are not just completing an assignment for a class. They are contributing to a real project for a real partner organization.
Applications for Fall 2026 are closed. Spring 2027 applications will open in November 2026.
“One of the highlights of my MBA journey was completing two projects through xLab at Weatherhead School Of Management.”
Milana Sacco, MBA Class of 2026
Why join xLab?
xLab is one of the most distinctive experiential learning opportunities at CWRU.
Students gain experience that is difficult to get in a traditional course: working with clients, navigating ambiguity, collaborating on multidisciplinary teams, building useful deliverables, and communicating recommendations to people who may actually use them.
In xLab, students can:
- work on a real project for an external organization
- apply business, technical, design, research, or communication skills in context
- learn how to move from an unclear challenge to a useful solution
- gain experience with digital, data, AI, and cloud-based tools used in industry
- build a resume story that demonstrates initiative, execution, and impact
- develop stronger collaboration, communication, and project-management skills
- work closely with faculty, student team leads, and motivated peers
In an era when information is easy to access and AI tools can generate code, content, and analysis quickly, employers increasingly look for people who can define the right problem, learn what needs to be learned, work with others, and execute. xLab is designed to help students build and demonstrate those capabilities.
“One of my most memorable moments at CWRU was working with [Cleveland’s] West Side Market through xLab. It was my first project where the work felt truly real because it involved an actual community partner and a historic institution with real stakes. I also loved collaborating with students from different backgrounds since it pushed me to communicate better and think beyond just the technical side.”
Zelan Eroz Espanto, CWRU undergraduate
https://case.edu/news/powering-progress-women-driving-science-cwru
What students do
xLab project work varies depending on the partner and challenge.
Some projects focus on discovery and strategy. Students may conduct interviews, synthesize stakeholder needs, analyze markets, evaluate competitors, develop personas, map user journeys, or identify opportunity areas.
Some projects focus on digital, data, or AI innovation. Students may explore use cases, analyze datasets, design workflows, build prototypes, test AI-enabled tools, develop dashboards, or create proof-of-concept systems.
Some projects focus on concept development. Students may translate insights into user stories, storyboards, wireframes, interface mockups, service concepts, business model concepts, or development roadmaps.
Across all project types, students learn how much important work happens before a solution is built. In an era when powerful development tools can make it possible to build almost anything, the harder question is often: What should be built, for whom, and why?
xLab students learn to investigate that question through research, design thinking, analysis, communication, and iterative problem solving.
“My favorite thing about xLab is getting to meet and work with students from different backgrounds and disciplines every semester.”
Elijah Shields, CWRU class of 2025
Tools and technologies
xLab projects often involve modern digital and AI tools used broadly in industry.
Depending on the project, students may work with platforms and services such as OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS, Vercel, Pinecone, analytics tools, prototyping environments, cloud databases, and other emerging technologies. xLab also has access to high-performance GPU resources for internal experimentation when appropriate.
Students do not need to know every tool before joining xLab. More important is the ability to learn quickly, ask relevant questions, collaborate well, and apply tools thoughtfully to the project challenge.
“Working on xLab projects has allowed me to apply technical and strategic skills in real-world scenarios. My first client project was particularly rewarding, as I witnessed how our AI solution directly impacted a business process.”
Ruihuang Yang, MBA Class of 2026
What we look for
xLab is open to students who are ready to take ownership of real work.
We look for students who are:
- motivated, curious, and dependable
- comfortable working with ambiguity
- willing to learn what a project requires
- strong communicators and collaborators
- able to take initiative and follow through
- interested in solving real problems for real organizations
- respectful of teammates, faculty, clients, and deadlines
Technical, analytical, design, research, and business skills are all valuable. But xLab is not only about what students already know. It is also about how students approach unfamiliar challenges, learn new tools and methods, and contribute to a team.
“I am particularly drawn to xLab because it allows me to work on real-world projects with complex challenges. This provides an excellent opportunity to sharpen my skills, gain hands-on experience, and connect with professionals, making it a valuable platform for growth and networking. “
Osama Zafar, PhD student, Computer Science
What to expect
xLab is not a lecture course. It is a project-based experience with real expectations.
Students work in teams, typically with a faculty supervisor and student team lead. Teams must become productive quickly, make meaningful progress during the semester, and deliver strong work by the end of the project.
Students should expect to:
- attend project meetings and team working sessions
- communicate professionally with teammates, faculty, and project partners
- complete assigned work on time
- contribute to research, analysis, design, development, or deliverable creation
- participate in presentations or client-facing discussions when appropriate
- adapt as the project evolves
- take responsibility for the quality of the team’s work
The experience can be demanding, but that is what makes it valuable. xLab gives students a chance to demonstrate not only what they know, but how they work.
Where xLab can lead
xLab experience can help students stand out.
Past xLab students have gone on to roles at organizations including Amazon, Meta, Progressive Insurance, Hyland Software, ByteDance, and others. Some xLab partner organizations have also hired students they came to know through project work.
High-performing xLab students will be considered for future leadership roles, including serving as team leads, supporting additional xLab projects, or joining flexible project teams that work outside the traditional semester schedule.
More broadly, xLab helps students build the kind of evidence employers care about: the ability to execute, communicate, collaborate, learn quickly, and contribute to real work with real stakes.