Buckeye Careers celebrates the value of internships and job opportunities
The effort to find students opportunities after college was on display Tuesday as The Ohio State University’s Office of Student Life marked Ohio Internship and Co-op Appreciation Day.
The event at the Ohio Union was part of the effort to highlight the value of internships and co-ops for students and to encourage employers across the state to offer more of those opportunities.
“It’s basically celebrating the value of internships and really encouraging students to participate in internships or experiential learning so that they’re able to be more prepared after their college career,” said Julia Beckner, internship director for Buckeye Careers at Ohio State .
The Buckeye Careers program offers career development assistance, support and resources for all Ohio State students.
Beckner worked with volunteers to hand out information and give away T-shirts and other items. With her was Betsy Whiteman, a third-year Environment, Economy, Development and Sustainability major.
Whiteman put her classroom knowledge into service working at a family-owned market and grocery as part of the Second-year Transformational Experience Program.
“I was in an intermediate leadership position – I was leading seasonal staff, younger employees. I was shadowing every level of management from the farmers over in Marietta to the CEO of the company,” she said. “I definitely focused a lot on customer satisfaction, customer service, people skills, communicating effectively and giving guided directions. I learned a lot.”
Beckner said Ohio State has over 15 college career services offices on campus as well as Buckeye Careers in the Office of Student Life. While her team is out bringing attention to the program on this particular day, Beckner said it’s a year-round effort to prepare students for the workforce.
“The value is to help the student link the academic curriculum to practical real-life experience. So they’re getting the theory in the classroom, and internships then help the students understand what they want to do or what they might not want to do,” Beckner said. “It also helps them develop some of those core skills that they need in the workplace such as teamwork, communication and problem solving.”
Abigail Ormsby is a second-year Higher Education and Student Affairs graduate student. As part of her program she worked for Buckeye Careers. She said the connections she made as part of her practicum experience helped her find a job.
“It was a really great experience because I got to meet professionals who really mentored me through the job application process for a professional job,” Ormsby said. “So having leaders investing in me as I’m creating my own resume, really developing my personal interview skills was so crucial. I think it is what pushed me over the edge to landing a professional job.”
Ormsby is now the Dunn Sport and Wellness Scholars coordinator in the Office of Student Life. She said she knows firsthand how the opportunities at Ohio State are unlike anything else.
“If you are looking for resources or you’re looking for opportunities, Ohio State is the best school for whatever you’re interested in,” she said. “We have resources, we have the organizations, we have the professionals who also share those passions. There’s always somebody willing to connect you to those people. I think that’s something that only Ohio State offers.”
