OCTOBER 2020 'Co-op 2.0': UC's Latest Breakthrough EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION NOW A STAPLE FOR ALL UNDERGRADUATES The latest U.S. News & World Report rankings place UC in the Top 5 of all universities for cooperative education and #1 overall among public schools. Yet what is probably most exciting is the growth of what we’re calling Co-op 2.0.
Co-op has long been a game-changing opportunity for our DAAP, engineering, IT and business students; many alumni have told me it was why they came to UC, and that it created a pathway to their life’s work. With Co-op 2.0, all baccalaureate students, regardless of their college or major, can now have such a career-oriented, compensated experience in the workplace and on their transcripts.
Offering more experiential learning opportunities with hundreds of industry and community partners each year and the ability to retain the typical four-year college schedule instead of co-op’s traditional five-year timeframe, Co-op 2.0’s innate flexibility is its greatest strength. Companies partner with UC because they know we have the processes, creativity and talent to help them solve their problems. They may need to figure out how certain things can be done — say, virtualizing an event — and also need help actually making it happen, such as an IT solution, because they lack the resources to do either. In that way, multiple co-op experiences present themselves. We even have grant money available to pay students to perform work with not-for-profits and small businesses. An evolving marketplace guarantees an endless supply of diverse opportunities.
For various reasons and across multiple disciplines, much of this work was developed to be performed remotely, which became extremely relevant as 2020 unfolded. “Even before the pandemic, we had recognized that work would increasingly rely on virtual or semi-virtual environments,” says Gisela Escoe, dean of UC’s Division of Experience-Based Learning and Career Education. “That foresight is allowing us to quickly expand capacity on a foundation that already existed.”
UC’s engineering dean Herman Schneider created cooperative education in 1906 to respond to a changing world. Now with Co-op 2.0, UC again is a pioneer, reinventing real-world education to serve our students and the business community. I invite you to contact UC’s Partnership Development Team to learn more about Co-op 2.0’s mentorship, hiring and recruitment opportunities.
Go Bearcats! Jennifer L. Heisey '97 Executive Director, UC Alumni Association VP of Alumni and Donor Experience, UC Foundation | , , Dr. Lofgren Addresses COVID Response UC Health professionals have been at the forefront of trying to defeat COVID-19 and restore public health. As part of the new BEARCATS/Health series, UC Health CEO Richard Lofgren hosted a Sept. 29 discussion and Q&A, which is available for replay. Kelce Brothers A pair of proud Bearcats are again in the spotlight as a new and unusual pro football season ramps up. Sports Illustrated made Jason and Travis Kelce the subject of its daily cover story as the most accomplished set of brothers in pro football. Meanwhile, after signing a massive new contract with Kansas City, Travis is creating a space for inner-city teens to be safely supported in exploring STEM careers. #BearcatsUnited The UC Department of Athletics and its Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is marking its Pow6rful Minds week by continuing its #BearcatsUnited messaging to increase awareness of social justice and inequality issues.
Map Out Your UC Connections Bearcats Connect, the UC Alumni Association’s new online platform, includes a wide variety of features to facilitate networking and career development, including a “map view” that lets you locate fellow Bearcats geographically. Join the Bearcats Connect community.
Latino Bearcats to Gather for Town Hall An Oct. 8 virtual town hall dubbed Con-e-ctado!,presented by the UC Latino Alumni Network, will bring Bearcats together to discuss the current environment for students and alumni while celebrating the recently proclaimed National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 through Oct. 15).
From Asia to Africa to Clifton: Kalyaani’s Story Carrying a global outlook since she was young, Kalyaani Patel came to UC from her native India by way of Zambia. A scholarship is helping with her current study of psychology, which she feels will lead to bigger things. Alumna’s Creatures Bring Joy to Kids Macy Meyer, DAAP ’18, founded a business called Sidekicks Made to create stuffed animals for homeless children, with the faux furry friends based on the kids’ own imaginations.
Show Us Your #UCStrengthInUnity Building from the Homecoming 2020 theme, the UC Alumni Association will offer #UCStrengthInUnity, a series of social media challenges throughout October for chances to win “Strength in Unity” shirts for your entire crew.
Upcoming Virtual Events OCT. 8
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ALSO OF NOTE... Large Gift to Fund 40 Medical Scholarships Over Four Years Ten members of the College of Medicine’s Class of 2024 are recipients of the newly established Webster-Gustin Medical Scholarship, made possible through a nearly $7 million anonymous gift honoring a pair of the college’s alumni. WATCH: Lindner Grad Energized by the Power of Scholarships Receiving a scholarship is a very personal experience, generating a sense of renewed purpose and elevated responsibility, as Lindner College of Business alumna Abbie Smith explains.
Say Thanks to a Faculty Member with Award Nomination Do you fondly remember a faculty member for the excellence and influence he or she brought to your educational experience? Alumni are encouraged to nominate professors for the Barbour-Cohen Faculty Awards.
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