Insider Innovations: July 2026 Recap

For the third consecutive summer, OFIC partnered with Independent College Advancement Associates (ICAA) to host Insider Innovations, bringing together representatives from OFIC member campuses and career services professionals, for a day of professional development and collaboration.

Attendees participated in engaging morning sessions and lunch together before breaking into specialized afternoon tracks tailored to advancement, alumni relations, and career services professionals. The day wrapped up with networking over an ice cream sundae bar, making for a fun and memorable conclusion to a day of learning and connection.

The event was held Tuesday, July 28 at The Point at Otterbein University in Westerville. Kevin Smith, CEO of Leadership Ohio, opened the day with a keynote on civic leadership and collaboration across sectors.

Morning sessions covered ground relevant to every attendee, regardless of specialty. Vilmarie Perez of Oberlin College led a session on funded, employer-based travel experiences that connect students to careers. That was followed by a panel on work-based learning funding, featuring Lucy Tarpy of OFIC and Denison University, Andrea Domachowski of Ohio Northern University, Leigh Mascolino of Ohio Wesleyan University, Jessica Hall of Denison University, and Gabriella Valentine of Oberlin College.

A luncheon and awards program brought the group together at midday before the afternoon split into role-specific sessions. Career services and employer relations professionals explored strategies for building stronger, more sustainable employer partnerships. A separate session, led by Josh Lisko of Kenyon College, looked at how OFIC has used micro-internships to give students meaningful 40-hour project experiences while expanding organizational capacity.

Advancement and grant-focused attendees heard from a panel on NetVUE funding, including Robert Pampel of NetVUE, Shelley Amstutz-Szalay and Jackie Vascura of Muskingum University, and Drew Poppleton of John Carroll University, who shared how vocational exploration grants have supported campus career programming.

OFIC closed the day with remarks thanking attendees, presenters, and ICAA for another successful year of Insider Innovations.