OFIC Insider - November 2025
A Season of Gratitude and Connections
November brings a season of gratitude 🍁. This month, we’re reflecting on how thankful we are for OFIC’s generous donors whose support makes student scholarships and internships possible. We’re also thankful for the events that bring people together and are a reminder of the value in peer-to-peer engagement, connection with business and industry, and relationship-building, especially in the service of shaping the next generation of Ohio’s workforce.
What’s Inside This Month:
Scholarship Application Open: Students can be considered for up to 500 scholarships ranging from $1,000-$5,000 by completing one application, available now!
OCEA Event Recap: On November 14th, OCEA hosted their fall drive-in event filled with engagement, networking, and education.
Upcoming Insider Innovations Event: Join us for a day of learning with our peers, thanks to our 12twenty sponsors.
Talent for Ohio: Celebrating two years!
We’d love to hear from you! Do you have suggestions for future editions or something specific you'd like to see? Let us know - your feedback shapes the content we deliver.
Thank you,
Melanie
Ohio Scholars Program Application Now Open!
Please help OFIC spread the word and encourage students to complete our Ohio Scholars Program (OSP) scholarship application. Through one application, students will be considered for more than 500 scholarships ranging from $1,000-$5,000.
Students are also encouraged to answer some career-related questions and add a resume to their OSP scholarship application so OFIC can help connect students to talent-related activities and opportunities!
To learn more and access the application, students can visit the Ohio Scholars Program webpage. The OSP scholarship application will remain open until May 1, 2026.
OCEA Event Recap
The Ohio Cooperative Education Association (OCEA) hosted their fall drive-in event at the beautiful Honda Heritage Center on Friday, November 14. It was great to connect with employers, government and community leaders, as well as career services staff from across Ohio - including representatives from OFIC member campuses: Ashland, Muskingum, and Ohio Northern University!
The day was filled with engagement, networking, and sessions that focused on:
Jobs, Ohio sectors, top industries and businesses in Ohio, and initiatives across the state to recruit and retain talent
Current labor laws, drug testing with emphasis on the legalization of marijuana, and international hiring
A.I. utilization in career services and the importance of creating a guidebook for
students, as well as how businesses are using A.I. as part of their interview practices,
and how students should prepare to encounter new technology and interview practices
Save the date for OCEA's spring conference at the Ohioan in northern Columbus May 13-15. More details and registration coming soon.
Insider Innovations - Save the Date!
Get ready for our next in-person gathering, Insider Innovations! Join us Friday, February 6, for a free day of learning and connection, generously sponsored by 12twenty. We will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ashland University in the Convocation Center.
Hear about programming designed to connect international students to alumni and employers, explore resources to support your students, and join roundtable discussions with peers. Registration and the full agenda are coming soon. Mark your calendar, you won’t want to miss this!
Celebrating Two Years of Talent for Ohio
The past two years have marked a fresh chapter for Talent at OFIC, thanks to the partnership with our campus career services teams. What began with CareerFest, first in person and then online, has grown into a broader effort built on your collaboration and insight. Together, we have moved beyond traditional fairs to create internships, employer spotlights, TalentedU badges, and events that give students real connections and clear next steps. This work is stronger because of you, and the momentum we are seeing reflects that shared commitment. It has been an exciting start, with even more ahead.
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