Updates from the Career Center of Excellence
April 2026
The Big Picture
Ohio State officially launched the Career Center of Excellence (CCOE) in January, building on more than a decade of foundational work through Buckeye Careers and marking a new era of coordination and shared momentum in career development across the university. Over the past four months, the CCOE has partnered with colleagues from across campus to develop an ambitious, yet grounded, five‑year strategic plan designed to position Ohio State as a national leader in a unified, human‑centered career ecosystem.
At its core, the CCOE exists to reduce unnecessary complexity so that everyone — students, faculty, staff and employers — can more confidently support students’ career journeys. With a primary focus on undergraduate, degree‑seeking students, the plan advances four strategic priorities:
- Increasing student participation in meaningful work‑based learning
- Building the infrastructure needed for consistent career data, reporting, and decision‑making
- Streamlining and scaling employer engagement through coordinated outreach
- Positioning Ohio State as a leading learning community centered on career readiness
Over the summer, the CCOE will bring together cross‑functional working groups for each priority, engaging campus partners to share best practices and co‑create solutions that move this work forward.
Ultimately, the CCOE is about elevating and connecting the strong career services that already exist across colleges and campuses — not replacing them. We are committed to identifying, celebrating and scaling effective practices already underway so that all Ohio State students can benefit from a more cohesive and impactful career experience. We’re excited to share this newsletter with you to highlight what we’re working on, what’s ahead, and how you can be involved — thank you for your partnership and collaboration.
Tech talk and tools
Expand your AI workforce knowledge at the Annual Handshake Access Conference
Each year, Handshake hosts a two-day virtual conference called Access. The 2026 edition is being held May 6-7, and registration is free.
This year’s conference will focus on how AI is reshaping the workforce and the opportunities it creates for the next generation of job seekers. AI is transforming how students learn, how employers hire, and how institutions prepare the workforce of tomorrow. During Access 2026, you’ll hear directly from Gen Z, industry leaders and experts at the forefront of AI innovation, grounded in Handshake’s latest data on early talent, skills and the evolving world of work.
New AI integration, Sidekick, coming soon to Handshake
Soon, Handshake will begin testing an AI‑powered companion ("Sidekick") to help students refine their resume. Sidekick will be located inside the student Jobs tab.
The goal is to give every student basic, responsible support at scale as a complement to, not a replacement for, the in‑depth advising and bespoke programming your offices provide today.
Bright spots across campus
Ohio State Marion Career & Job Fair
The Ohio State Marion Career & Job Fair hosted in April welcomed 70 employers to campus, representing a wide range of industries from the corporate, government and non-profit sectors. Industries that participated this year include automotive, healthcare, advertising and social assistance to name a few. Seventeen of those employers are also members of the Marion Chamber of Commerce, incorporating connection and importance of community partnership.
263 students were in attendance, with attendees representing the Marion campus, Marion Technical College and community members, seeking out internships or career opportunities.
Career Studios have launched in Buckeye Commons
Meeting students where they’re at on the career journey – that’s the guiding principal which led to the creation and opening of Career Studios in Buckeye Commons. Career Studios were designed to provide students of all majors and ranks valuable career feedback and support, guided by trained student peer career coaches.
Topics that student peer career coaches cover are:
- Building or revising a resume
- Interview preparation
- Job and internship search
- Referrals to a career coach for individualized support and guidance
Best of all, no appointment needed! Students can drop by the Buckeye Commons Monday through Thursday, and at the Thompson Library on Fridays.
Encourage students to check out their website or visit Handshake for hours of operations and more information.
Industry in focus
Columbus Blue Jackets 2026-27 season internships
The Columbus Blue Jackets are now accepting applications for their 2026–27 season internships, offering students hands-on, credit-eligible experience across communications, public relations, marketing and fan engagement, community development and foundation operations, creative services, business intelligence, ticket sales and operations, premium experience and corporate partnerships, digital media and content, broadcasting, journalism, and game operations. Interns support real-time, professional workflows through projects such as writing and editing press materials; media monitoring and game-day credentials; designing digital and print creative assets; producing social and broadcast content; executing in-game promotions, events, auctions, and fundraising initiatives; supporting ticketing and premium client services; and organizing, analyzing, and reporting data from CRM, survey, social media, and ticketing platforms.
Across roles, learning objectives emphasize skill development in professional writing and storytelling, media relations and broadcasting production, event planning and guest relations, sponsorship and revenue activation, nonprofit operations and fundraising, customer service, database management, and applied data analysis using tools such as Microsoft Excel. Collectively, these internships provide students with portfolio-ready work, exposure to NHL-level operations, and strong alignment with career readiness and experiential learning outcomes.
Opportunities are currently posted on TeamWork Online, and we are partnering with the Columbus Blue Jackets to ensure these roles are also made available to students through Handshake.
Smucker's student trek
In March, 52 Ohio State students traveled to J.M. Smucker’s corporate headquarters for an immersive career exploration experience organized by the CCOE. Students represented the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, the Fisher College of Business, and the College of Engineering. This visit marked the third year in which J.M. Smucker’s has hosted Ohio State students at its headquarters.
Throughout the day, students heard from panels of recent Ohio State alumni, networked with early-career talent managers, and participated in a research and development fireside chat. They also toured company facilities and explored historic sites, including the original home owned by the Smucker family.
A highlight of the visit was a hands-on brainstorming session where students worked in teams to extend existing brand product lines. During this activity, students considered sustainability, leveraged existing supply chain and manufacturing capabilities with minimal facility modifications, and took into account current flavor trends as well as nutrition and food-related areas of concern. This applied experience allowed students to connect academic learning with real-world business, innovation and industry decision-making.
By the numbers
Do you have students still looking for internships and jobs for this summer?
- Handshake has over 5,000 listings for internships currently open
- 17,247 full time job listings are available to our upcoming graduates who are still looking for their post-graduation job
- Remind them that other types of experiences matter to employers as well. Students can still make use of their summer time for career development even if they haven’t obtained an internship. In the 2026 Job Outlook report by Nace employers listed a number of other factors that matter to them when hiring students:
- Holding a leadership position
- Being Involved in extra-curricular activities
- Having a Part-time job (this includes on campus jobs)
- Volunteering
- Micro-internships
- Attaining industry related certifications
How to get involved
The CCOE is launching a new program that will support university units in creating, expanding or converting internships into paid experiences for undergraduate students — the Internship Catalyst Grant Program. The program provides startup funding to test new approaches, reduce barriers to participation and strengthen employer partnerships that lead to paid internships. Applications are due May 15!