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For nearly 75 years, the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC) has facilitated win-win-win scenarios between Ohio’s independent college and university campuses, Ohio students, and Ohio companies. Today, OFIC is comprised of 33 member campuses across the state, representing just under 75,000 students.

“Our core mission has always been to financially support students at independent Ohio institutions in completing their bachelor’s degrees,” says Bill Spiker, president, noting that those with a college degree statistically earn a lifetime income of $1 million more than their non-degree counterparts. “With our new strategic plan, we’re focusing on ‘Next-Level Fundraising’ to increase support of students in pursuit of their bachelor’s degree, as well as our ‘Talent for Ohio’ initiative, which seeks to strengthen career connections between campuses and corporations.”

Talent for Ohio

OFIC works with campus career centers to help students grow in their career readiness and build awareness of career options in Ohio and beyond. “We want students to be aware of industry verticals,” says Spiker. “A student might not think they want to have a career in manufacturing, for example, but they could miss the chance to work in finance, marketing, or HR at a manufacturing company. We want to help them look at career opportunities holistically, not based on the industry label.” 

Through OFIC, students on OFIC campuses can access an online career-readiness experience comprised of eight core competencies (identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers), such as professionalism, critical thinking, and communication. Upon completion, students receive a career readiness Credly badge that can be promoted on their resume, LinkedIn, and other professional platforms. “The insights gained from the program, coupled with the digital badge, distinguish students and make them more competitive for internships and full-time positions,” says Spiker.

Corporate Connections

On the employer side, OFIC works with Ohio businesses to expand their talent pool of potential internship candidates and make career connections with students. OFIC philanthropic partnerships include some of Ohio’s most well-known corporate entities, such as the Nationwide Foundation, Sherwin-Williams Foundation, and the Foundation Office at Fifth Third Bank. Many partnerships have been sustained for decades, since OFIC’s founding in 1950.

“We serve as an extension of our partner organizations’ talent pipeline, which is particularly beneficial for small and mid-sized companies that don’t have robust internal programs in place to effectively move students from internships to full-time positions,” says Spiker. “We facilitate these connections as part of a company’s talent acquisition plan through a set of OFIC internship management training modules.”

OFIC helps corporations gain access to great students through its programing, which is coordinated with their campuses. In addition, corporate donors may customize selection criteria in OFIC’s Ohio Scholars Program, resulting in students who are better aligned with the company’s hiring needs.

“It’s very satisfying to be part of an economic growth engine for the state of Ohio,” concludes Spiker. “I’m very proud of the OFIC staff and couldn’t be happier about the direction we’re headed with our Trustees and campuses in partnership for Ohio.”

Ready to champion student success, enhance career readiness, and strengthen Ohio’s talent pool? Contact Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges at [email protected] 

Media Contact
Company Name: Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges
Contact Person: Bill Spiker
Email: Send Email
Phone: 614-469-1950
Address:60 Collegeview Road, Suite 107
City: Westerville
State: OH 43081
Country: United States
Website: https://www.ofic.org/