Professional Development for choose ohio first scholars
A core component of the Choose Ohio First (COF) scholarship program is professional and personal development. COF scholars engage in a variety of events and other activities to build and gain professional skills to meet employer needs.
Upcoming Events for the 2026-27 Academic Year
Choose Ohio First scholarship recipients should refer to this page throughout the academic year for announcements of upcoming events. 听For 2026-27, there will be a kick-off meeting/breakfast, a STEM Mixer hosted by the Rocket Career Center, and other activities focused on assisting students with their transition from college to the workplace. 听COF scholars will also receive information about events through email.听
Choose Ohio First Scholar Showcase
Each year, a University of Toledo COF student is given the opportunity to participate
in the Choose Ohio First Scholar Showcase at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. 听Students
give examples of the impact that COF has had with career preparation. 听The most recent
scholar to represent the University was Reed Schumacher, a Computer Science and Engineering
student. 听Reed highlighted how receiving a COF scholarship allowed him to gain experience
in circuit troubleshooting, user interface design, and technical writing and documentation.
听Among the real-world experiences he received was an internship at NASA where he supported
the Launch Vehicle Electrical Systems branch. 听COF scholars will be notified via this
site and email about the Showcase and the proposal submission deadline.
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Choose Ohio First STEM Mixer
Each year, COF scholars are invited to attend a mixer that is hosted by the Rocket
Career Center. 听The mixer is designed to elevate students鈥� networking skills by being
given an opportunity to converse in a professional setting and learn work-related
etiquette tips. Students interact with faculty and administrators to talk about a
wide-range of topics. 听The positive feedback from previous mixers has reinforced the
value of this event and the important skills that are developed and honed. 听 COF scholars
will be notified via this site and email about the date and place of the 2026-27 cohort
mixer.
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Meet cait kleinfelter
'24, Actuarial Science
"I gained valuable insight by listening to the experiences shared at the STEM Tales event. I was excited that one of the panelists worked at Hylant because I applied for an internship there a few months back. After the event, we had the chance to network and I later received an email from Hylant offering me an internship to work with their sales enablement department this summer! I am grateful that the COF gave me the opportunity to network and grow my career".
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