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Excitement filled OHIO’s College of Business (COB) during its annual held on April 22nd and 23rd. Inspired by the celebratory feel of athletic signing events, this occasion gave Business Bobcats the chance to publicly share their secured internships, full-time jobs, and immersive experiential learning opportunities.  

“Signing Day has become a highlight of the COB calendar each year that everyone looks forward to,” said Luke Edwards, an Associate Director, Career Management & Employer Relations at the College of Business. “Students work hard to secure internships and full-time roles, and it is important that these achievements are celebrated and not taken for granted.”  

The event, now in its third year, is both fun and meaningful, says Katie Thomson, associate director of career management and career education for the College of Business. She notes its similarity to major league athletics press conferences, describing it as "a play on when athletes commit to a university or a professional team. 

“We took that idea, and students share their exciting news, such as internships, full-time jobs, or experiential opportunities they’re headed to for the summer." 

But more than just a fun event, Signing Day gives students a chance to celebrate their success and share their next steps with the College of Business community.  

“Signing Day signals to employers, peers, future students, and alumni that we expect students to pursue meaningful experiences that lead to their next step,” said Dr. Jackie Rees Ulmer, Dean of the College of Business. She emphasized these experiences apply to many paths COB students might pursue, whether full-time employment, military service, graduate study, or other opportunities.  

While a smaller Signing Day also takes place in the fall, the spring event, held the week before finals, is the primary showcase. It marks the culmination of years of preparation and gives students a meaningful opportunity to announce their next professional steps.      

A business degree with built-in internship and career support  

The students’ success reflects the college’s structured approach to career development. In the COB, professional readiness is not an optional service; it’s embedded into the academic experience.  

Experiential learning is required, ensuring each student gains real-world skills and workplace insight.  

“We hear from employers all the time how important transferable skills and career competencies are in the business world,” said Edwards. “The goal is to help our students understand the importance of these soft skills, but also allow them to practice articulating their story, including these crucial competencies.” 

Each summer, more than 400 COB students pursue academic internships, and that number grows considerably when accounting for those in non-credit-bearing roles.   

“We know how important it is to practice and apply classroom learning to real-life experiences,” says Thomson.

This emphasis aligns with President Gonzalez’s Engage Pillar and reflects the College’s investment in impactful, applied learning.  This preparation begins early in the student’s educational journey. First-year students take BA1000, where they learn professional standards, build LinkedIn profiles, and receive resume feedback. Sophomores go deeper into career planning, purpose exploration, and networking. Before graduation, every College of Business student completes an internship or an approved experiential opportunity.  

The centerpiece of this process is the Integrated Business Cluster, a classroom-based simulation typically completed sophomore year. In it, students work through realistic business challenges, developing skills that many employers say rival those of full-time hires.  

“It’s just threaded through the classes and those experiential opportunities,” Thomson explains. “You put it all together, and it’s kind of magical. They rise to the challenge. When you expect something of them, they meet it and exceed it. That’s the culture we’ve built.”  

The college hosts one of the largest stand alone events on campus; last year drawing nearly 100 employers and have attracted as many as 1600 student, reflecting the strength of both student engagement and employer interest.  

A top business school in a rural setting with national career opportunities  

A common misconception suggests that studying business in a rural setting like Athens, Ohio, can limit opportunity. But the results achieved by COB students and alumni tell a different story: these connections drive real outcomes.  

“We have students across the country (and a few across the world), in large multinational companies through to smaller start up organizations, across every industry you can imagine,” said Edwards.  

Year after year, COB graduates earn internships and full-time jobs with companies like , , , , , , , , , , , and .   

While many students accept roles in major Ohio cities like Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, others secure positions across the U.S.  

Employers consistently praise COB students, Thomson notes, describing the OHIO students as 'gritty,' 'detail-oriented,' and capable of performing at the level of peers from nationally recognized institutions. The First Destination Survey, with a 95% response rate, confirms the outcomes year after year, consistently reporting around 90% positive outcomes (work force, graduate school, volunteer, or military).

Edwards adds, “Feedback from employers has been phenomenal. They are always so impressed with how professional and “career ready” Business Bobcats are.”     

Internship funding and experiential learning support for business students  

Understanding that financial barriers can prevent students from pursuing transformative opportunities, the College of Business sought to expand funding to help eliminate these obstacles and empower students to engage in career-building experiences. Inspired by this need, Jennifer Young Stevens made a generous $20,000 gift to create the Jennifer Young Stevens Collegiate Impact Fund, which supports students by covering travel and living expenses associated with internships.

“We’ll have a student sit in our office and say, ‘I got this amazing offer, but it’s in California, and I can’t afford to get there,’” Thomson recounts. “Jennifer heard about that and wanted to make sure our students weren’t turning down incredible opportunities because of financial constraints.”

A recent anonymous gift of $50,000 expanded the fund’s reach, enabling more students to accept out-of-state internships, including roles with companies like FedEx in California, Monumental Sports & Entertainment in Washington DC, and Plante Moran in Chicago. These experiences enhance student development and strengthen the College’s relationships with key employers.

Career placement and employer partnerships at OHIO’s College of Business  

Signing Day also plays a strategic role in student success. It contributes directly to the COB’s first destination survey, a key tool in tracking where graduates go after earning their degrees. These outcomes support national rankings and help demonstrate the strong return on investment of an OHIO business education.  

The event also drives employer engagement. As students post their commitments, the career office tags their respective companies on social media, especially LinkedIn. This real-time push generates meaningful visibility for both students and employers. As Thomson puts it, “we actually flood socials that day.” It’s an active demonstration of the COB’s strong employer network and the talent pipeline connecting students to professional roles.

A launchpad, not a limitation: Career outcomes from OHIO’s College of Business  

Each year, Signing Day reflects the College of Business’s mission: to cultivate highly capable, resilient, and globally competitive business professionals. It shows that a COB education in a rural environment is not a hindrance to opportunity. It connects students to employers, empowers them with experience, and positions them for long-term success.  

“Our Business Bobcats have a unique advantage right here in Athens. We intentionally set up our curriculum and scaffold experiences both inside and outside of the classroom to reflect what they will encounter in their internship and post graduate experiences,” says Ulmer.   

The College of Business deploys faculty with significant professional experience, including a number of Executives-in-Residence hired specifically to help prepare students for their careers and the expectations of the C-suite. Often 51���� alumni, these Executives-in-Residence connect students to companies across the country and around the world.  

“I think it shows that there are no limitations and there is no prescribed journey. It sounds very cliché, but you truly can do whatever you want to do,” said Edwards.  

With an integrated curriculum, proactive advising, employer partnerships, and financial support systems, 51����’s College of Business isn’t just educating future leaders; it’s helping place them to secure valuable career opportunities, one signature at a time.

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