Three students earn Co-op Scholarships

Three Cincinnati State students have been recognized as the “Cooperative Education/Internship Students of the Year” for 2022, and each has received a scholarship award.

A total of six students were nominated by their Co-op Coordinators as possible scholarship recipients.

• Nominated students must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher and must write an essay that describes the benefits and challenges of their co-op experiences.
• A recommendation from the co-op employer is required also.

Brandie Presson is majoring in Business Management.

Brandie completed co-op activities while serving as Business Director for the Wellington at North Bend Crossing Senior Living Community.

• Co-op Coordinator Adam Waits said Brandie’s “exemplary”  work included daily interaction with staff members and vendors to ensure efficient care and exceptional services for 145 residents at the Senior Living Center.
• “She earned a $10,000 raise within 6 weeks of starting, and Brandie has been named by the current Executive Director as her future replacement,” Adam said. 
• Brandie said in her application essay that switching from direct health care to management was a positive decision. She said, “I felt burned out, but my coordinator was supportive through the entire process and gave me a lot of advice. I’ve also been able to share my experiences and help other students through discussion boards.”

Jacob (“Jake”) Samad is a Computer Software Development major.

Jake was just hired full-time as a software developer by his co-op employer, Cincinnati Insurance Companies (Cincinnati Financial).

• Co-op Coordinator Noelle Grome said Jake is “a stellar student with a tremendous work ethic” and she noted that Jake was “the first student ever to be interviewed by Cincinnati Financial and be offered a co-op position on the spot.”
• Noelle said Jake has impressed his supervisor while working on high-level assignments.
• Jake said, “I wasn’t sure what to expect coming into Cincinnati State with zero experience in computer programming, but the opportunity to participate in co-op  was a big draw. Without the co-op program, I would not have had a jumpstart in my IT career like I have now.”

Oscar Spille is an Associate of Arts student and a member of the Honors Program.

Oscar completed co-op work as a Patient Care Assistant (PCA) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in the pediatric intensive care unit, and will continue this Summer as an Honors Program co-op, completing a research project on stress and burnout in the nursing profession.

• Co-op Coordinator Jayne Dressing said Oscar “struggled to find his career path” at first but had a “life changing” work experience at Cincinnati Children’s.
• Jayne said Oscar’s supervisor, Kasey Lovelace, described him as “the hardest working PCA I’ve ever worked with. He anticipates the needs of patients and nursing staff, which leads to a more organized and supportive work environment for everyone.”
• Jayne added that Oscar’s experience at Cincinnati Children’s “renewed his hope that there is a place for him in the field of nursing.” In Fall, Oscar will continue his education at the Good Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing.