Spring Break may mean sunshine and beaches for many college students, but for some undergraduates at Fisher, the week away from campus provided an opportunity to gain insight into career at nearly two dozen central Ohio companies.

Fifty-eight students participated in the inaugural Fisher Undergraduate Job Shadow Program, conducted through the college’s Office of Career Management. The program connected multidisciplinary teams of Fisher students with 19 leading companies to provide a glimpse into various employment opportunities.

“I work with undergraduate students exploring different career paths within business, and I often hear, ‘I wish I could learn what a day in the life of a ________ looks like,’ ” said Katie Reynolds, assistant director, Undergraduate Career Development at Fisher. “The Undergraduate Job Shadow Program was created to help students find opportunities to answer that question.”

Companies that participated in the job shadowing program included:

AT&T Mobility

Marathon Petroleum

Caliber

Merrill Lynch

Cardinal Health

National Interstate Insurance

Employment Solutions

Quicken Loans

Express

Rev1Ventures

Hexion

Stanley Steemer

Honeywell Aerospace

The NRP Group

Hopkins Printing

The Select Group

KeyBank

Vector Marketing

Kroger

Accounting student Nicole Myers spent a day shadowing auditors at Kroger. Myers said the experience provided insights and access that will help shape her career development.

“I was able to network with several professionals, learn more about Kroger in general, speak with management about career recruitment, and learn more about what an auditor does on a daily basis,” she said. “One part of the experience that I especially enjoyed was learning more about the CPA exam from professionals who have passed and are currently taking the exams.”

UG Job Shadow 1
From left, Janae Boyles, Michael Romano, Nicole Myers, Andy Post, Matthew Fletcher, alumnus Zach Welp, Ryan Heinzelman and Meredith Gleichert.

Adam Bailey, a marketing student, shadowed representatives at Employment Solutions, a temporary staffing firm for manufacturing and distribution companies.

“The job shadow program was a great experience and one I would highly recommend to any student looking for a worthwhile experience over spring break,” Bailey said. “I look forward to hopefully participating in it next year, as I feel I not only gained important advice and insights but also made some great connections as well. The most important thing to remember during a job shadow, no matter where it is at, is that it is what you make of it.”

Read more of Adam’s experience

“The Undergraduate Job Shadow Program is a win-win for all involved,” Reynolds said. “Our students get first-hand glimpses into key positions at some of the area’s leading companies, helping them develop goals for their careers. These companies, many of which already partner with Fisher, are able to engage with our talented students and begin building or enhancing their recruiting pipeline at Fisher and Ohio State.”

UG Job Shadow 2
From left, Jason R. Lady (Rotational Analyst & Intern Program manager), junior Ryan Cheng, sophomore Lan Poe, freshman Selin Yenibahar, freshman Aruni Prakash, freshman Anthony Charles and freshman Connor Thobe.