OCDA February 2025 Newsletter

Welcome to the Ohio Career Development Association Newsletter!

As we continue to navigate an ever-evolving professional landscape, the Ohio Career Development Association remains committed to supporting career development professionals across the state. In this edition of our newsletter, we bring you updates on upcoming events, professional development opportunities, and the latest trends in the career development space. Whether you're looking to expand your network, discover new resources, or stay informed about the latest industry insights, we're here to help! Thank you for being a valued member of OCDA — together, we are shaping the future of career development in Ohio!

Join us for an exciting webinar taking place on Monday, March 17th. 

Register online HERE

Do you have photos from past OCDA meetings, events, or conferences? We want to see them as part of our 50th Anniversary Celebration this year! Please share any OCDA photos with us at ohiocda@gmail.com. 

Call for Proposals
DEADLINE EXTENDED: Friday, March 7, 2025

Want to Share Your Expertise? Submit a proposal for the OCDA 2025 Conference! This year’s conference theme is Seasons of Change in Career Development: Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, and Where We’re Going, and the theme consists of 3 pillars that will be used as guidance for our selection of presentations. To learn more about OCDA’s conference theme and guiding pillars as well as submit a proposal, you can follow THIS LINK. The deadline to submit your proposal is FRIDAY, March 7, 2025, at 11:59pm EST. 

Sponsorship Packages

Sponsor the 2025 OCDA Conference!

Does your organization want to support career development in the state of Ohio? Consider sponsoring the 2025 OCDA Conference! This conference serves as a pivotal gathering for professionals in the career development field, bringing together leaders, practitioners, coaches, and educators from across the state.

Why sponsor the OCDA Conference?

Exposure

Networking

Brand Recognition

Variety of Sponsorship Packages available

To learn more about sponsorship packages, please visit ocdaonline.org/sponsorships

Questions about the conference?

Email President-Elect/Conference Planning Chair, Kaleigh Mahon at kmahon3@kent.edu.

Government Relations Updates

The OCDA Government Relations Committee (GRC) is excited to share the launch of our Advocacy webpage on the OCDA website! This new page will be for news/information about the Government Relations Committee.

Check out the latest Pulse On Ohio article for a ton of helpful links, resources and information that would be beneficial to you and the constituency groups you serve HERE

Want to get more involved with OCDA? Join the Awards Committee!

If you're looking for ways to get involved in OCDA, consider joining the Awards Committee to help coordinate the awards presented at our Annual Conference. For further information, contact Anna-Kaye Rowe, Awards Chair at rowea@ohio.edu. We have two openings available.

2025 OCDA Awards Nominations are Now Open!

Every year, OCDA recognizes professionals in the field of career development! This year, OCDA is looking for nominations for four different awards. Nominate a colleague for the following awards:

Outstanding Graduate Student Award

The Career Innovator Award

The Bob Windle Leadership Award

Conference Themed Award: The Transformational Impact Award

Visit ocdaonline.org/awards to complete the nomination form.

Celebrating 50 Years of OCDA: 1975-2025

Trivia Fun: Introduced in 1975, this candy has pressurized carbon dioxide gas bubbles embedded inside it, creating a slight popping reaction when it dissolves. Name that candy.

Stay tuned for the next newsletter for more 50th anniversary trivia and the answer to this month's trivia question. Attend OCDA professional development events and keep with OCDA on social media for a chance to win a prize at the OCDA conference in June!

Featured Career Resource: OhioMeansJobs.com

OhioMeansJobs.com has a ton of cool career resources that can be shared with your students/clients!

Resources include but are not limited to:

Resume builder and rater

Budget calculator

Skill and interest assessments

Free GED in college entrance practice tests

Interviewing practice tool

Job listings/job search platform

Information about in-demand careers with links to local training programs and scholarships

Career Zone video library

Career skills information

Virtual and in person workshops

Special sections for veterans, students, and workers with disabilities

Some of these services are also offered in person at OhioMeansJobs centers across the state and every county has an OhioMeansJobs center!

If you have any ideas for membership email content, please email Chelsea Francis at cfranci1@cscc.edu.

OCDA January 2025 Newsletter

A Message from OCDA President, Richard Fajardo

Dear Members,

Did you know that "Love Will Keep Us Together" by Captain & Tennille was the Number 1 single in Billboard Magazine's Top Hot 100 songs of 1975? Why am I bringing this up?

As you may have heard, we are celebrating OCDA's 50th Anniversary this year because we were founded in, you guessed it, 1975! So much has happened in the Career Development arena over the past 50 years. We hope to have you join us for the upcoming conference June 5th-6th at Ashland University, as well as for other workshops and events as we build on what we have done in the past and what we currently do to put together an exciting future for ourselves and the people we serve.

Another reason I bring up music is that music can be a great way to relax and reflect. I don't know about you, but I have enjoyed countless hours putting together different playlists in my lifetime--sometimes to reflect on past or current times in my life (sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes other emotions), other times with themes like 'sports music', and even the occasional collection of my latest downloads. In fact, one of my favorite moments connecting my career to music was listening to my favorite 'latest downloads' playlist from my time in grad school at Bowling Green State University during my drive to a final job interview at The Ohio State University. It was during my Graduate Assistantship with the Graduate and Executive Programs in Business Office at BGSU when I found my passion for working professionally in higher education. In turn, after that interview day, I received the offer for my current job with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at OSU.

A fun project I am now working on in my downtime is putting together a playlist of 1 song from each of the years I have been alive. I will admit, I was not around yet when "Love Will Keep Us Together" was at the top of the charts, nor was I alive when ABBA released "Dancing Queen" in 1976, itself one of the top songs of the 1977 charts (my wife, who also was not around at that time, made sure to include the Mamma Mia! movie cover of the song on our wedding playlist). I look forward to completing this new playlist! I just counted and have 22 songs filled in as of this writing. I will say that one of my favorite songs, "No One" by Alicia Keys, made the list on that old BG playlist, my wedding playlist, and my new '1 song per year' playlist.

Do you ever use music to help you relax and reflect? Are there any songs that define moments or eras of your life? Is there an album that instantly takes you back in time to your younger self? Whatever the song, genre, etc. is, I hope you rock on, feel the rhythm, enjoy the flow of the moment, and although this song did not make the cut on my '1 song per year' playlist, in the words of Lee Ann Womack: "I hope you dance!"

Best regards,

Richard Fajardo

2024-2025 OCDA President & Archives Co-Chair

Do you have photos from past OCDA meetings, events, or conferences? We want to see them as part of our 50th Anniversary Celebration this year! Please share any OCDA photos with us at ohiocda@gmail.com. 

Conference Updates

SAVE THE DATE!

2025 OCDA Conference

June 5-6, 2025

Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio

We are thrilled to extend an invitation to the OCDA 2025 Conference, Seasons of Change in Career Development: Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, and Where We’re Going. To learn more about the 2025 OCDA Conference, you can follow THIS LINK. You won't want to miss this exciting conference and celebration!

Call for Proposals

DEADLINE: Friday, January 31st 2025

Want to Share Your Expertise? Submit a proposal for the OCDA 2025 Conference! This year’s conference theme is Seasons of Change in Career Development: Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, and Where We’re Going, and the theme consists of 3 pillars that will be used as guidance for our selection of presentations. To learn more about OCDA’s conference theme and guiding pillars as well as submit a proposal, you can follow THIS LINK. The deadline to submit your proposal is THIS FRIDAY, January 31, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.

Sponsor the 2025 OCDA Conference!

Does your organization want to support career development in the state of Ohio? Consider sponsoring the 2025 OCDA Conference! This conference serves as a pivotal gathering for professionals in the career development field, bringing together leaders, practitioners, coaches, and educators from across the state.

Why sponsor the OCDA Conference?

Exposure

Networking

Brand Recognition

Variety of Sponsorship Packages available

To learn more about sponsorship packages, please visit ocdaonline.org/sponsorships

Questions about the conference?

Email President-Elect/Conference Planning Chair, Kaleigh Mahon at kmahon3@kent.edu.

Government Relations Updates

The OCDA Government Relations Committee (GRC) is excited to share a recap of our Second Annual Government Education and Engagement Day that took place in November 2024! This exciting event provided the opportunity for OCDA members to engage in advocacy efforts at the Ohio Statehouse! To read more about this exciting event, follow THIS LINK.

Additionally, the OCDA GRC is proud to share the launch of our Advocacy webpage on the OCDA website! This new page will be for news/information about the Government Relations Committee. You can learn about the GRC as a whole, how OCDA engages in advocacy, and it will also be the location of our GRC news known as the Pulse On Ohio! Check out the Advocacy page HERE.

Want to get more involved with OCDA? Join the Awards Committee!

Join the Awards Committee!

If you're looking for ways to get involved in OCDA, consider joining the Awards Committee to help coordinate the awards presented at our Annual Conference. For further information, contact Anna-Kaye Rowe, Awards Chair at rowea@ohio.edu. We have two openings available.

Nominations Coming Soon!

Be on the lookout for the official call for award nominations next week in your inbox and on our social media. We're super excited about this year's Conference-themed award and can't wait to share all the details and review your nominations. Please be thinking of colleagues you may want to recognize for their work in the career development field.

Featured Career Resource: CareerOneStop Interest Profiler

Our Newsletter Committee member, Sarah Grace McCollough, shares a tool she has used with students to explore career options:

https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/interest-assessment.aspx

As a part of CareerOneStop, a FREE career resource, you can participate in an Interest Profiler. Once completing this short 30-question assessment based on your preferences for various work tasks, you can receive results based on your interests & skills. The results help to identify how you relate to 6 work personalities: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, & Conventional. It then connects you with job profiles from the Career One Stop, which is sponsored by the US Department of Labor (these are updated with salaries, job profiles, and more!).

As a whole, CareerOneStop is a great tool for career explorers and students who are trying to determine career & major options!

If you have any ideas for membership email content, please email Chelsea Francis at 
cfranci1@cscc.edu.

OCDA Government Education and Engagement Day

OCDA spent Wednesday, November 13th at the Ohio Statehouse for the 2nd Annual Government Education and Engagement Day! Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to engage in advocacy activities, tour the Ohio Statehouse, meet with guest speakers from the Ohio Department of Jobs & Family Services, and drop off letters/information about OCDA to state legislators. This event, planned by the OCDA Government Relations Committee and their Committee Chair, Sarah JanTausch, allowed for attendees to share their experiences within the career development field and learn ways to advocate for the needs of career professionals and their clients/students.

Seen Above: Government Education and Engagement Day attendees and guest speakers in the State Room at the Ohio Statehouse.

Pictured left to right in back row: Michelle Norris, Jill Cates, Kaleigh Mahon, and Newton Kimberly. Pictured left to right in front row: Alicia Camak, Rachel Richardson, Julie Wirt, and Brad Barger.

Seen Above: OCDA Government Education and Engagement Day attendees holding the Proclamations from Ohio House of Representatives, Ohio Senate, and Ohio Governor's Office recognizing OCDA and National Career Development Month.

Pictured left to right in back row: Alicia Camak, Rachel Richardson, Jill Cates, and Sarah JanTausch. Pictured left to right in front row: Michelle Norris, Kaleigh Mahon, and Newton Kimberly.

Check out the Proclamations in the images below!

 

REGISTER TODAY: National Career Development Month Events

Register today for OCDA's exciting lineup of events celebrating National Career Development Month! Be sure to read more about each of these events and register by following THIS LINK!

SAVE THE DATE: 2025 OCDA Spring Conference

Save the date for OCDA's 2025 Spring Conference. The theme of the 2025 Conference is Seasons of Change in Career Development: Where We've Been, Where We Are, and Where We're Going.

The 2025 OCDA Conference will take place on Thursday, June 5th and Friday, June 6th 2025 in Ashland Ohio.

We cannot wait to network, learn, and celebrate 50 years of OCDA together!

OCDA August 2024 Newsletter

Cheers to a fantastic year with OCDA!

It's time to wrap up the 2023-2024 year and look forward to OCDA's 50th Anniversary Year!

A Thank You Message from the OCDA Past President, Christine Yancey

As I write this final submission for the OCDA newsletter, I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude and pride for the incredible journey we shared over the last twelve months. Serving as president for OCDA has been a true pleasure and has proven to be one of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences of my professional life.

All that we have accomplished over the last twelve months is nothing short of amazing and I am in awe of the work being done to promote our profession. I am particularly proud of the progress we’ve made and continue to make in the areas of government relations, membership development, DEI, and professional development. There is still more work in store for 2024-2025, so stay tuned!

Throughout the year, our board and committee members rose to the challenge and facilitated programing that made meaningful strides in enhancing our profession and providing valuable resources for our members.  I would like to thank each one of them for their unwavering commitment and hard work;  it was my pleasure to be part of this very talented and dedicated group of individuals. We often say OCDA members are not just colleagues and partners, but we’re friends. 

As I stepped down at the beginning of July, I am confident that OCDA is in excellent hands with the leadership of Richard Fajardo, your President. Richard, along with Kaleigh Mahon, your President-Elect. Both Richard and Kaleigh already have plans for an exceptional year.

Finally, we have a very successful OCDA Annual Conference this year and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the event sponsors: College Central Network, You Science, On Demand Occupational Medicine, Interviewing.com, and Evergreen Mentorship. I’d also like to thank the presenters and participants who made this event so successful.

Lastly, I’d like to thank you, our members, whose enthusiasm, dedication, commitment, and contributions are the lifeblood of our organization.  It has been my pleasure to serve you and I look forward to seeing you at future OCDA events.

With best wishes,

Christine Yancey

Past-President, OCDA

Reflections from the OCDA 2024 Annual Conference
Strive to Thrive: The Impact of Wellness on Career Development

Thank you to all of our members in attendance, presenters, our sponsors and exhibitors, the OCDA board, and Ohio Dominican University for another successful annual conference! This year, we had a wonderful turn out of conference attendees, as well as both brilliant keynote speakers and break out session speakers who continue to inspire and revolutionize the work we do.

Take a look at some of the photos from this year's conference!

We are so grateful for this year's conference sponsors and exhibitors! Thank you for your invaluable support!

A huge thank you to our Gold Level Sponsor, College Central Network!

Click here to learn more about our Gold Level Sponsor - College Central Network

And another huge thank you to our Silver Level Sponsor, You Science!

Click here to learn more about our Silver Level Sponsor- You Science

Click here to learn more about our Exhibitor - Evergreen Mentorship

Click here to learn more about our Exhibitor - Interviewing.com

Click here to learn more about our Exhibitor - LDW Group, LLC

Click here to learn more about our Exhibitor - On Demand Occupational Medicine

A Welcome Message from OCDA 2024-2025 President, Richard Fajardo

Dear Members,

The summer has been flying by as we enter the month of August. Hopefully, each of you has been able to take some time to enjoy your favorite summer activities. Although I have not yet made it to a baseball or softball game, I have enjoyed seeing my favorite sports teams from Cleveland (the Guardians, the Cavaliers, and the Browns) using LinkedIn to promote their organizational successes and various career opportunities they offer. Much like other social media channels, LinkedIn continues to evolve, and hopefully for the better. 

Having attended a couple other conferences in June in addition to our annual conference in May (for those of you wondering, conferences with the National Career Development Association (NCDA) and the National Agricultural Alumni Development Association (NAADA)), I walked away with the ever-relevant reminder about the importance of 'refilling our cups'. I also reflected and thought about the metaphor of 'fuel'. Much has been said about the former in our professional realm. However, the 'fuel' metaphor is important because it often gets overlooked. Thinking of this in terms of vehicles, putting diesel fuel in a gasoline vehicle's gas tank can cause some extensive damage. Moreover, putting gasoline fuel in a diesel vehicle's gas tank can be even more devastating and dangerous. In either case, the wrong kind of fuel will not help a vehicle run and can hurt it.

In terms of 'refilling our cups' and helping others 'refill their cups', let us think about understanding what kind of fuel we run on and what kind of fuel other people around us run on. For example, I mentioned sports above, which may appeal to several people but might not be interesting for numerous others. While attending an Ohio State Women's Basketball NCAA Tournament game during a Friday workday brought much joy and inspired my work for the rest of that day, other people may find sporting events to be boring and de-energizing. With that said, although well-intentioned, advice and tips for success and growth are not always universally applicable. As members of various teams and groups, we must take the time to learn about what helps energize each person and keeps their momentum going. Giving someone the appropriate fuel can go a long way. A struggling hire or a struggling student might not be a 'lemon car' and may just need different fuel to operate. 

Remember that this 'fuel' metaphor is not just about our service to others. We also need to take care of ourselves, giving ourselves the fuel that we need to continue on our paths. Much like the people we serve, we are not 'lemon cars' or 'cars that are ready to be scrapped for parts'. Be sure to take the time to do activities that replenish you and make you feel like yourself - you deserve it! 

Richard Fajardo, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

OCDA President

OCDA Upcoming Professional Development Events

Click here to pre-register for this webinar!

If you have ideas or submissions for membership email content, please email Maddie Kindig at kindig.13@osu.edu

REGISTER TODAY: Emotionally Intelligent Leadership

OCDA's Webinar Series proudly presents Dr. Arianna Howard! Dr. Howard will be leading a virtual interactive session on Thursday, August 8th from 12pm-1pm EST! Attendees will participate in an intricate dance of self-reflection and critical thinking and practice strategies to manage people, lead the vision, and handle conflict with grace and compassion!

Please note that you MUST pre-register for this event to receive the Zoom link! Pre-registration will close on Wednesday, August 7th at 5pm

Presentation Zoom Link will be sent out to all pre- registered participants at least one hour prior to the event, or earlier.

REGISTER HERE

OCDA Early Spring 2024 Newsletter

The Ohio Career Development Association (OCDA) would like to invite you to register for our Spring Conference titled, Strive to Thrive: The Impact of Wellness on Career Development! This exciting TWO (2) DAY event will take place on Thursday, May 30th 2024 and Friday, May 31st 2024 at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio. Registration for the Conference is OPEN and can be found by following THIS LINK.

This year's Conference theme comprises of three (3) core principles:

Through referencing these principles, presentations have been selected to encompass a variety of topics including but not limited to AI, K-12 career development, special populations, healthy work environments, trauma-informed supervision, and MUCH MORE! To learn all about this year's presentations, speakers, and schedule, you can follow THIS LINK. 

NOTE: Presentation titles in the schedule marked with an asterisk are presentations in which CE's have been applied for!

We are looking forward to an exciting Conference, and we hope that you will join us to learn, network, and #ThriveWithOCDA!

A Message from the President, Christine Yancey

Dear OCDA Members,

As we look forward to warmer weather and longer days, we embrace new opportunities to grow within ourselves, both personally and professionally. Whether you are interested in learning how professionalism impacts our view of inclusion; or taking a hard look at conflict and how it affects how we engage with those around us, there’s something for everyone through the work of our Professional Development calendar of events.

Speaking of calendars, mark yours for May 30-31, 2024 for the OCDA Annual Conference! Plans for our conference are currently in full swing. This year’s event will take place at the beautiful campus of Ohio Dominican University in Columbus. This 1 ½ day conference will be packed full of professional development sessions focusing on topics from wellness in the workplace and in our personal lives, to AI and its impact, to DEI and the implications on our career field. You don’t want to miss this annual event and the opportunity to earn CE’s while you learn.  This year, we had 2x as many proposal submissions as last year, so attendees will have lots to choose from. 

Are you looking to make a difference? If you are passionate about creating a more inclusive future and ensure everyone has equal opportunities within the career development space, join our DEI committee. Over the next couple of months this committee will implement programming that will foster a stronger sense of inclusion and look at how DEI impacts how we serve our students and clients. For more information on this important initiative, email us at ohiocda@gmail.com.

I look forward to a productive and fulfilling Spring and hope to see you in person at our conference in May!

Warm Regards,

Christine Yancey

President, OCDA

CALLING OHIO COUNSELORS: OCA Legislative Advocacy Day

Consider joining OCA for Legislative Advocacy Day on Tuesday, April 9th 2024 from 9am-3pm!

Location: Riffe Center, Room 1960 | 77 South High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215

To learn more about this event and to register, follow THIS LINK!

**Consider registering for this event SOON as there are only 47 spots left!**

This year's conference theme is: Strive to Thrive: The Impact of Wellness on Career Development

Dates: Thursday, May 30th and Friday, May 31st, 2024

Location: Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

Early Bird Registration (Register by Friday, March 15th, 2024 at 11:59pm EDT) OCDA Members- $120 Non-OCDA Members- $160* Student- $50*^ * Includes one year of membership. Non-OCDA members must create an account to register and to gain a FREE year of membership ^ Student rate applies to students currently enrolled in a graduate/doctoral degree program.

Regular Registration (Register by May 22nd, 2024 at 11:59pm EDT) OCDA Members- $150 Non-OCDA Members- $200* Student- $60*^ * Includes one year of membership. Non-OCDA members must create an account to register and to gain a FREE year of membership ^ Student rate applies to students currently enrolled in a graduate/doctoral degree program.

Week-of Conference Registration (May 23rd, 2024 at 12:00am EDT until the conference) OCDA Members- $175 Non-OCDA Members- $240* Student- $70*^ * Includes one year of membership. Non-OCDA members must create an account to register and to gain a FREE year of membership ^ Student rate applies to students currently enrolled in a graduate/doctoral degree program.

REGISTER HERE

We've extended our proposal submission deadline until March 7!
If you have a topic you'd like to share with our members regarding the intersection of mental health and career, workplace wellness, DEI, or AI/technology, please visit ocdaonline.org/proposals for more info or to submit a proposal!

CLICK HERE: ocdaonline.org/proposals

Calling all innovative businesses in career-related industries!
Are you looking to connect with professionals in the career development space?
We're seeking sponsors for the 2024 Ohio Career Development Association Conference, which is attended by dedicated experts from all over the state of Ohio who are shaping the future workforce.

Whether you offer cutting-edge tools, resources, or services, this is your chance to connect with decision-makers and showcase your solutions! Let's collaborate to empower careers and drive success together!

For more information on sponsoring the OCDA Conference, CLICK HERE

We want to celebrate you! Every year, OCDA recognizes professionals in the field of career development, and we are calling for this year's award nominations! Please see below for the award criteria and the career professional who won this year's award!

Award winners will receive a $100 honorarium, a commemorative gift, and will be recognized at the OCDA Conference on Thursday, May 30, 2024 & Friday, May 31, 2024!

Please take a moment to nominate your amazing colleagues!

Read the award criteria and nominate some outstanding career professionals by following THIS LINK

If you have ideas or submissions for membership email content, please email Maddie Kindig at kindig.13@osu.edu