SIGN UP TODAY for the Maine CDA's Fall Workshop "Life Design for Navigating Change: Re-Imagining the Career Experience in a Post COVID-19 World." OCDA members will receive a promotional rate of $25 when signing up for this workshop. See below for more details!

---

Life Design for Navigating Change: Re-Imagining the Career Experience in a Post COVID-19 World 

 Maine Career Development Association's Fall Workshop, with the theme of  “Life Design for Navigating Change: Re-Imagining the Career Experience in a Post COVID-19 World” will be delivered virtually on Friday, November 13th.  Our keynote speaker and facilitator, Dr. Farouk Dey, is the Vice Provost for Integrative Learning and Life Design at Johns Hopkins University.

Description: Join us to learn about future trends in higher education and the world of work, how people and organizations can leverage the current context to design new pathways, and inequities in life and career outcomes for underrepresented minorities largely due to the transactional systems in higher education and talent acquisition.

MCDA Fall Workshop, 4 CEUs
Friday, November 13th, 2020
Virtual via Zoom
8:30am-12:30pm
Member: $25, Non-Member: $35, State CDA Member (all states): $25, Graduate Student: $15

Registration Link: https://www.maine-cda.org/event-3909501

MCDA Fall Workshop November.pdf

Did you know that November is National Career Development Month? Join OCDA for several exciting events throughout the month! We are hosting two CEU eligible trainings and three Coffee Chats. See the schedule of events here:

To learn more about these events and the NCDA Poster and Poetry Contest, check out our National Career Development Month page found at this link!

If you are interested in registering to attend any of these events, you can click on the event links on the homepage of the website or find the full list of events and their descriptions at this link!

National Career Development Month Events: Registration Now Open!

Learn more about our National Career Development Month events and register online at https://ocdaonline.org/events. 

Attend Free Trainings (CEU Eligible) for the Month of November

OCDA is offering two, free professional development trainings for the month of November; both of these trainings are CEU eligible (1 each) for members approved by the Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapy Board.

• Monday, November 16th from 6pm-7pm (Virtual): Engaging Graduate Students on Career Management with Evan Faidley, M.Ed., M.A.
• Thursday, November 19th from 12pm-1pm (Virtual):  Designing Mentorship Programs that Incorporate Career Readiness and Self-Efficacy with Taylor Slocum, MSEd., LPC, CPRW.

Network with Other Members - November Coffee Chats

Network virtually with other members during NCDA Month. OCDA will be hosting three Coffee Chats. These meetings are FREE to members and are a wonderful opportunity to meet other members and discuss career related topics!

Dates and Topics:

• Thursday, November 12th from 4pm-5pm:  Advising and Community Engagement/Involvement (e.g., employers)
• Wednesday, November 18th from 5pm-6pm: Advising and Career Programming
• Monday, November 30 from 12pm-1pm: Programming and Special populations

NCDA Poster & Poetry Contest

National Career Development Month is here! Join OCDA in standing out as the most creative and expressive career association by sharing your artistic or poetic talents by clicking HERE for competition information.

Who can enter the NCDA Poetry & Art Contest?

Every adult and student enrolled in eligible, as well as adult practitioners who are not enrolled in school. Content divisions include:

What is this year’s theme?

You are designing a piece of one-page art (created digitally or scanned) or a poem—both virtually submitted as a 8.5” x 11”.pdf, .jpeg or .png file—to the following theme: “My Future Career – Imagine the Possibilities.”

When is my entry due and where do I submit my entry?

The deadline to submit your entry to OCDA is Monday, December 14 by 11:59:59PM EST. Click on the Submission Form to submit your poster or poem.

What happens if I win?

THERE ARE PRIZES!!! OCDA is providing the following prizes this year:

First- through third-place winners’ entries will be sent to the national level for the possibility to win a national award and to be put on display to professionals excited about creativity and careers!

We will also be doing a People’s Choice Award through OCDA social media for you to view the work and vote for your favorite to earn a certificate. Winners will also have the opportunity to attend the OCDA Annual Conference in May 2021 for free. For more information, contact Evan Faidley at efaidley@kent.edu.

National Career Development Month Events: Save the Date!

November is NCD/NCDA Career Development Month and the OCDA Board has put together some great opportunities for our members! Read below for what we are offering for the month of November. 

Attend Free Trainings (CEU Eligible) for the Month of November

OCDA is offering two, free professional development trainings for the month of November; both of these trainings are CEU eligible (1 each) for members approved by the Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapy Board.

• Monday, November 16th from 6pm-7pm (Virtual): Engaging Graduate Students on Career Management with Evan Faidley, M.Ed., M.A.
• Thursday, November 19th from 12pm-1pm (Virtual):  Designing Mentorship Programs that Incorporate Career Readiness and Self-Efficacy with Taylor Slocum, MSEd., LPC, CPRW.

 

Network with Other Members - November Coffee Chats

Network virtually with other members during NCDA Month. OCDA will be hosting three Coffee Chats. These meetings are FREE to members and are a wonderful opportunity to meet other members and discuss career related topics!

Dates and Topics:

• Thursday, November 12th from 4pm-5pm:  Advising and Community Engagement/Involvement (e.g., employers)
• Wednesday, November 18th from 5pm-6pm: Advising and Career Programming
• Monday, November 30 from 12pm-1pm: Programming and Special populations

OCDA Virtual Winter Book Club

Looking to snuggle up with a good book this winter? Need something to do while stuck at home? Join us for a good book and discussion during our first ever book club! Whether you want to listen to the audiobook or read it, we are excited to have you! We will meet virtually every three weeks starting in December; book title, dates, and sign up will be announced soon.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Dalila Byrd, OCDA Archives Chair, @ dalila.bennett@wright.edu.

Call for Toolkit Requests

We would like to feature members on our social media and the opportunity to share any tools or resources YOU have been using during the pandemic that have been useful while working with clients! We also plan to compile these resources in an exclusive Toolkit to be shared with all members in the month of November!

If you would like to be featured on our social media and/or your tool to be included in the Member Toolkit, please submit:

• Your name, job title, and employer
• A recent headshot of yourself OR a short 30 second - 1 minute video of yourself describing the tool
• The tool (a worksheet, link, book title, etc.) and a brief description of what it is and how it has been helpful

NCDA Career Practitioner Institute

Tuesday, November 10th from 11am to 5pm, join NCDA for their Career Practitioner Institute titled, "Practical Techniques and Strategies for Career Development Practitioners." For the first time ever, this NCDA CPI will be VIRTUAL. Registration is $175 for members, $125 for students/retired, and $275 for non-members. Register online by clicking here.

National Career Development Month Events: Save the Date!

November is NCD/NCDA Career Development Month and the OCDA Board has put together some great opportunities for our members! Read below for what we are offering for the month of November. 

Attend Free Trainings (CEU Eligible) for the Month of November

OCDA is offering two, free professional development trainings for the month of November; both of these trainings are CEU eligible (1 each) for members approved by the Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapy Board.

• Monday, November 16th from 6pm-7pm (Virtual): Engaging Graduate Students on Career Management with Evan Faidley, M.Ed., M.A.
• Thursday, November 19th from 12pm-1pm (Virtual):  Designing Mentorship Programs that Incorporate Career Readiness and Self-Efficacy with Taylor Slocum, MSEd., LPC, CPRW.

 

Network with Other Members - November Coffee Chats

Network virtually with other members during NCDA Month. OCDA will be hosting three Coffee Chats. These meetings are FREE to members and are a wonderful opportunity to meet other members and discuss career related topics!

Dates and Topics:

• Thursday, November 12th from 4pm-5pm:  Advising and Community Engagement/Involvement (e.g., employers)
• Wednesday, November 18th from 5pm-6pm: Advising and Career Programming
• Monday, November 30 from 12pm-1pm: Programming and Special populations

OCDA Virtual Winter Book Club

Looking to snuggle up with a good book this winter? Need something to do while stuck at home? Join us for a good book and discussion during our first ever book club! Whether you want to listen to the audiobook or read it, we are excited to have you! We will meet virtually every three weeks starting in December; book title, dates, and sign up will be announced soon.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Dalila Byrd, OCDA Archives Chair, @ dalila.bennett@wright.edu.

Call for Toolkit Requests

We would like to feature members on our social media and the opportunity to share any tools or resources YOU have been using during the pandemic that have been useful while working with clients! We also plan to compile these resources in an exclusive Toolkit to be shared with all members in the month of November!

If you would like to be featured on our social media and/or your tool to be included in the Member Toolkit, please submit:

• Your name, job title, and employer
• A recent headshot of yourself OR a short 30 second - 1 minute video of yourself describing the tool
• The tool (a worksheet, link, book title, etc.) and a brief description of what it is and how it has been helpful

NCDA Career Practitioner Institute

Tuesday, November 10th from 11am to 5pm, join NCDA for their Career Practitioner Institute titled, "Practical Techniques and Strategies for Career Development Practitioners." For the first time ever, this NCDA CPI will be VIRTUAL. Registration is $175 for members, $125 for students/retired, and $275 for non-members. Register online by clicking here.

Professional Development Chair

OCDA is seeking a Professional Development Chair for 2020-2021!

The Professional Development Chair is responsible for overseeing the Professional Development Committee. The Professional Development Committee shall organize and/or promote activities which shall focus on career development and professional advancement. The committee shall administer the award of all CEU's through OCA/ACA/NCDA and shall promote OCDA member involvement with the All Ohio Counselor's Conference. If interested in the Professional Development Chair position, please email ohiocda@gmail.com. 

Career Development Resources

Click here for Preparing College Students for the End of Work: The Role of Meaning by Michael Stebleton and Lisa Kaler. This journal article is a great, contemporary read on the world of work and how career practitioners prepare student career services, programming and curricula. 

Do you have a resource or article that you want to share with other career development professionals? Email it to burkhartbm@hiram.edu for it to be included in our next newsletter. 

Meet the 2020-2021 OCDA Board!

President - Chelsea Francis

Chelsea is currently a career counselor at Columbus State Community College, where she works with a diverse group of students, staff, faculty, and employers to implement a holistic approach to ensure student success. With a background in workforce development, she is experienced in developing strategic partnerships with businesses and community organizations to provide innovative solutions to both student and employer needs. Chelsea's area of interest is leveraging data and technology to promote equity in access to services, especially for non-traditional students. Chelsea received an MSEd. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Dayton, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Capital University.

President-Elect - Felicia Johnson

Felicia Johnson is a two-time alumna of Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in educational studies and a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.  She is a state of Ohio licensed clinical mental health professional with over 7+ years’ experience working in the College of Education, Health and Human Services at Kent State University.  Felicia currently works at Healing Hearts Counseling and Consultation Services.  Felicia is a clinical counselor, and career counseling is within the scope of her practice.  As a mother of two teenage young men, Felicia enjoys engaging in adventurous activities in her free time.  She is also a huge supporter of mental health awareness, often seeking the opportunity to engage in fruitful discussions on mental health and under-represented populations in higher education.

Past-President - Bethani Burkhart

Bethani Burkhart currently serves as the Director of Career and Academic Development at Hiram College. She has worked with a vast array of student populations in her time as a career services professional including professional MD and PharmD students, liberal arts students, and students being trained in technical/trade skills. Bethani achieved her Masters of Humanities in Communication from Tiffin University. She’s originally from Bellevue, Ohio and now resides near Cleveland in Northeast Ohio. One interesting fact about Bethani is that she’s on a mission to kayak all fifty states! She also has two rescue dogs - Peter and Dobby.

Member at Large & By-Laws Chair - Lenroy Jones

Lenroy Jones is passionate about helping individuals and organizations achieve their full potential. He loves working in career services because this area allows him to serve students and alumni by getting them connected to the career of their choice. Jones earned a BS degree in Communications from Central Michigan University and a Masters in College and University Personnel from Michigan State University.  He has been a contributing Columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader for seven years writing insightful features on career and job search topics. He joined the Ohio Career Development Association in Fall 2017.

Secretary - Michelle Bennett

Michelle is a connector, she genuinely enjoys building relationships and helping people connect to each other or resources that will help them achieve their goals.  She works as a Program Specialist, Cleveland Humanities Collaborative at Cuyahoga Community College. In the past, she has worked in the Office of Counseling & Career Services at Ursuline College for three years, primarily with first year students, Peer Career Advisors and coordinating micro-internships. Outside of attending many events on campus to support students and staff, she regularly enjoys the performing arts, volunteering as a mentor for first generation college students and loves all the cats and dogs!

Treasurer - Teri Stebbins

Teri Stebbins graduated in 2012 with her M.B.A. from Wright State University. Her previous experience in Raider Connect as an Enrollment Services Advisor combined with her Global Career Development Facilitator training make her uniquely qualified to serve as a Career Consultant for Career Services. Prior to Wright State University she enjoyed a 20-year career at USAirways in a variety of positions until the tragedy of 9/11.  The airline industry was immediately impacted and Teri became a victim of downsizing due to the closure of the reservations center in Dayton, OH. She immediately began her journey to create a new career for herself. Ultimately, she chose to work in higher education, where she has discovered her passion for helping others with their own career journeys.

Membership Chair - Ryan Wilhelm

Ryan Wilhelm is the Assistant Director and a Career Counselor for Career Counseling and Support Services at the Ohio State University. He also does private practice hours for Keller Counseling and Associates. He has served in multiple positions on the OCDA board since 2009 including President, President-elect, Past-President, Newsletter, Government Relations and is currently the treasurer. He has a Master of Arts in Counselor Education from Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and Political Science from Bowling Green State University.

Awards & National Career Development Month Co-Chair - Taylor Slocum

Taylor Slocum is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Professional Resume Writer, and has received coaching training through the National Association of Colleges and Employers.  She has worked in higher education since 2015 and currently serves as a Career Counselor with Columbus State Community College where she assists students with their career decision making and career planning.  She also has coordinated the Career Mentorship Program for the past four years through the CState Career Services Department and was selected to present at the National Mentorship Symposium in October 2019. She was a recent recipient of the “2020 OCDA New Professional Award” which acknowledges a young professional who is a role model to students and professionals, demonstrates creativity in the field, and has great potential for continued success.  In her spare time she is an active member in the Ohio Career Development Association and enjoys training for local races.

Awards & National Career Development Month Co-Chair - Evan Faidley

Evan Faidley is an active member in the career community and academic affairs, currently serving as the Graduate Assistant within Graduate Studies at Kent State University and faculty of French at Fisk University and Educational Psychology at The University of Akron. In collaboration with Career Exploration and Development, Evan engages in career advising and programming targeted to career development of graduate students. His past experience in undergraduate teaching and advising, as well as his interactive work in gauging graduate student career readiness among diverse populations show his commitment to college student development, personal exploration, and professional identity construction. He is also a doctoral candidate studying higher education administration with a focus on professional socialization and master’s higher education students’ specialty choice in transition from student to entry-level student affairs staff. Evan’s background in career advising, college teaching, and conducting research has proven his self-concept and purpose in life: being useful to others as they transition into new chapters of life.

Website Chair - Kaleigh Mahon

Kaleigh Mahon is currently a Master's student at Kent State University studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is also working towards a certificate in addictions counseling. Ultimately, she would like to specialize in career counseling and work with the adolescent and young adult populations. Kaleigh graduated in three years with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Human Development and Family Studies from Kent State University. She serves as Mentorship Committee co-chair for the Kent State Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota. Additionally, she is currently working as an International Community Assistant for the Office of International Student Affairs at Kent State. This is her second year serving as the Website Chair for OCDA. When she is not in class, Kaleigh loves to spend time with her bird, cross-stitch, and go for walks.

Social Media Chair - Katie Flanigan

Katie Flanigan serves as a Career Advisor at Baldwin Wallace University. She holds a Masters of Education from the University of Pittsburgh and is also a Global Career Development Facilitator. In her position, Katie advises traditional and nontraditional undergraduate and graduate students as well as alumni. She is the liaison to undecided students, the School of Social Sciences, and the Conservatory of Music. No stranger to social media, she runs all of the accounts for BW Career Services and uses them to create professional development opportunities for students. Katie also teaches a First-Year Experience course each fall in which she assists freshmen in starting the career development process and identifying on-campus resources.

Archives & Government Relations Chair - Dalila Byrd

Dalila has been serving as the clinical coordinator for the third- and fourth-year medical students at Wright State University’s Boonshoft School of Medicine for the past three years. She completed her master’s degree in Business & Organizational Management Counseling with a focus in career counseling and development at Wright State. Dalila has served on the OCDA Board since 2015 starting as the Website Chair and was President in 2018. She resides in the Dayton area with her family, including a dog named Keanu and two sister cats named Yuki and Yoshi!

OCDA Annual Spring Conference!

Registration is Now Open

Challenge accepted - we're taking the OCDA Annual Conference online!

We're also making it FREE for OCDA members to attend! 

Membership registration available for $25.00 on our Membership Page.

Join us on Friday, May 29th to participate in interactive sessions about topics including: 

Applying design theory to career development

Rethinking the career planning model

Artificial intelligence + the workforce

Reaching new audiences through podcasting

Check out the full agenda here. This year's conference is approved for 4.5 CEUs from the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board. 

Visit www.ocda2020.com for more details and to register! Registration is required by Monday, May 25th. 

*If you have already registered and paid for the conference when it was planned to be in-person, we will be in touch about providing refunds/adjustments for registration fees.

OCDA Annual Award Nominations are Open!

2020 Bob Windle Leadership Award

This award is presented at the annual Ohio Career Development Association (OCDA) Conference in recognition of a true leader in a career field. The award is named in honor of Bob Windle, who won the award in 2011, for his exceptional contributions to OCDA and to career counseling, exploration, transition, and resilience.

The Bob Windle Leadership Award recognizes practicing career counselors, consultants, or teachers for outstanding performance. Nominees must have at least eight (8) years of service in career development or a related field; demonstrated quality of service (such as innovative programs, recognition by local organizations, publications, awards, etc.); and service to professional association(s) at the local, state and/or national levels. The winner will receive a $100 honorarium, a commemorative gift, and free registration to the OCDA Virtual Conference on Friday, May 29, 2020.

2020 Outstanding New Professional Award

This award will be presented annually at the Ohio Career Development Association (OCDA) Conference in recognition of an individual with less than five (5) years of full-time experience. This individual serves as a role model to students and professionals, demonstrates creativity/innovation in the field, and has great potential for continued success. The winner will receive a $100 honorarium, a commemorative gift, and free registration to the OCDA Virtual Conference on Friday, May 29, 2020.

2020 Outstanding Graduate Student Award (2)

This award will be presented at the annual Ohio Career Development Association (OCDA) Conference in recognition of the wonderful contributions that graduate students are already making to their respective field.

Nominees must be a full-time student in Ohio, a masters or doctoral candidate, and in the field of career counseling, student affairs, college/student personnel or a related field. The winner will receive a $100 honorarium, a commemorative gift, and free registration to the OCDA Virtual Conference on Friday, May 29, 2020.

Nominations Forms Available Here

Join the OCDA Board for 2020-2021!

We are looking to fill our board for the next year (starting in June/July)! If you or a colleague are interested in being a part of our growing organization and want to contribute, gain leadership experience, and help promote career development for professionals, individuals, and students in Ohio, please consider joining our board. We are a team made up of volunteers throughout Ohio in different fields and settings. These positions are open to anyone, whether you’re involved in Higher Ed, K-12, Libraries, Job Centers, Gov’t Agencies, Private Practice, etc.

Below are open positions to consider nominating yourself, friend, or colleague for:

President-Elect

This position is a 3-year term in which you will serve as President-elect, President, and then Past-President. The President-elect position focuses on planning, organizing, and executing the annual OCDA Conference.

Membership & Newsletter Chair

Manages all OCDA memberships within the online system and sends out monthly newsletter emails to keep our members informed of upcoming events, workshops, and more.

Membership Engagement Chair

As a newer role for OCDA, this role aims to increase membership, promote and organize events (such as our Coffee Chats).

Professional Development Chair

Helps in the process of CEU paperwork for all events that may need it, administers CEU certificates, and promotes OCDA member involvement.

Awards & National Career Development Month Chair

This position combines fall and spring roles. Fall: Plan, organize, and execute events or activities surrounding the National Career Development Month of November and NCDA’s Art and Poetry annual contest. Spring: Promote and process all nominations for the 3 OCDA Awards that are given during the annual conference.

Website Co-Chair

Work with our continuing Website Co-Chair, Kaleigh Mahon, in managing the website for OCDA including updating and creating website content. Help manage registrations for events.

Social Media Chair

Creates and/or sends out social media content, engages with members and answers questions, serve on website and membership engagement committees.

By-Laws Chair

Drafts proposals for amendments to By-Laws to be voted on by the Board, keeps Board members up to date on changes with OCA and NCDA By-Laws.

If you are interested in joining the board, please email Past-President, Dalila Byrd at dalila.bennett@wright.edu.

Career Convergence Web Magazine

One of the benefits of being an OCDA member is access to the Career Convergence magazine. Access the magazine online for free at: https://ncda.org/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/CC_home_page. You can access recent articles on topics relevant to a wide variety of career practitioners including K-12, independent practice, counselor educators and researchers, post-secondary, and more. You also have access to the Career Convergence archives.

Reminder to Members

Don't forget to update your contact information in your membership profile to continue to receive information from OCDA.

If you need assistance, please contact teri.stebbins@wright.edu.

Don’t forget to keep updated and follow us at:

Facebook: Ohio Career Development Association
LinkedIn: Ohio Career Development Association
Twitter: @The_OCDA
Instagram: @The_OCDA

Challenge accepted - we're taking the OCDA Annual Conference online! We're also making it FREE for OCDA members to attend! 

Join us on Friday, May 29th to participate in interactive sessions about topics including: 

Applying design theory to career development

Rethinking the career planning model

Artificial intelligence + the workforce

Reaching new audiences through podcasting

Check out the full agenda here. This year's conference is approved for 4.5 CEUs from the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board. 

Visit www.ocda2020.com for more details and to register! Registration is required by Monday, May 25th. 

*If you have already registered and paid for the conference when it was planned to be in-person, we will be in touch about providing refunds/adjustments for registration fees.

OCDA Annual Spring Conference!

Registration is Now Open

This year's event will be held on Friday, May 29th, 2020 at Columbus State Community College in Columbus, Ohio. This year, YOU get to play an active role in shaping your experience at the conference. 

Check out OCDA2020.com to learn more and to register.

We can't wait to see you there! 

OCDA is aware of and closely monitoring governmental health recommendations in response to COVID-19. In the event that the conference will not be able to take place in-person on May 29^th, we will be in communication with our members and registered participants. We are also considering options for virtual delivery.  In the worst case scenario, if the conference will have to be canceled, a full refund would be issued to any registered attendees.

We appreciate your continued support of OCDA and your understanding and flexibility during these unusual circumstances. Thank you!

REGISTER TODAY!

Creative Strategies to Engage College Students Remotely

OCDA is holding their 3^rd Coffee Chat 

April 2^nd Coffee Chat Registration

April 7^th Coffee Chat Registration 

The Coffee Chat will be held virtually via Zoom and each session will have a registration limit of 20.These are an informal virtual discussions, where you can share your own experiences and hear from others. The link to the Zoom meeting will be sent to all registrants a few days beforehand. 

*Invite a friend! Pass this invite along to other career services professionals, membership in OCDA is NOT required.

Fantastic March Coffee Chat with Career Professionals!

While the March Coffee Chat was moved to a virtual platform last-minute, it worked out for the best! Over 20 professionals had a fantastic discussion on “Marketing & Branding Strategies for Career Professionals." Check out the notes from our meeting here, and stay tuned for the next chat!

Graduate Students Professional Development Funding

OCDA invites graduate students to apply for the 2020-2021 Professional Development Funding Opportunity, sponsored by Evan Faidley. OCDA is offering two (2) $100 professional development grants to support graduate students and their professional development. The grants are intended for professional development activities related to: conference registration or travel, workshop registration or travel, professional training, and professional certifications. Proposals will be judged based on planned use of funds and support of the mission of OCDA.

Please send your completed application form and essay to burkhartbm@hiram.edu by Sunday, April 12, 2020 by 11:59 PM EST. Essays will undergo a blind review by two non-applying OCDA professional members with reference to the essay rubric. Grant award notifications will be sent by no later than April 26^th, 2020 to the email as noted in the application.

Click here for the application form.

Click here for the application essay.

If you have any questions, please contact Bethani Burkhart at burkhartbm@hiram.edu.

Join the OCDA Board for 2020-2021!

We are looking to fill our board for the next year (starting in June/July)! If you or a colleague are interested in being a part of our growing organization and want to contribute, gain leadership experience, and help promote career development for professionals, individuals, and students in Ohio, please consider joining our board. We are a team made up of volunteers throughout Ohio in different fields and settings. These positions are open to anyone, whether you’re involved in Higher Ed, K-12, Libraries, Job Centers, Gov’t Agencies, Private Practice, etc.

Below are open positions to consider nominating yourself, friend, or colleague for:

President-Elect

This position is a 3-year term in which you will serve as President-elect, President, and then Past-President. The President-elect position focuses on planning, organizing, and executing the annual OCDA Conference.

Membership & Newsletter Chair

Manages all OCDA memberships within the online system and sends out monthly newsletter emails to keep our members informed of upcoming events, workshops, and more.

Membership Engagement Chair

As a newer role for OCDA, this role aims to increase membership, promote and organize events (such as our Coffee Chats).

Professional Development Chair

Helps in the process of CEU paperwork for all events that may need it, administers CEU certificates, and promotes OCDA member involvement.

Awards & National Career Development Month Chair

This position combines fall and spring roles. Fall: Plan, organize, and execute events or activities surrounding the National Career Development Month of November and NCDA’s Art and Poetry annual contest. Spring: Promote and process all nominations for the 3 OCDA Awards that are given during the annual conference.

Website Co-Chair

Work with our continuing Website Co-Chair, Kaleigh Mahon, in managing the website for OCDA including updating and creating website content. Help manage registrations for events.

Social Media Chair

Creates and/or sends out social media content, engages with members and answers questions, serve on website and membership engagement committees.

By-Laws Chair

Drafts proposals for amendments to By-Laws to be voted on by the Board, keeps Board members up to date on changes with OCA and NCDA By-Laws.

If you are interested in joining the board, please email Past-President, Dalila Byrd at dalila.bennett@wright.edu.

Career Convergence Web Magazine

One of the benefits of being an OCDA member is access to the Career Convergence magazine. Access the magazine online for free at: https://ncda.org/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/CC_home_page. You can access recent articles on topics relevant to a wide variety of career practitioners including K-12, independent practice, counselor educators and researchers, post-secondary, and more. You also have access to the Career Convergence archives.

Reminder to Members

Don't forget to update your contact information in your membership profile to continue to receive information from OCDA.

If you need assistance, please contact teri.stebbins@wright.edu.

Don’t forget to keep updated and follow us at:

Facebook: Ohio Career Development Association
LinkedIn: Ohio Career Development Association
Twitter: @The_OCDA
Instagram: @The_OCDA

REGISTER TODAY: Coffee Chat

Due to the success of our previous virtual "Coffee Chat," OCDA will be hosting another virtual Coffee Chat on Thursday, April 2nd from 3:30pm-5pm! The topic for this chat will be "Creative Strategies to Engage College Students Remotely." The virtual discussion will be held via Zoom! All meeting information will be send out and posted on the website on Wednesday, April 1st.

This is an informal virtual discussion, where you can share your own experiences and hear from others! Please register by following this link: https://ocda21.wildapricot.org/event-3797806.

Be sure to bring a friend and pass this invitation along to other career services professionals! Membership in OCDA is NOT required to participate in the virtual Coffee Chat!