Student Success

At the College of Engineering and Applied Science, student success is at the heart of our mission. Our comprehensive education equips students with the skills, experiences, and support needed to excel in their academic and professional journeys.

A cornerstone of this success is our top-ranked cooperative education program (co-op), which integrates classroom learning with real-world work experience, giving our graduates a distinct advantage as they embark on their chosen careers.

Student success is about supporting the whole student, academically, culturally, and professionally. Our dedicated advising support — including an embedded mental health counselor and separate academic and co-op advisors — plays a crucial role in guiding students through their college experience and building a culture of belonging. Through early research opportunities, a focus on entrepreneurial thinking, international partnerships, and engineering-specific student organizations, CEAS scholars have the chance to craft a unique path to become leaders in engineering and applied science.

Co-op: Where Education Meets Industry

Our students graduate with more than 1.5 years of work experience — and a competitive advantage — in their field through our world-renowned Cooperative Education Program.

Because co-op is required and integrated into all our undergraduate programs, students alternate between semesters in the classroom and paid full-time work. Co-op is what we are known for — we invented it in 1906 — and UC is ranked top 5 for co-op in the nation among U.S. public and private universities (U.S. News & World Report).

CEAS co-op is one of the largest programs in the country. We support 4,500 co-op experiences annually. Students are guided by co-op advisors, who help coach students through the job search process. When they graduate, students have the professional skills and confidence to enter their chosen career.

More than an internship, our co-op students are trusted by their employers to make meaningful contributions. Students work with companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 businesses, as well as research institutions and government agencies. Students have five semester-long co-op positions to gain clarity on what they like — and don’t like — about various positions and employers before they even graduate.

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UC co-op medalist thrives in NASA internships

May 10, 2022

University of Cincinnati student Anna Lanzillotta dreamed of working as an engineer in the aerospace and aviation industry. Now, Lanzillotta is graduating with an electrical engineering degree, experience working at NASA for four cooperative education jobs, and a full-time job in the aerospace industry. Lanzillotta was selected for the 2022 Herman Schneider Medal, which is awarded annually to a graduating senior in UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science for distinction as an exemplary co-op student who has taken full advantage of the unique opportunities of cooperative education.

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AtriCure is top co-op employer for UC biomedical engineering students

April 3, 2024

As one of the largest co-op employers in the region and a leading provider of innovative technologies for the treatment of Atrial Fibrillation and other related conditions, AtriCure, Inc. is also one of the largest co-op employers for students at the University of Cincinnati. In fact, they are the number one co-op employer for biomedical engineering students at the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Co-op is integrated into all CEAS undergraduate programs, enabling students to alternate semesters in the classroom with semesters of full-time, paid, co-op work.

3

From co-op to CEO

November 13, 2023

Few understand the value of co-op quite like Jeremy Jarrett. Jarrett is president and CEO of Cincinnati-based tech consulting firm Kinetic Vision, a company that has integrated UC co-op students for over 30 years. Jarrett himself got his start at the company through co-op as UC aerospace student in the '90s.

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UC engineering co-op medalist is company's first in Portugal

April 12, 2023

Vladimir Miskovic began playing American football as a high-schooler— which was not a popular activity in his home country of Serbia — and the sport led him to the United States. He moved to Cleveland to play football and, after graduating high school, decided to pursue higher education in mechanical engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Miskovic received the 2023 Herman Schneider Medal, an annual award given to a graduating senior in the College of Engineering and Applied Science who demonstrates exceptional work as a co-op student.

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Building potential

July 16, 2024

Unexpected advice led to a new area of interest and growth for Andrew Matthews, leading him to the University of Cincinnati’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, construction management and cooperative education experiences at Turner Construction.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

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Highly decorated UC engineering student presents at global conference

April 26, 2023

University of Cincinnati student Rebecca Gilligan found a passion for engineering as a teenager at a local high school. After earning her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, she is staying at UC to begin the direct-Ph.D. program in aerospace engineering. While at UC, Gilligan has received numerous prestigious awards, the latest being the Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence. This award, given by the University President, is bestowed upon students who best exemplify the ideals of the university including scholarship, leadership and character.

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Engineering undergraduate students get early research experience

September 4, 2024

The University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science established the Undergraduate Research Fellowship Co-op Program to expand opportunities for students to engage in meaningful research in labs. Most students spend five semesters working in industry through the cooperative education (co-op) program, but students can also choose research positions in corporate, university, or government labs. Many students opt for a research co-op if they are considering a career in research or plan to attend graduate or medical school.

International Opportunities

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NEXT Innovation Scholar mixes global outreach with new ideas

June 10, 2024

As a first-generation student from Dubai, Jonathan Raj’s international background has been instrumental in shaping his expertise in intercultural communication and cross-disciplinary collaboration through the University of Cincinnati's NEXT Innovation Scholars program.

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Engineering students learn importance of global connections

May 29, 2024

At the University of Cincinnati, students can enroll in the Global Technical Workforce course to gain professional skills that complement their technical engineering skills. Through the course, students are equipped with tools to contribute to the increasingly global and diverse work environment. Students are taught how to work in global teams and communicate interculturally and at the end of the course get the opportunity to put these skills to practice through a short study abroad trip. This year, along with faculty Eric Payton and Aimee Frame, two groups of students went to Germany and Ghana.

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Students can earn two degrees in one year in France and at UC

February 2, 2024

After spending five years as a Bearcat earning an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering technology, Will Mnich decided to continue at the University of Cincinnati to earn not one, but two additional degrees in the aerospace engineering field. Mnich is a student in the Aero-Systems Operations (AESOP) dual degree program.

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UC engineering students can co-op in research labs around the world

May 7, 2024

More than 100 years ago, cooperative education (co-op) was invented at the University of Cincinnati's College of Engineering and Applied Science. Since then, UC has spent the last century fine-tuning and improving the program. The Global Research Labs Program is one of the most recent advancements in co-op opportunities for students.

Entrepreneurship Opportunities

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Curveball diagnosis sparks UC student to develop symptom-tracking app

October 14, 2024

Amelia Wares, an undergraduate biomedical engineering student at the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS), embodies perseverance, the most critical attribute found in successful entrepreneurs. Wares is developing an innovative application (app) to transform how chronic pain patients track their symptoms and manage their conditions.

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UC joins as partner in prestigious Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network

October 31, 2024

The University of Cincinnati’s College of Engineering and Applied Science is a new partner with the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network, a coalition dedicated to equipping engineering students with an entrepreneurial mindset. This collaboration, supported by the Kern Family Foundation, empowers engineering programs to inspire curiosity, connections, and value creation in their graduates, preparing them to address real-world challenges with innovative solutions.