At the inaugural RedHawk Recruiting Summit, the Career for Career Exploration and Success brought together over 60 employer partners and faculty members for a comprehensive day of collaboration, innovation, and strategic planning for the future of campus recruiting in the Armstrong Student Center.

The summit marked a significant milestone in Miami University’s commitment to deepening employer engagement and expanding career opportunities for students ahead of the fall recruiting season.

“The RedHawk Recruiting Summit represents a fundamental shift in how we approach employer partnerships.” said Valarie Jacobsen, director of employer relations. “In addition to traditional recruitment events, we’ve created a collaborative platform where talent acquisition professionals, faculty, and university staff work together to expand and enhance the entire student experience.”

The event featured a dynamic panel, allowing participants to hear directly from Miami students about their experiences, career aspirations, and communication needs. This authentic dialogue provided employers with invaluable insights into student perspectives and expectations. President Gregory Crawford also addressed the attendees about Miami’s new strategic plan, MiamiTHRIVE, and recent partnerships with the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Clinic.

The summit’s carefully curated breakout sessions addressed critical aspects of modern university-industry partnerships, including:

• RedHawk Table Talk: Industry roundtable discussions fostering peer-to-peer learning among recruiting professionals
• Bringing Industry to Campus: Strategies for meaningful employer engagement in academic settings
• Engineering the Future: Introduction of Miami’s innovative new co-op program designed to produce career-ready graduates
• Partnering with Purpose: Best practices for engaging student organizations in recruitment efforts
• Strategic Brand Engagement: Creating lasting brand awareness and meaningful connections with the Miami community

A highlight of the summit was the introduction of Miami’s new co-op program, which is designed to provide students with work experience while maintaining academic progress. This initiative positions Miami graduates as industry-ready professionals with real-world experience.

The RedHawk Recruiting Summit positioned employers to successfully engage with students at Miami’s upcoming fall career and internship fairs. The Center for Career Exploration and Success will host three career fairs in three days this fall, with the All-Majors (Sept. 9) and STEM (Sept. 10) fairs being held in Millett Hall and the Sport Career Exploration and Networking Expo (Sept. 11) taking place in the Goggin Ice Center.

Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg.