Co-op Program

Combining classroom learning with practical experience at New Jersey City University

By Ella Rue
Artwork by NJCU Co-op Students

In the wake of COVID-19, many college and university departments have been left overwhelmed and under-resourced, department heads forced to become increasingly creative in the face of shriveling budgets. Hiring freezes have forced administrators to think more innovatively to bolster their resources in the most economical manner possible. During such turbulent times, critical and creative thinking becomes absolutely paramount.

Across the country, higher ed marketing departments are charged with promoting their academic and student experiences to recruit potential students. On any given campus, one of the most valuable resources available are the students themselves.

A Cooperative Education Program enables students to combine classroom learning with practical experience and provides an opportunity to utilize both skills and knowledge acquired within the classroom. A co-op student will be guided by an in-office supervisor who will assign internal jobs, and a faculty coordinator who will typically assign one overarching academic assignment. The student generally earns two, four or six credits per semester depending on the agreed-upon weekly hours of work. Depending on department budgets, co-op students can earn either credit hours or credit hours plus an hourly wage. The arrangement allows students to gain practical work experience in areas that complement their personal strengths, interests and educational goals; to discover new personal strengths; and to thrive as a responsible team member in the “real world” within the academic area they have chosen. Beyond that, co-op programs allow a student’s view and input where otherwise the department may not have the ability to share. It amplifies a student’s voice to be able to not only communicate with but also be the voice of youth.

It’s easy to consider students as simply the consumers or recipients of an institution’s marketing process, but there is a deep well of untapped creativity available to creative departments. It’s simply a matter of finding the right match for individual students and their willingness to learn hands-on in an office environment. The most effective form of match-making is dealing directly with a trusted member of the faculty, who can recommend a student the professor believes has the talent, creativity, and perseverance to be an excellent candidate for a co-op student-employee. They then become the pipeline to the best and the brightest students available. This is how NJCU’s Marketing department has been successful in hiring the most talented and hard-working student workers for co-op positions.

The advantages of co-op opportunities may be obvious. Students can work in their fields of study. They connect with current leaders and bring that real-world knowledge back to the classroom to share with their peers (who could ultimately become future co-op students). Graduates with co-op experience have more competitive résumés than those without co-op experience. They also have the foundation needed for entry into some of the top graduate schools in the country while contributing to the grander mission of the institution. Co-op education is traditionally a three-way partnership between a university, an employer and a student. When an institution’s marketing department becomes the employer, it becomes a win-win situation for both student and university. With its blend of higher learning and real-world practice, co-op education has been proven to prepare students for a changing world and more complex challenges while being an invaluable asset to the department.

The quality of work is also an obvious benefit. At New Jersey City University, co-ops typically last between one and two semesters, so students have time to make a significant contribution and impact. In the end it affords students real-world portfolio pieces. The work is done by a student who has a deeper commitment, and that commitment is reflected in the quality of the work.

Departments might also consider developing a hybrid model for hiring students, so there are some longer-term projects that are handled by co-op students and shorter-term work by summer interns or work-study students. Different types of managers can then supervise each program depending on the type of relationship they want to have with students.

Most schools will have a specialized office that will give department managers an evaluation to fill out based on their accreditation criteria, which the school then uses to demonstrate that the student has developed basic competencies at their workplace. However, departments may also have their own internal evaluations. It is a good idea to develop an evaluation for students that is similar to a regular full-time employee evaluation. This way, the department can determine if the student might be a good fit for full-time work once they graduate.

Some co-ops receive salaries, while some solely receive the experience garnered. The experience they are getting should be extensive enough to help them land an enviable full-time job within their field of study by the time they graduate. In the age of Covid-19—and belt-tightening budgets—co-ops benefits both the student and the department. It speaks well of our students that they are often more motivated by the experience of a co-op rather than the salary they might receive. Our students clearly understand the value of the network they will create, and the clarity they gain about their long-term career goals.

Deciding whether to start a co-op program is really a question of purpose. Do you want someone who will learn and develop in a role over a period of time, or is your department looking to hire a lot of student interns for a short period of time to see who sticks? You get a longer-term commitment and you really get a different kind of candidate with the co-op approach.

First, identify a faculty member who can provide the initial vetting process. At NJCU I work closely with our illustration faculty member. I always look for a student who has solid illustration skills, as our design team is already an exceptional creative team, but illustration is not our strongest suit. This way the co-op student will bring a specific talent to the team that we do not already have. I try to ensure they get to work on projects that help them gain experience in the office; be it creating e-mail marketing campaigns, designing smaller posters and social graphics, but also creating a body of illustrations that we can use moving forward. Each year we have a student create the annual holiday illustration for the president’s holiday message. We are also working to build a bank of NJCU-specific illustrations that can be used on social media or in printed publications going forward.

New Jersey City University Student Co-op Testimonials

Jamie Della Fave
NJCU class of ’21

Skillsets are like toolbelts, and it’s important to always be prepared with the right tools for the right job. When I started working with NJCU’s Marketing Department, I had the tools to create art, but when I left, I left with the skills I’d need to do it professionally. I hadn’t realized how ill-equipped my toolbelt truly was until it became that much more furnished through my cooperative education experience.

Working as a creative means working with clients and fellow artists, things I had yet to experience myself before being granted the opportunity to grasp these skills in an executive setting. I learned how to work as part of a team on projects while maintaining creative cohesion. I was able to engage with real clients in professional correspondences and gain experience in taking notes and working under prescribed parameters. It’s one thing to be aware of the business aspect of professional artistry, but an entirely different thing to put it to practice. Dealing with deadlines, budgets, and revisions can feel overwhelming when first breaking into a professional setting. I was lucky to have gotten my first experience with these things in a setting as welcoming and willing to teach as NJCU’s Marketing Department.

This isn’t to say that this opportunity merely taught me to be a better businessperson, there is no doubt it made me a better artist as well. Ella Rue made sure this experience would be truly educational, challenging me with a variety of different projects to really enhance my abilities. I was able to learn web design, print design, maintaining brand identity, photo manipulation, and even some animation through the various projects I was assigned. From designing brochures and postcards to illustrating holiday banners, the program kept me on my toes and continuously supplied me with new and exciting tasks.

Renee Ramos
NJCU Class of ’23

Before I began the co-op position with the Office of Marketing and Communications at NJCU, I knew I needed to gain experience outside of academics to step into the creative industry. One of the best ways a student can prepare for the future is to get first-hand experience before entering their chosen field. As an Illustration major, I know about the fierce competition within this line of work and I have researched how illustrators can enter their dream careers through opportunities such as a co-op. The illustration industry is a broad field, therefore learning other skills on top of rendering and technical drawing are helpful in the world of an aspiring illustrator. I am very thankful that I am able to experience this opportunity, as it teaches me the skills I need to pursue a career in the creative arts.

The skills I have learned include speaking with clients, email design, design layouts, managing servers, and recently web-editing. Learning these skills brought me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to learn aspects of the office that I would not have otherwise picked up in a traditional classroom setting.

John Dimaano
NJCU Class of ’22

I had the opportunity to work as an intern within NJCU’s Marketing and Communications Department—assisting in creating illustrations, forwarding important information, and keeping the department portfolio current. Throughout my time with the department, I had the pleasure of learning new software programs such as Emma (Email maketing software) and relaying information through servers and emails. I was also provided with the opportunity to further enhance my current knowledge and skills using the Adobe Creative Suite.

This co-op opportunity occurred just as the university was going entirely virtual due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Thankfully, my supervisor was understanding of the circumstances and patiently guided me throughout my co-op experience. In the initial few weeks, I was given gradual workloads to get comfortable with the workflow. The workload then scaled upward and went from the basics of relaying and organizing information to creating illustration, designing basic brochure, and making PDF documents ADA compliant.

As expected from working within a communications department, my greatest personal and professional development resulted in enhancing my communication skills. My ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing has notably improved, as has my ability to understand expectations and hit deadlines.

Designer magazine advisory board member Ella Rue is director of creative services in the office of Marketing and Communications at New Jersey City University.