Education in Action (Co-op)
DAAP's co-op program gives students the opportunity to take the skills and knowledge they've gained in the classroom and apply it in a real-life work environment. Here, students can discover answers to their questions about co-ops, learn from student experiences, advice from co-op advisors, and much more!
Undergraduate Co-op Cycle
Co-op Learnings: A Student’s Perspective
FAQ's
Co-ops are paid opportunities! The average pay across DAAP majors is in the $15 – 22 / hour range. Students would never be required to accept an unpaid or uniquely compensated position, but we do have some employer partners that pay in alternative manners that are typical in their industries. For instance, a ceramics studio might pay a stipend that is less than minimum wage but offer free access to materials, and studio or exhibition space. We will still award Co-op credit if a student works full-time in a fashion house who is accustomed to hiring students from other universities that do not require pay. We are constantly re-evaluating our practices in regard to uniquely compensated roles.
Students carefully consider their learning objectives when selecting the positions they apply to. Students are asked to apply for positions that they are willing and able to accept, if offered. Once a position is offered, students are required to accept or decline within 3 days. This leads to a situation where students are often committing to a co-op learning experience before hearing back from all positions they have applied to. This can be difficult, but this structure allows the co-op program to continue to thrive! We view co-op employers as true educational partners and know that each student can learn and grow in a variety of environments. Essentially, we hope everyone is on the path to one day securing a position they believe is their “dream job”, but it’s not always realistic for each co-op position to be that student’s “dream”!
On occasion, students are lucky enough to secure multiple co-op job offers that span a similar timeframe. In that situation, the co-op faculty are available to guide students through the options to aid in decision-making. There is never one right answer! We believe it is very important for our emerging professionals (co-op students) to stay open-minded and embrace opportunities and challenges as learning experiences.
The Intro to Co-op course taught to DAAP freshman focuses on the development of their resumes and portfolios, self-assessment, goal setting, and reflective practices. The co-op faculty provides students with tools and a strong structure to continue the development of their portfolios over the summer following their freshman year.
Co-op is an integral part of the culture here at DAAP, and we know it is very much a reason that many students ultimately select DAAP for their education. Students are aware of the concept of co-op well before they set foot on campus. We do an overview at the summer orientation and at the beginning of their freshman fall semester. Students can also connect with upperclassmen to ask questions about their co-op experiences. Plus, DAAP offers opportunities for students to connect with co-op employers at on campus events.
Students take the Intro to Co-op (SOD, SAID, SOP) or Professionalism & Purpose classroom (SOA) courses. This officially begins their co-op journey where they connect with their co-op faculty advisor. Intro to Co-op is typically taught in the spring of their freshman year and Professionalism & Purpose is typically taught during their sophomore year. These classroom experiences are where students begin to build trusting relationships with the faculty who will serve as co-op advisors for the entirety of their time at DAAP. They also build relationships with their fellow classmates during their freshman year studio experiences. Fostering a strong community where students support and celebrate each other is a very important aspect of our co-op program.
During the semester before a co-op experience, the co-op faculty work closely with the students to discuss their learning goals and possible opportunities with UC employer partners where their goals may be best achieved. We reflect on previous co-op or life experiences and conduct reviews of student design portfolios. The co-op faculty provides a detailed syllabus of deadlines and expectations for the co-op job search. They play a role that facilitates the application process for both students and employers. There is typically a large instructional meeting for all students in a particular major, followed by small group or individual meetings. Extra “office hours” are also provided.
We are currently transitioning from a proprietary UC job search and reflection platform called PAL (Professional Assessment + Learning) to a national platform called Handshake. These platforms allow UC industry partners to post their job opportunities for students to review and apply to. Students are also strongly encouraged to utilize their own networks and other job search platforms to explore opportunities.
While they are on their co-op, students complete a 3-part assignment in which they set goals, assess their own progress, and reflect on their performance and learning. Additionally, employers are asked to evaluate student performance and learning. Upon returning to campus following a co-op experience, students engage in a Reflection meeting with their co-op faculty member. Reflection is a hallmark of co-op at UC. This articulation and examination of learning is something that truly sets our program apart. When students are able to internalize how an experience has changed them, they are able to more confidently make decisions about their continued growth and happiness.
During Reflection meetings, the co-op faculty and the students review the co-op evaluations and discuss how the student has grown and changed over the course of the semester. If a student has completed just one term with an employer and they have been invited back, we discuss how they might deepen their learning and contributions during the return semester to the employer. If a student is seeking a new position for the next semester, we additionally discuss goals, possible companies, and do a thorough portfolio review.
For programs with 5 co-op semesters, it is expected that students complete a 2-semester rotation with an employer.
If a student does not secure a co-op position, we highly encourage them to plan and pursue an EEP semester. An EEP (Experiential Explorations Program) semester is a one-time alternative to co-op. An EEP experience allows students to self-design a learning experience that meets their current needs. For sophomores, the current need is often to enhance portfolio and software skills to be better equipped to earn a co-op position during the next search. For upperclassmen, the EEP is often pursued proactively to explore a passion area such as travel, entrepreneurship, or project-based work. Our DAAP co-op faculty assists students in planning their EEPS. There are faculty-led EEP communities and progress checkpoints are built into the EEP semester.
In a typical semester, about 60% of DAAP Co-op students stay in Ohio for their co-op and about 40% travel to 30+ states, with New York, California, and Illinois being the top states for DAAP Co-op outside Ohio. Our international Co-op experiences are limited (due to several factors, including costs and work permissions) with less than 1% of DAAP students working in an international co-op position each year. We do offer some flexibility for students to engage in other types of experiential learning involving international travel, such as study abroad or self-directed career-related international travel.
Students rely heavily on a network of DAAP students rotating in and out of Cincinnati and other co-op cities to build community and connections that lead to roommate groups, neighborhood/landlord recommendations, and even apartment subleases. The DAAP Tribunal runs a DAAP Housing website that serves to connect students for travel and housing related questions.
We are fortunate enough to currently offer something called the Co-op Ambassador Scholarship where students working in any one of 13 major metropolitan areas can earn between $1,500 and $4,000 per co-op semester. In return, Co-op Ambassadors pave the way for more UC students and help expand UC’s national reputation. They also aid in the reach by attending events and promoting co-op across the U.S.
Members of the DAAP Co-op faculty team at the CEIA National Co-op Conference in Tucson, AZ, in April 2025. From L to R: Cat Jonas, Shelby Schaffer, Hilary Lewallen, Lann Field, Brianna Brailey, Lisa Barlow.
Leaving My Comfort Zone
Jerrell Francisco | Communication Design
When I started studying Communication Design at DAAP, I knew I was in for an exciting ride, but I didn’t realize just how much my work would shape real-world experiences. My final co-op was a defining moment—one that took me out of my comfort zone in Cincinnati and into Columbus, where I got to see firsthand what it means to be a designer in the professional world.
How My Major Shaped My Design Journey
At DAAP, co-op experiences aren’t just resume builders—they’re opportunities to figure out what kind of designer you want to be. Up until that point, I had only worked in Cincinnati, so for my last co-op, I made a promise to myself: I was going to move, explore a new city, and see what kind of work environment best suited me. In one of my past co-ops, I had been part of a design team, collaborating and bouncing ideas off other creatives. In another, I was the only designer, responsible for making all creative decisions on my own. Both experiences were valuable, but I wanted to know—what did I really see myself doing for the rest of my life?
Landing at Good Fake
That’s where Good Fake came in. Based in Columbus, this creative agency had an impressive client list, including FX Network, Uber, Disney, NBA 2K, SoundCloud, Comedy Central, Epic Games, Def Jam, Dell, and Sony. When I got the call that I had landed the role, I was beyond excited. It was everything I had worked toward—packing up my life, moving to a new city, and diving headfirst into a company doing the kind of work I dreamed about.
And then, on my very first day, I met Alex, my creative director. He looked at me, handed me a folder, and said, “Yeah, I got this music festival that you could rebrand if you’re not busy.”
That was it. No warm-up assignments. No small tasks. Just, here’s an entire music festival—figure it out.
The festival was called Into the Woods Fest, a local event in Bexley, Ohio, and my job was to completely redesign its visual identity. That meant everything—from large-scale banners and gig posters to sponsorship signage, merchandise, production coordination, and website updates. Even things like bar signage had to be reimagined. I was thrown straight into a real-world project that wasn’t just about making things look good—it had to function.
I spent the next month immersed in this project, managing production details, working with printers, and ensuring the branding felt cohesive across every touchpoint. I had never felt more in it—designing something that would actually be seen and experienced by real people.
Getting Thrown Right Into the Work
And then, the festival happened.
Standing in the crowd, surrounded by the people of Bexley—watching them dance, hula hoop, listen to music, and experience the event I had spent weeks designing—it hit me. I wasn’t just making visuals. I was shaping an experience. The banners I designed were draped across the venue, the gig posters I crafted helped bring people here, the stage backdrop I created framed the performances. My work mattered.
That’s what DAAP’s Communication Design program gave me—the ability to take something from an idea to a tangible, real-world impact. In class, we learn about typography, branding, and user experience, but co-op is where it all clicks. You don’t just make projects for a grade—you create work that people interact with.
Looking back, Into the Woods Fest wasn’t just another project. It was proof that I had chosen the right career. It was the moment I realized that design isn’t just about making things pretty—it’s about telling stories, building experiences, and creating something that connects with people.
For any high school student wondering what it’s like to study Communication Design, I’d say this: If you love creativity but also want to think strategically, if you want to see your work come to life outside of a classroom, and if you want to be part of something bigger, this might just be the path for you.
Jerrell Francisco
Communication Design '25
Adelaide Sheets at her first co-op as a second year Urban Planning student at DAAP.
Hello readers, and greetings from my office cubicle. I am a second year Urban Planning student, currently working on my very first co-op, and I wanted to share some reflections from this journey so far. In just two short weeks, I feel I have grown exponentially as far as my professional communication and office courtesy goes.
If I had to give my year-ago-self one piece of advice, it would be that everyone’s co-op experience is different. Everyone will be in diverse environments learning various strategies of professionalism. Along with that, the number of planning fields that are offered is way more than I initially realized, and your peers’ co-ops will reflect that. Above all, it is important to remember that learning is a privilege, no matter where it comes from.
Co-op Interviewing Tips
While the school does a very good job at preparing us for interviews and job placement, it is equally important to take things into your own hands. Speaking of interviews, you really cannot predict what is going to happen, but after you go on your first one, the rest are a breeze. The biggest thing that helped me with interviews is to study my resume and portfolio; the better you know it, the easier it is for you to talk about yourself. Also, it really helps if you have been on an interview before. So, I suggest you take advantage of the mock interviews the advisors set up from employers, classmates, and/or themselves. Or even better, an interview or two for randoms jobs around the city would get you comfortable with the interview jitters.
In interviews the best thing to keep in mind is that they are human, too. From my experience, they will most likely ask you what you hope to learn most while working there, this is to help ensure their position can meet your learning expectations. Some things I always share are- building my urban planning vocabulary, finding my personal communication style, solidifying my ideal planning career, and gaining confidence in taking initiatives. Along with that, always be prepared with your strengths and weaknesses, specific things you enjoy from your classes at school and life experiences. They know you are still a student, so it is important to stand out from your classmates in a unique way. When I have spoken with employers, they say the biggest thing they are looking for is communication style in the way you answer your questions in your interview, so always have confidence.
As far as creating your resumes and portfolios, look on Pinterest! After you think you made something solid, seek feedback from a classmate whose work you admire. They will most likely be honest with you and help you point out its strengths and areas for improvement. We are so lucky that our program maximalizes our learning and growth by offering FIVE CO-OP rotations. So, this gives us many opportunities to learn from our mistakes and grow our portfolio and resume each time.
Key Takeaways
What I have enjoyed the most in my co-op so far is the amount of people I have met and being able to connect with them on LinkedIn (lol). I have met endless city workers and stakeholders along with people from all departments of my office, and they all have their own experiences for me to learn from. It is so important to network and make a good impression on the people you meet. The best part about an Urban Planning degree is that you never know where you may end up, so it is important to keep an open mind and try to imagine yourself in any related field, because anything is possible.
So far, the biggest asset I have acquired is my overall confidence while in meetings, when working on projects, or even while forming professional relationships. Working alongside professionals has helped me be able to tackle complex situations and expect more of myself due to the fact that I am working with individuals that do this every day, all day. One of the biggest surprises I’ve experienced since working here is the difference between what an Urban Planner means to this office. I have learned that the meaning of an Urban Planner changes no matter where you go. The requirements and commitments will slightly change from city to city based on each community’s history and what they need. Following that, this co-op experience has allowed me to solidify the content I have learned while in school. For example, being able to work with a real comprehensive plan has reinforced what I have done with master plans while in studio. It has been awesome to have a fresh perspective and new set of expectations as an Urban Planner. As the semester continues, my biggest goal is to be able to absorb as much as I can from this office, carry it back to my classmates at DAAP, and of course, with myself for the rest of my life.
FAQs
The biggest question I had as a new student was- how much knowledge does a student bring with them into the professional world when hired for a co-op vs. how much did the employers teach on the job?
I think the best answer that I have learned so far is that they really do teach you a lot. As a student, you offer a fresh perspective and a broader vision of the Urban Planning field. In turn, they dedicate time to teaching you the essential logistics of any area you are interested in. Their expertise and specialized knowledge are invaluable for success in the profession.
Can you delve into your daily responsibilities and learning opportunities?
First, I must check my email a lot. That is the main way they communicate around the office, because there are so many moving parts, having it “on paper” is the best way they keep track of the stages of projects. My tasks usually entail the same type of projects the full-time planners are working on. We work a lot with the city/county officials. The best way I can describe it is, we are the bridge between the citizens and the branches of government. I also attend a lot of meetings for various interest groups and committees who have started initiatives around the county.
Adelaide Sheets
Urban Planning '28