College of Arts and Sciences Newsroom

By Dave Larsen

Automotive industry software leader Reynolds and Reynolds is the lead corporate sponsor of “Career Camp,” a new three-day program to provide intensive professional skills training and networking opportunities for junior and sophomore students in the University of Dayton College of Arts and Sciences.

The inaugural Career Camp is Jan. 8-10, 2020, on the University campus. The program is free to attend and open to second- and third-year students in the College. Registration is limited to 50 students. The application deadline is Monday, Dec. 2.

Participants will learn from alumni, professionals, faculty and staff in a series of interactive workshops intended to prepare them for career and internship opportunities. They also will tour one of three innovative Dayton-area employers: Reynolds and Reynolds, CareSource and Real Art Design Group.

“Reynolds and Reynolds is an ideal lead sponsor for Career Camp 2020 and has consistently been an annual Top 10 employer for graduates of the University of Dayton,” said Jason Eckert, Office of Career Services executive director. “The company is a technology and customer service innovator, one of the most consistent employers in the Dayton region, and the home of more than 100 University of Dayton alumni.”

Founded in 1866, Dayton-based Reynolds and Reynolds develops and supports software for automotive retailers, through the industry’s only retail management system. The company also produces forms for the medical and insurance industries. In addition to Dayton, Reynolds and Reynolds has facilities in Houston and College Station, Texas, and Tampa, Florida.

“All of us at Reynolds and Reynolds are pleased to expand our involvement and support for the University of Dayton,” said Rye Walsh, vice president of recruiting. “Career Camp is an innovative program and the type of initiative that we believe in.”

A partnership between the College and Career Services, Career Camp is intended to provide students with skills and experiences to make them competitive to future employers, graduate schools and service programs. It will feature workshops and discussions on such topics as writing resumes and cover letters; interviewing tips for success; internships and graduate school planning; professional communication; action plan writing; the habits of vocational discernment; and marketing your arts and sciences skills and experiences.

Patricia Simpson, owner-consultant of Game Changing Etiquette and director of academic advising and career services for the University of Illinois School of Chemical Sciences, will be the featured speaker at an etiquette dinner and alumni networking event. Participants will get pointers and feedback on networking, professional dress, handshake and small talk, as they put those skills into practice.

A “LinkedIn Lab” will guide students through the creation of their personal profile page on the business and employment-oriented social networking service. Participants also will receive professional head shots for their LinkedIn profiles.

“I’m excited to expose this first group of students to the Career Camp concept,” Eckert said. “Students who participate in the program will have the opportunity to learn skills they can apply to the world of work, and to demonstrate those skills in real-life networking opportunities with alumni and employers. Career Camp will also provide sophomores and juniors in the College the opportunity to begin to develop career and education plans for beyond their graduation from the University.”

Walsh said Reynolds and Reynolds recruits heavily at the University and values the talent the institution is nurturing.

“Universities play a unique role for individuals and for our communities,” she said. “The Career Camp is one more way for UD to add a new dimension to that role, and we look forward to the first event.”

Students participating in Career Camp can move into their University housing Jan. 7, several days before the start of the spring 2020 semester. The application includes a short essay about why students wish to attend Career Camp and how they think it might benefit their post-graduation plans.