How UC's co-op model can benefit small businesses
Independent Chicago design firm chooses co-op
The Business of Home recently dove into how a Chicago-based interior design firm benefits from the University of Cincinnati’s student employees despite the two cities being 300 miles apart.
Kelsey Kline Haywood has been hiring DAAP co-op students since 2022. Photo/Heather Talbert
It takes a close look into UC’s cooperative education, or co-op, program. UC pioneered co-op more than a century ago, combining classroom instruction with full-time employment.
The article specifically focused on the program in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) and how it has helped interior design business Kline Interiors since 2022.
Kline Interiors is a small, residential design firm based in Chicago founded and run by Kelsey Kline Haywood. Her brother is a UC alum, so she was familiar with the co-op program, but hadn’t heard of many small businesses that utilized it until her friend mentioned it.
“Once I understood how robust and thorough the program was, I didn't think twice,” Kline Haywood said. “The ability to hire when needed based on business needs was a big asset to me.”
UC co-op program: Frequently Asked Questions
What is co-op at the University of Cincinnati?
UC defines cooperative education, or co-op, as meaningful, career-oriented, compensated workplace experiences. Co-op is a structured program where students complete academic coursework and get a paid job in their field of study, graduating with both a degree and real-world professional experience.
Find more info: What is co-op in college? How cooperative education works
Are UC co-op positions paid?
Many UC co‑ops are paid, full‑time roles. Students often use co‑op earnings to help cover tuition and living expenses, which can reduce the need for loans and improve the overall return on investment of their degree.
Learn more: How cooperative education and paid experience change the ROI equation
Which majors offer co-op, and where do UC students work?
Co‑op is deeply integrated into programs in engineering, design, information technology, business, arts, sciences and more, with support from the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies. UC is committed to offering all students career-building, real-world experiences related to their field.
UC students co‑op in Cincinnati, across Ohio, throughout the U.S. and abroad with employers ranging from startups, design studios and nonprofits to hospitals, government agencies and Fortune 500 companies.
How does co-op help UC students after graduation?
By graduation, many Bearcats have up to 1.5 years of career‑related experience, strong resumes and professional networks. A significant number receive full‑time job offers from their co‑op employers, which is why the University of Cincinnati is widely recognized as the global founder of cooperative education and a national leader in co‑ops and internships.
Kline Haywood detailed to the Business of Home her process for hiring co-op employees as her business needs shift. “In the interview, I asked all the same questions that I would ask a design assistant candidate,” she told the Business of Home. “I try to dig deep into the skills I need at that moment.”
Her favorite part of the co-op program is how fully embedded into the business her student employees are. Student employees move to Chicago to work with Kline Haywood during their co-op semesters.
“Their first week looks exactly the same as any other hire’s first week. You’re getting students who already understand how a professional environment functions, which makes the transition far smoother,” she said.
UC co-op: By the numbers
- $99.5 million in collective self‑reported co-op earnings
- 9,614 co-op enrollments across disciplines
- $13,130 average co-op earnings per student per semester
- $21.89 average hourly co-op wages
- 1,798 employer partners engaged in co-op and paid experiential learning
- Top 5 program in the nation (U.S. News & World Report)
Learn more about cooperative education (co-op) at UC.
Co-op wages vary based on factors including field/industry, geographic location and level of experience
The Business of Home spoke with Kline Haywood’s latest co-op employee, recent DAAP grad Alexis Rammel. Rammel went into school thinking she wanted to do commercial design, but after her co-ops, decided she wanted to pursue residential design with a smaller firm like Kline Interiors.
“I think it’s really helpful having young people that are still learning and still curious and excited to bring fresh ideas and a new sense of creativity into an office,” Remmel told the Business of Home.
The magazine also highlighted the co-op model in its podcast, “The Thursday Show,” where the program was celebrated for placing design students in real jobs that earn them real-world experience before they graduate.
“It seems like a win-win. The students want to have this practical, hands-on education and exposure,” host Dennis Scully said. “And they get to make some money.”
Listen to the podcast discussion (Episode 579; starts at 9:14).
Your career is next
Through one of the nation’s most robust co-op programs, UC students don’t just learn about their future — they live it, alternating classroom study with real, career-shaping experience in industries around the world.
Students: Earn while you learn at UC.
Employers: Find your next hire.
Featured image at top of a bedroom designed by Kline Interiors. Photo/Business of Home/Heather Talbert
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