The University of Cincinnati set another enrollment record in 2020—for the eighth straight year. Among the many efforts to ensure that every student succeeds, the University’s College of Arts and Sciences (UC A&S) has recruited help from those who best know how to help: its own alumni. The UC A&S Alumni Network has been hard at work helping to motivate and guide them.
The Alumni Network is dedicated to sharing expertise and practical guidance that helps students succeed throughout their undergraduate, graduate and post-graduation lives. In essence, the Network aims to help students find their place in the world so that they can flourish and shine. The Network is committed to inclusively accomplishing its transformative work for the betterment of the local community and beyond.
Beth Robinson, Uptown Consortium Inc. (UCI) President and CEO, received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in public administration from UC A&S and is now an active member of its Alumni Advisory Board. "I cherish my memories of being a student at UC," Robinson said. "I received a great education there which has meaningfully enhanced both my professional and personal lives. So, it’s been my pleasure to share my Bearcat passion with current students and fellow alumni."
Robinson is a member of the Advisory Board’s Community Engagement Subcommittee. Its focus is community partnerships, co-ops and internships, as well as overall advocacy for UC A&S activities. In addition, the subcommittee is currently developing a new, community-facing program to engage alumni.
Recently, the Alumni Network placed a significant emphasis on co-op and internship opportunities. Calling the initiative “Co-Op 2.0,” these efforts focus on identifying more co-op and internship experiences for the UC A&S students. It was through Co-Op 2.0 that UCI connected with its current intern, Kevin Kinebrew.
Kinebrew is a rising junior at the University of Cincinnati, majoring in communications. He was looking for a summer internship and reached out to Assistant Dean Carol Tonge Mack for help. Mack shared Kinebrew’s resume with the Alumni Network and UCI reached out to him to set up an interview. Not long after, Kinebrew was offered the role and is spending his summer gaining hands-on experience.
"I had not utilized the Alumni Network previous to my internship with UCI," Kinebrew said. "But I will do everything in my power to encourage classmates to utilize it, as it has definitely benefitted me."
Kinebrew works on UCI's social media and e-newsletter, while also curating the business list on the Your Uptown website. He said that he enjoys being able to see the fruits of his labor every day while walking around Uptown. He also said that he believes his UCI internship will pay dividends.
"I will walk away from my experience with a story to tell and tangible experiences that will help me land the next opportunity," he said. Post-graduation, Kinebrew hopes to work as a public relations specialist. And he’s already planning to use the UC A&S Alumni Network to make those crucial connections that can make all the difference.
UCI shared Kinebrew’s positive sentiments. “Kevin has been a fantastic addition to our team,” Robinson said. “It’s been wonderful to see first-hand the next generation of talent coming from UC A&S as a result of the Alumni Advisory Board’s mission to gather, create and share knowledge.”
As a result of her experience, Robinson encourages alumni to get involved and UC has many creative suggestions on how to do it.
“A lot of times, alumni think the only way they can “give back” to their alma mater is through financial donations. While those are certainly needed and appreciated, alumni can give back in many other ways, including providing life changing co-op and internship opportunities to current students,” Michael Griffin, senior director of development for The University of Cincinnati Foundation, said. “It is a major priority for our College to connect alumni and students in this manner.”
A Fun Fact
Kinebrew shared that he has a fun hobby outside of his internship and school commitments. By day, he’s a communications intern; by night, he is a disc jockey. “I have been fortunate enough to be booked for the University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, Weddings, and several virtual and in-person events around Ohio.”
To book Kinebrew for your next event, he can be reached at djonetakebooking@gmail.com