Polar Career Center
Resources
The Polar Career Center encourages all ONU alumni and current students to take advantage of these services.
University-specific career resources for students and alumni
As you journey towards your first job or on to your next, we are here to help students and alumni along the way! Here are some service providers we work with to help you along the way.
END GAME: A FULFILLING CAREER
Our graduates make a difference all over the world. The Polar Career Center is a centralized operation, coordinating placement activities for full-time positions, internships and co-ops. This is just a small sample of where our students end up.
Absolute Placement
Of all the questions parents ask during the college search, “Will my student get a job?” is usually right at the top. It also happens to be the question Ohio Northern University admissions counselors like to answer most, because the numbers don’t lie. The University as a whole boasts a 95 percent undergraduate placement rate. This is well above the national average.
Thanks for being one of the reasons that I have a job! My dream company (EPIC in Madison, Wisc.) contacted me through your site! I'm thankful for all you've done for me and the campus.Kayla Hummel, BSME ’17
Polar Career Center Staff Listing
General office information, career@onu.edu, 419-772-2145
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Ohio Northern University Polar Career Center is a centralized career center for students and alumni. The Polar Career Center strives for open access and connections between students and employers and abides by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Principles for Ethical Professional Practice.
Polar Career Center uses Handshake for posting full-time, part-time and internship positions. The Polar Career Center does not endorse or recommend employers, and a posting does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. The Polar Career Center explicitly makes no representations or guarantees about job listings or the accuracy of the information provided by the employer or events listed on its website or physical bulletin boards. Furthermore, the Polar Career Center is not responsible for safety, wages, working conditions, or any other aspect of off-campus employment.
The Polar Career Center makes no specific or implied guarantees of employment as a result of obtaining a degree or the taking of any courses. It is the responsibility of the student, alumnus or community member to perform due diligence in researching employers when applying or interviewing for or accepting private, off-campus employment and to thoroughly research the facts and reputation of each organization to which they are applying. He or she is solely responsible for obtaining or confirming any necessary information concerning an employer.
The Polar Career Center will not post jobs that appear to discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or gender. All positions requiring a fee for training or participation in a work experience or for any other reason are unacceptable and will not be posted. Any position that does not support the interests of ONU or its students will not be posted.
Both students and employers are encouraged to provide feedback regarding their experience through the use of office services. Anyone who discovers misuse or abuse of our website or other posting is encouraged to report the matter to the Polar Career Center, either in person or by email at career@onu.edu or by calling the office at 419-772-2145. -
The Polar Career Center is committed to providing its users sound privacy practices regarding electronic personal information. We operate computer systems that are developed by the Polar Career Center in partnership with external organizations for our job listings, student/employer database and on-campus recruiting services. Information collected by these systems is used to provide and tailor services to our customers and for program-planning purposes. Information also is used to construct aggregate reports for state agencies and internal institutional studies. Data collection and access to student information is governed by the following campus and federal policies:
Career Closet
The Polar Career Center accepts donations on a rolling basis with the goal of equipping students with clothing for professional events. When donating, please plan to share items that students could utilize when interviewing, meeting new professional connections, or at a large-scale campus event such as a Career Fair.For those interested in donating:
Local: Please set up a time with Polar Career Center staff to drop off desired items. We can be found on the second floor of the Heterick Memorial Library in the Center for Student Success and are open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Out of town: Mail items to the Polar Career Center at:
Ohio Northern University
Polar Career Center
402 W. Lincoln Ave.
Ada, Ohio 45810
Attn: Career Closet Donations
For questions: You can reach us by phone at 419-772-2145 or email at career@onu.edu. We value community donations and appreciate the opportunity to continue to offer this wonderful resource free of charge to ONU students.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The Polar Career Center is our centralized campus operation dedicated entirely to students’ professional development and career readiness. Located on the second floor of the Heterick Memorial Library within the Mifsud Center for Student Success, our professional team coordinates placement activities for full-time jobs, internships, and co-ops. We offer one-on-one appointments to help students explore career paths, polish resumes, master interviewing techniques, and build powerful networks with top regional and national employers.
- Actionable Step: Have your student stop by our office during their first semester to meet our advisors and grab a resource sheet mapping out career goals for their specific major.
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Our commitment to high-impact learning pays off significantly. Ohio Northern University boasts an outstanding average 95% undergraduate job placement rate within six months of graduation. This statistic consistently places ONU well above the national average! Employers heavily recruit Polar Bears because our graduates enter the workforce with a unique blend of technical expertise, real-world field experience, and strong communication skills.
- Actionable Step: Browse our Recent Graduate Outcomes page with your student to view specific salary data and top corporate hiring partners within their intended field of study.
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On day one! We actively discourage waiting until senior year to think about a career. Freshmen can use our specialized assessment tools—like the Strong Interest Inventory—to confidently navigate or confirm their choice of major. Getting started early allows students to build strong foundational resumes, set up digital job profiles, and secure highly competitive summer internships or co-ops as early as their sophomore year.
- Actionable Step: Help your student activate their free account on Handshake—the premier university job network—during orientation week using their new @onu.edu email address.
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We bring hundreds of employers right to our campus in Ada, Ohio, every year. The Polar Career Center hosts large-scale events like the Fall Career and Graduate School Fair and the Healthcare and Pharmacy Career Fair inside the King Horn Sports Center. These events provide seamless avenues for students across all five of our colleges to hand over resumes, secure on-campus interviews, and network directly with recruiters representing Fortune 500 companies, hospital systems, and premier graduate programs.
- Actionable Step: Encourage your student to mark the upcoming September and October career fair dates on their academic calendar so they can prepare their professional attire in advance.
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We want every student to look and feel their best when interacting with recruiters, which is why we created the ONU Career Closet. Located right on the second floor of the library, the Career Closet is a completely free resource packed with high-quality, professional attire—including suits, shirts, skirts, blazers, and ties. Students can drop in at their convenience, browse the racks, and take what they need for career fairs, mock interviews, or capstone presentations. Best of all, the clothing is theirs to keep!
- Actionable Step: Tell your student they don't need to stress if they forget to pack a suit for college; they can walk into the Career Closet anytime during normal library hours to get fitted for free.
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Absolutely. Your connection to the Polar Bear network doesn't end when you cross the graduation stage. All ONU alumni are entitled to the exact same career advisory services for life, completely free of charge. Whether a graduate is looking to change industries, negotiate a salary, update their LinkedIn profile, or prepare a CV for graduate school, our professional advisors are available for in-person, phone, virtual, or email consultations.
- Actionable Step: Keep our office email (career@onu.edu) handy so you or your student can reach out for lifetime job-search support whenever career transitions happen down the road.
Polar Career Center
2nd Floor, Heterick Memorial Library525 South Main Street
Ada, Ohio 45810
419-772-2145