Given the opportunity and support to flourish, students regularly make a meaningful and lasting change - in their community and in themselves.  As someone who maximized that experience in his undergraduate years, Miles Dodge has returned to Rec Sports to employ his insight as the newly appointed Student Initiatives Coordinator.  Charged with developing career readiness among student employees, Dodge is strategically molding the student employment experience at Recreational Sports.

Dodge reflects fondly on his Rec Sports experiences. “The feeling is surreal. Sometimes I still have moments where I flashback to 2008 when I was opening the building as [student] Center Manager.” That same year, Dodge helped to imagine and pursue the funding and construction of Student Legacy Park, from what was then an unlit, muddy field of grass. Today’s Student Legacy Park is an ever-present reminder of the perseverance of Dodge and his peers to move the project forward. 

In Dodge’s senior year, he saved a man’s life.  During building rounds in Dixon Recreation Center, he was notified of a man lying unconscious in the locker room. Without hesitation, he initiated his First Responder training. Dodge and his peers successfully revived the participant.

Now that Dodge has returned to Recreational Sports, he is aiming to create forums that challenge and transform student employees’ thinking.  “I want students to see their employment at Recreational Sports as an investment in themselves”, says Dodge. He plans to provide the support system to grow both competence and confidence.  

The starting point is an optional, self-guided series of online modules that Dodge created himself.  The program, named On-Ramp, aims to document the entire co-curricular experience. “It’s integrated into software that students already use for classes at OSU,” Dodge said.  

“We want our employees to capture their involvement in student groups, volunteer activities, leadership roles in sport, and beyond,” Dodge explained. On-Ramp focuses on the specific skills that employers seek of college graduates, and facilitates an environment for intentional reflection and growth.  

“At the end of student’s time in college, employers will ask students to communicate what they’ve learned. It’s a competitive workforce.  It’s not enough to just have skills; students also need to be able to articulate them in the application process,” Dodge remarked.  

On-Ramp is scheduled to launch for Recreational Sports student employees in Fall 2018.