Have you had the coolest co-op?

Do you think you’ve had the coolest co-op experience? Students can now submit their videos for the 2015 Coolest Co-op Video Competition, an annual contest that showcases the impact and wide range of co-op experiences students are engaged in across the globe.

The Office of Student Affairs runs the annual contest. Students submit a two-minute video explaining why they’ve had the coolest co-op experience that highlights the work they’ve done on co-op, how the opportunity came about, and why the experience has been so impactful.

The deadline is Monday, Jan. 12, 2015. The grand prize winner will receive $1,000. Second prize wins $500, and third prize wins $250. Creativity is encouraged with the videos, and the winning submissions will also be featured in various locations and in other ways throughout campus. Visit the Coolest Co-op Video Competition website for more information.

Co-op is the cornerstone of Northeastern’s experiential learning model, which combines rigorous academic study with up to 18 months of real-world work experience. There were 9,823 co-op placements in 2013-14, and the number of global co-ops has increased 407 percent since 2006-2007. What’s more, students participate in co-op in 128 countries, and there are 2,970 co-op employers worldwide.

Here are the contest rules and details:
• Videos are limited to two minutes in length and must be posted to YouTube. And be creative!
• The raw video file, YouTube link, and accompanying entry form must be submitted to e.hardman@neu.edu by the Jan. 12, 2015 deadline. Students were emailed a Coolest Co-op contest entry form, or they can pick up a form at the Student Affairs Office in 104 Ell Hall.
• Videos should mention the Northeastern co-op program and showcase the work and learning experienced on the job. Visuals showing the entrant actively engaged in work are encouraged.
• All videos that are submitted for consideration will be considered property of Northeastern University.
• Videos will be judged by a panel of faculty and staff with expertise in the areas of video production, cooperative education, student life, marketing, and media relations.
• Students must script, shoot, and edit the video using their own cameras or borrowed equipment from Media Services.
• Entrants are free to use computer graphics or animation. The videos should be accurate, creative, interesting, and fun. Most importantly, it should prove that you have scored the coolest co-op in the more than 100 years of co-op history at Northeastern.
• Winners will be announced on Feb. 2, 2015.

For more information about the contest, contact e.hardman@neu.edu.

Here’s a look back at the 2014 winning videos:

First Place (tie)
Andy Nagashima, Hill Holiday

Alex Rickert, Sea Life Park

Third Place
Colin Beatt, Beatt Productions