December 17, 2025
Shawnee State University has been named the 2025 Building Bridges to Careers (BB2C) Partner of the Year in recognition of its support for workforce pathways for students. Dr. Amanda Hedrick, Executive Director of the Kricker Innovation Hub, accepted the award on behalf of the university during the organization's annual conference held in September.
Building Bridges to Careers is a nonprofit organization that connects education, business and industry to help students explore professional pathways and gain early experience. Hedrick has collaborated with BB2C for several years to create internship and credentialing opportunities that connect students to careers. As a result, students have gained practical skills and employment connections with local businesses.
"I got involved with Building Bridges to Careers through pursuing internship opportunities for students," Hedrick said. "The high school tech internships appealed to me because we're working to build a digital economy at the Kricker Innovation Hub."
Beyond her work with BB2C, Hedrick also helped launch SSU's Bear Tracks program, a residential summer workforce-training initiative that offers high school seniors and recent graduates industry-recognized credentials and hands-on experience. Hedrick said the university's approach often starts with simply being willing to take on new challenges when they arise.
"I just have a tendency to say yes," Hedrick said. "Sometimes saying yes takes a lot of time and effort, but if it's going to benefit our students, if it's going to benefit our community, then I'm all in."
In accepting the BB2C Partner of the Year award, SSU and Hedrick celebrate not only institutional partnership but also the students whose futures are being reshaped by access, opportunity and support.