Meet Business Administration Program Director Jon Ream!
Jon Ream, a proud alumnus of East Ohio College, is the Business Administration Program Director at East Ohio College and the campus IT support coordinator. In the business program, graduates receive training in Information Technology and fundamentals of various business principles, including accounting/bookkeeping, sales, customer service, and marketing. Graduates will also be introduced to multiple software applications, including but not limited to Microsoft Word/Excel and QuickBooks. There are some characteristics that successful students possess in this field. The most successful graduates are the ones that have a great work ethic and can adapt to change quickly and easily. Our successful graduates can work individually or as part of a team and provide excellent customer service.
There are some frequently asked questions about the program and career field. The #1 question Mr. Ream gets asked is, “what can I do with a BA degree?” The answer to that is pretty simple. You can do just about anything. You can work in the business field ranging from reception and general office settings to working in a hospital on the business side of things. Mr. Ream has had graduates who have gone on to work in the scheduling department in hospitals and a graduate who just became a senior member of her company. Two brothers have graduated, one is an office manager, and the other is a mechanic who is the shop manager.
East Ohio students receive real-world training as part of their educational experience. This is a significant part of the student journey. When Mr. Ream started as the program director at East Ohio in 2018, the biggest issue the students had when looking for positions in their field after graduating was that they didn’t have the necessary experience. Externships allow the students to use the knowledge they have learned and apply it outside of the class while gaining valuable experience. The EOC students are required to complete 90 hours in their externship and successfully complete a wide range of objectives, including customer service skills and computer skills.
Some anticipated changes are expected over the next 5-10 years within the business program. When COVID-19 arrived, we had to pivot many things as a country. Education was hit head-on. Mr. Ream explains that East Ohio had to learn and adjust quickly. From a business standpoint, part of this was achieved by realizing the efficiencies of virtual meetings (zoom calls) and the conveniences of working from home. We learned quickly how Microsoft Word and Excel programs could make our lives much easier. With this newfound knowledge, we had to adjust our teaching strategies accordingly. Making sure that our students understood the importance of soft skills was vital. We really emphasized the importance of email and phone etiquette and dealing with difficult people and situations.
It goes without saying that Mr. Ream would strongly encourage students to consider going into the business field. By studying business administration, you get a variety of careers to choose from, which is one of the top reasons you should get a degree in it. In business administration, you learn all the business fundamentals, thus enabling you to get a job in different sectors, including but not limited to management, finance, human resources, marketing, sales, and customer service.
Mr. Ream is always proud of his students. He loves it when a graduate touches base to tell him they got a new promotion at work or are in a career they absolutely love. There’s no better feeling than helping someone achieve their dream of being a college graduate and actually being employed in a career, not just a job.
Are you interested in an accelerated program that fits your needs and helps you balance family, work, and school? To learn more about East Ohio College’s programs, Request Information today!