HR.com , one of the largest social networking sites dedicated to human resources professionals, awarded the Collegiate Achievement and Mentoring Program (C.A.M.P Osprey) the LEAD award on Feb. 17, 2021, for their extraordinary leadership skills. 

C.A.M.P Osprey is a UNF mentoring program offered to students in the Taylor Leadership Institute leadership minor and was started by UNF’s associate professor and Director of the Taylor Leadership Institute, Dr. Matthew Ohlson.

What sets the C.A.M.P Osprey mentor program apart from mentor programs offered at other schools is how “leadership” is part of the program’s core curriculum. Dr. Ohlson said he believes leadership is one of the most important skills employers are looking for. He also believes learning leadership skills will make you career-ready and improve the quality of your life. 

“C.A.M.P Osprey is unique to UNF and was created to help students develop leadership skills and become career ready,” Dr. Ohlson said. “It is a great way for students to see what leadership looks like in their career path beyond a classroom setting.”

What makes the C.A.M.P Osprey mentor program unique is its distinctive approach to leadership. In this program, Ospreys are not only mentored by leaders in their chosen career path, but also have to mentor students from grades five to nine in Duval, Putnam, Flagler, St. Johns, and Clay counties.

“Mentoring someone else is a chance for Osprey’s to give back to the community,” said Dr. Ohlson. “It’s a great way to take the leadership skills they learned in the program and teach others in the community to be leaders.”  

According to the Taylor Leadership Institute, students in grades five to nine who participated in the C.A.M.P mentor program saw an 11 percent increase in their GPA. 

Another thing that makes C.A.M.P. unique is how the mentors are selected in the program. 

Each mentor is based and customized on what the Osprey wants to do after college. Mentors include leaders from the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Action News Jax, Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox.

Darryl Boyer is a senior at UNF and is currently running for the senate’s vice president seat at UNF. Growing up, Boyer was told college was never going to be part of his life. However, that all changed once he became a UNF student and participated in the C.A.M.P Osprey mentor program.

Boyer is grateful to both C.A.M.P. and Dr. Ohlson for making him into a better leader, not only on campus but in his career path. 

“Dr. Ohlson was the first person to ever believe in me, and saw things in me I never knew existed,” Boyer said in a C.A.M.P testimonial video. “I can’t wait for the day that I can continue to utilize my leadership skills and everything that I’ve ever learned about myself and be the young generation’s constant reminder that where there’s a will, there’s always a way.” 

You can find more information on the UNF C.A.M.P Osprey program at their main website found at this link.

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