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Heavener Career and Leadership Challenge

Extracurricular activities for online undergraduates

The Heavener Career and Leadership Challenge enhances the student experience for online business undergraduates through supplemental extracurricular activities. 

The challenge features a menu of activities to help students build the career skills that top business school graduates need.

By participating in the challenge, you’ll evolve your skill-set by building knowledge – both academic and professional – that will set you apart from peers, making you a standout scholar and polished career-seeker.

Career readiness

The challenge is a fully online career readiness program that aligns with the Heavener School of Business’s career competencies.

Career & self development

Communication

Critical thinking & problem solving

Leadership

Professionalism & work ethic

Teamwork & collaboration

Technical acumen

Global & cultural intelligence

Building community among online students

The Heavener Career and Leadership Challenge builds a sense of belonging by taking an innovative and dynamic approach to bring the on-campus experience to you.

You’ll enjoy on-campus events — explore our beautiful campus, participate in career fairs, all while building lasting connections with your fellow online learners that will serve you well after graduation.

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A student in business attire smiles and shakes hands with a peer at a busy on‑campus career fair table surrounded by other students.

Ready, set, go… begin the challenge

The Career and Leadership Challenge is open exclusively to students in the online bachelor’s in business degrees. The first step ito take is applying to participate. The application helps us tailor the program to your needs and interests.

Submit your application

How the program works

After completing your application, you’ll work with various online apps and tools to guide you throughout the challenge.

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Gator Ready

You’ll document completion of the required learning activities in Gator Ready. Over the course of this program, Gator Ready will help you produce a skills-based portfolio that illustrates how far you’ve come and signals to employers that you’re prepared for the job.

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HireWarrington

HireWarrington is the college’s career services portal. It’s where you find information on careers and internships, schedule interviews and interact with career coaches and recruiters.

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Yellowdig

Yellowdig is a social media-like platform that fosters online learning and engagement. It leverages interface It’s used in the classroom and in the Heavener Online Student Center to encourage your engagement, interaction, and collaboration around course content or activities outside of class.

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Challenge action plan

The Heavener Career and Leadership Challenge action plan, housed in the Heavener Online Student Center in Canvas, frames your objectives and helps you complete the required competencies. This is accomplished via a series of brief learning activities.

A smiling student works on a laptop at a bright desk, viewing an online course dashboard with several modules in progress.

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning short courses are available to all UF students. The on-demand classes address a variety of topics and will be assigned to you as part of the challenge.

Windows of opportunity

Professional headshot of Richard A. Duemmling wearing a light gray suit jacket, white shirt, and blue tie, smiling confidently outdoors.

The Heavener Career and Leadership Challenge was much more than a checklist of tasks — it became a launching pad for real opportunities.

Requesting a recommendation letter turned into a series of conversations that introduced me to incredible UF alumni, including a law firm founder, a former mayor, and the head partner of an architecture firm. These were meaningful, memorable interactions that helped me grow not just as a student, but as a future leader.

The challenge gave me structure, confidence, and a reason to stretch beyond my comfort zone. It creates windows of opportunity, but it’s up to you to step through them.

Richard A. Duemmling

Portrait of Rachael Kistner smiling, wearing a black blazer and olive green blouse, with her hair pulled back against a plain gray background.

As a student returning to school for a career change, I was nervous and unsure how to leverage my existing skills until I found the Heavener Career and Leadership Challenge. It gave me the structure, guidance, and hands-on opportunities I needed to grow. With each activity I completed, my confidence increased, and I became a stronger, more competitive candidate. Being the first student to complete the challenge gave me a sense of direction and inspired me to support others through mentorship and peer encouragement.

Rachael Kistner

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Up for the challenge?

The UF Online business program team can walk you through the process.

Contact program staff