Artistic rendition of a digital data stream.

Co-op broadens horizons

UC computer science student sharpens her tech skills with broadband consulting firm

By Administrator Email

7 minute read August 12, 2025

Isabelle Hageman has a passion for tech and computer science.

Her co-op while enrolled at the University of Cincinnati gives her the resources and trust to dive in further than she expected.

Hageman, a computer science major at UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, has spent her summer with Cincinnati-based CostQuest Associates, a broadband consulting firm.

“As a software developer, my skill set pertains to developing systems that help us deliver products and technology solutions, rather than focusing specifically on broadband technology,” Hageman said. She joined CostQuest’s software development team in May. “Software developers pick up what we know about broadband from what we do on the job, but we focus more on the data side of things. Not knowing a lot about broadband wasn’t a barrier to entry.”

Isabelle Hageman tackles web design, database management and more at her co-op with CostQuest. Photo/provided.

Hageman’s start in computer science sounds unique, but is actually common for young people in her field. “Genuinely, the thing that got me into technology was video games, specifically Minecraft,” she said.

Minecraft offers room for tons of creativity in coding, appealing to a variety of prospective technology experts. “There's a huge overlap between people in my major and people that grew up playing Minecraft, working with some of the more technical components in the game.”

Hageman also noted that her high school did not offer any computer science classes, so gaming became her outlet for her love of technology. Inspired by the problem solving of gaming, she pivoted from aerospace engineering to computer science because of its broad applications. “I’m gaining this skill set that can be applied to any industry,” she said.

Cooperative education at UC

Hageman had just completed her first academic year at UC when she earned her co-op with CostQuest.

“It was a very crazy, very lucky coincidence,” Hageman said, as she found the company through Facebook. Thanks to the connectivity of social media, her family friend, Robb Stohlman, is now her supervisor.

“When we interviewed Isabelle, we knew she had the skillset and personality to fit perfectly into our group. Isabelle has had no hesitation in taking on the challenges that we have thrown her way,” Stohlman said. “Everyone who has worked directly with Isabelle has nothing but good things to say about her. She's one of the team.”

Hageman is the first University of Cincinnati co-op student to work with CostQuest. “This experience has been tremendously positive, and we look forward to working closely with UC in the future,” Stohlman said.

This is definitely where I want to be for this stage of my career.

Isabelle Hageman

UC invented cooperative education (co-op) in 1906, beginning with Herman Schenider, professor of civil engineering. The first co-op class involved 27 engineering students and 13 local companies. Students originally alternated weekly between attending classes and working as a co-op. After proving its success, co-op began expanding to other fields beyond engineering.

More than 100 years later, UC offers experience-based learning opportunities to all students, and defines co-op as meaningful, career-oriented, compensated workplace experiences, including internships, service learning, virtual co-ops, community projects and industry partnerships. UC's is considered one of the best co-op programs in the U.S.

Each year, UC students work with employers across the globe, such as GE Aviation, Disney, Toyota, Kroger, Procter & Gamble and many more. But for Hageman, working for a smaller company has been the best fit for her first co-op.

Small company, huge opportunity

CostQuest describes itself on its website as “employee-owned, providing broadband consulting and custom applications as well as national geospatial and point-of-interest data.” Hageman has had the opportunity to take a look into many of the company’s areas of expertise due to the collaborative nature of her role.

“One of my absolute favorite things about this job is that it is a small company,” Hageman said. “I actually get the opportunity to work with a bunch of different departments,” she added, including projects involving web design, research and development and the database team.

“I have effectively found a position where I am learning to be a full stack software developer, getting all the skill sets and getting all the knowledge, without having that be my official title,” Hageman said. “If I were working in a big company where there was a lot of separation between departments, that would have been a totally different story.”

Co-op at UC

8,300 students from disciplines across the university participate (2023-24)
$88.8 million in collective self-reported earnings (2023-24)
$10,700 earned on average per student per semester (2023-24)
18% increase in wages from the last reported co-op data
1,800+ employer partners participate in co-op

Hageman spends her day-to-day juggling a number of projects, and her team is always open to her taking on more when she has the time.

“I’m a huge fan of our current e-commerce website where we sell all of our data to internet service providers. I'm working primarily on the front-end components of it, so I'm making it look nice and adding functionality that boosts the user experience,” Hageman said. “That's kind of been my passion project for the past couple of months that I've been working there.”

She also said organizing the company’s complex databases has transformed from an intimidating to a rewarding opportunity. “If you do it wrong, you can end up destroying a lot, but they trusted me with it and I delivered.”

What’s next

Stohlman, Assistant Vice President of Development, IS & IT at CostQuest, says he looks forward to continuing to work with UC. Photo/CostQuest.

At CostQuest, Hageman found her passion for learning is matched by her colleagues.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned so far is that, especially in my field, everyone is so interested in learning, regardless of age or experience level. If you have knowledge, share it,” Hageman explained. “It doesn’t matter how experienced you are or where you came from. Everyone is so willing to learn from each other.”

While some students use co-op to explore different roles at different companies, many find their fit with an employer and stick with them through graduation and beyond.

“This is definitely where I want to be for this stage of my career,” Hageman said. CostQuest has already offered to continue her co-op through the fall. “And I have a good long-term option if I decide to stay full time.”

Your career is next

Through one of the nation’s most robust co-op programs, UC students don’t just learn about their future — they live it, alternating classroom study with real-world, career-shaping experience in industries around the world.

Students: Earn while you learn at UC.
Employers: Find your next hire.

Featured image at top of an artistic rendition of a digital data stream. Photo/iStock/sankai.