Holiday Cheer & Program Highlights | | |
Greetings!
As we wrap up another meaningful year for the GovCP community, we’re excited to share a few highlights from 2025 and give you a festive preview of what’s ahead in 2026.
In this edition, you’ll meet one of our incredible faculty members, catch up on some exciting university-wide events, and get a quick look at the program updates we’re most energized about heading into the new year.
From all of us here in the Government Contracting & Procurement program, we're grateful to have you in our growing community and we wish you a warm, joyful, and restorative holiday season!
Sincerely,
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Sabra Tomb, Esq.
Director of Training Programs and Strategic Business Development
University of Dayton School of Law
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It takes a village to make our Government Contracting & Procurement program thrive — and we’re especially grateful to have Professor Molly Colaneri in ours. With experience spanning the U.S. Department of War to her current role at Collins Aerospace, Molly brings a rare blend of real-world contracting insight, leadership expertise, and down-to-earth mentorship to our community.
Professor Colaneri co-teaches Introduction to Business Law (LAW 2000) alongside Professor Strong and also teaches Contracts III on her own. Across both courses, she loves helping students see that business law isn’t abstract — it’s the story behind every deal, partnership, and “what happens if this goes wrong?” moment. Her ability to make these concepts click is one of the many reasons students connect so easily with her.
Beyond the classroom, Molly is a regular contributor to the GovCP community — including her recent participation as a panelist at our first ever GovCon Symposium — where she continually helps bridge academic learning with the realities of modern acquisition.
Outside of work, her life is full of family adventures, kids’ activities, and saying “yes” to new experiences — all of which reflect the energy and enthusiasm she brings to her students.
We’ll be sharing even more about Molly and her work next week on our LinkedIn — stay tuned!
| | | STAYING INSPIRED, GOVCP STYLE | Looking for some holiday reading? Consider Insight: The Surprising Truth About How Others See Us by Tasha Eurich — a book Molly says has had a lasting influence on her leadership style. Its message about self-awareness, and how our intent and communication shape every outcome, is a guiding principle she brings into both her work and her teaching. | | | Highlights from the Event of the Year | | YOUR GOVCON SYMPOSIUM RECAP | | |
Our 1st ever Government Contracting Symposium truly felt like the GovCP event of the year! Government contracting professionals and industry partners came together for a day full of big ideas, practical insights, and the kind of conversations you’re still thinking about long after they’re over.
This year’s lineup delivered everything from emerging acquisition trends to real-world stories from professionals working on the front lines of modernization. It was a day packed with learning, connection, and plenty of “oh wow, that makes so much sense now” moments.
A few standout highlights included:
- Thoughtful sessions on contract risk management, compliance, and what’s changing fast
- Fresh perspectives on acquisition modernization (AI) from contracting professionals
- Meaningful networking that helps the government contracting community together
A special thank you to our faculty panelists — GovCP Professors: Molly Colaneri, Jennifer Strong, and Rob Lorton — for sharing their expertise and helping spark such engaging discussions.
And a huge thank you to Thompson Hine for partnering with UD to make the event possible and for generously providing all food and refreshments. Their support helped make the symposium such a memorable experience for everyone who attended.
We’re already looking forward to the next one!
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EXPANDING OUR FLEXCOURSE EXPERIENCE
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Big things are ahead for GovCP in 2026 — and one of the changes we’re most excited about is the continued expansion of our FlexCourse format.
As of this January (Spring Term 2026), nearly the entire program now follows this model (with one remaining course transitioning later in 2026), marking a significant milestone for accessibility and student support.
So what is FlexCourse?
It’s a learning format designed for today’s working professionals:
- 50% live instruction
- 50% self-paced learning
- 100% online delivery
With all live sessions held at 8:00 p.m. ET, students across the country can participate without disrupting their workday, making the program ideal for busy professionals in government, military, and industry roles!
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THINKING ABOUT SPRING? THERE'S STILL TIME | If the FlexCourse model feels like the balance you’ve been looking for, we’d love to have you join us this spring. Apply by December 12th to begin mid-January. | | | | LOOKING TO EARN CLE CREDIT IN 2026? | | | | |
Our asynchronous Government Employees & Ethics Training is a flexible, self-paced option for earning ethics CLEs — affordable pricing of $150 for the entire training.
The course includes an evaluated assessment and is eligible for CEU/CLE credit.
| | Upcoming Events: Staying Future-Focused | | |
We’re excited to share that the University of Dayton will host its first-ever Virtual AI Demo Day on January 23rd, 2026, a campus-wide event dedicated to showcasing how faculty, staff, and students are using Artificial Intelligence in meaningful, practical ways.
From teaching and research to productivity and creative projects, this day-long “show and tell” will spotlight how AI is shaping classrooms, workflows, and innovation across UD — including areas that directly support programs like GovCP.
➡️ Sign up to present (by Dec. 19)
➡️ Save the date – Full schedule will be released in Jan!
| | SOCIAL PRACTICE OF HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE | | |
The University of Dayton Human Rights Center will host the Social Practice of Human Rights (SPHR) 2026 Conference: Creative Resistance—Artivism, Technology, and the Right to Dissent on April 9–11, 2026 in Dayton, with hybrid options available.
This year’s conference will explore how art, technology, and creative expression are reshaping modern resistance and protecting the right to dissent. The event will bring together artists, activists, technologists, scholars, and community leaders for three days of conversation, collaboration, and insight.
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Did you know our Government Contracting Program offers three convenient start dates each year—Fall, Spring, and Summer?
There’s still time to apply for the Spring 2026 Term!
Apply by December 12th to start courses on January 12th.
Keep an eye out for more details about our upcoming term and stay connected with us on LinkedIn for the latest updates, insights, and program highlights.
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We love celebrating the achievements of our Government Contracting community ... and that means you, too!
Our prospective students, current students, alumni, and faculty have all expressed interest in knowing more about our community's successes and accomplishments.
If you have a new position, accolade, or professional achievement you'd like to share, please let us know.
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