Career & Internship Fair 2009

Hundreds of students find diverse opportunities

November 4, 2009

by Ali Eaves, ’11

Students in all years and majors attended the fair this year to learn about various industries, talk with potential employers and jump-start their career or internship searches.

Natalia Sanders, a senior leadership studies major with a minor in Spanish, is no stranger to the fair.

“I came as a freshman just to walk around and see what was here,” Sanders said. “I came as a junior to look for an internship, and now I’m looking for a job.”

With a liberal arts background and previous internships in sales and marketing, Sanders is open-minded about her career search. Still debating whether to indulge her altruistic side and join the Peace Corps or to go straight into the work force, she came to the Career & Internship Fair looking for more information about both.

“It’s been really helpful every year,” she said. “It’s good to talk to people and practice selling yourself.”

Finding the right internship can seem overwhelming for students who are unsure about their career paths, but attending the fair was an instrumental first step for many juniors and underclassmen. Kelly Padden, a junior with majors in business and leadership studies, was grateful for the practice talking to employers, something that can sometimes seem intimidating.

“It eased my nerves about the interview process,” she said. “I was able to get my foot in the door, make contacts for internships and gain insight into different career possibilities.”

For those who are ready to commit and only need to worry about getting hired, the fair was a place to make an impression. Daniel Savage, a senior accounting major, was able to take major steps in his job hunt at the fair.

“I introduced myself at one of the accounting firms, and it seemed as if they really liked me, so I think I definitely have an ‘in’ now,” Savage said. “It’s good getting your name out there, and people will remember your face.”

Article ID: 567