Niagara University’s Office of Career Services hosted its annual Career Expo inside the university’s Gallagher Center on March 31, 2016.
Ninety-one employers were involved with the event and more than 400 students were in attendance, the most in 14 years.
The event served as an opportunity for students to make face-to-face contact with prospective employers. Information about job positions and internships was provided. Some tertiary benefits that companies offered included tuition reimbursement and healthcare.
Niagara University senior Chelsea Anderson spoke about the value that recruitment events bring to graduating college students.
“It’s important for college students because it helps them get a jumpstart on finding jobs or internships,” Anderson said. “You get to meet people before you decide to give them your resume, which helps a lot.”
Businesses were eager to look for the best qualities that students had to offer. Students dressed in their best attire and most brought clearly formatted resumes to share with potential employers.
One of the companies interested in attracting students was Travelers, a business that specializes in auto insurance. April Rivera, a unit manager at Travelers, was impressed with the Niagara University students.
“Niagara University looks like a fantastic school,” Rivera said. “I would love it if we could attract some people who are graduating this year or perhaps next year.”
Many companies were very interested in choosing hard workers that would help their businesses grow. One of them, Fastenal, an industrial supply business, had representatives ready to engage with students.
Solutions sales specialist Kevin Schwartz, ’14, shared how Fastenal looks for the most determined graduates to join the company.
“We know that the students attending this event are serious about their careers,” Schwartz said. “Those are the people we are looking to see.”
The first 200 students to check in to the Career Expo received a free T-shirt. A photo booth was also available for students to have professional headshots taken that could be used for their LinkedIn profiles.
Article by junior communication studies major Maegan Jones. Photos by Derek Zeller, ’12, and Andrew Emmons, a Niagara University sophomore studying communications, and criminology and criminal justice.