The Grambling State University’s 48th Annual Career Fair was held in the Black and Gold Room recently. The name of the event was the Lonnie Smith Career Fair, named to honor a longtime placement director at GSU.
The fair offered several opportunities to receive internships, entry-level jobs, and graduate schools’ information.
There were representatives from 44 companies who attended the fair, which was held Sept. 21. Some companies included Aramark, FDIC, Century Link, IBM, City Year, and many more.
A GSU alumna, Yunna Davenport, who works for Aramark in Arlington, Texas, interviewed graduating seniors that her company was looking to hire.
The Career Fair was free of charge to GSU students and alumni.
Keone Jones, a senior computer science major, said, “ The Career Fair was very informative. I am looking forward to working with one of the companies in the future.
“After attending this Career Fair, I will be better prepared for the one next semester.”
BREYANNA ROBINSON/The Yearbook
Law enforcement agencies were among the 44 companies at the Lonnie Smith Career Fair.
About 150 students attended the fair. The Office of Career Services organized the event.
Latoya Pierre, an employer relations coordinator in the Office of Career Services, stated, “It was a good turnout with the students and companies as well. We received great feedback from the students, employers, and professors.
“Next time, we will need a bigger location so the companies can have more room,” Pierre said.
Another employee in the Office of Career Services, Altha Madison, workforce development coordinator, said, “The fair turned out well. We had a variety of vendors. We are still growing and making new partnerships. Our goal is to make it bigger and bigger each time.”
There will be two more career fairs this semester. Oct. 30 is the graduate and professional career fair and Nov. 5 is the internship fair.
The director of Career Services, Dr. Shelia Fobbs, stated, “There were two things I was disappointed with in this semester’s career fair. First, the students dress code. I had to send back a lot of students due to their improper attire. We will be doing a dress campaign to improve student’s knowledge on proper dress code. The second was the student participation. We want more students to participate. We encourage students to take advantage of the opportunities the career fair offers.” The Office of Career Services also wants students to mark the calendars to attend a few upcoming workshops.
There will also be a career fair next semester. The spring career fair will be held on Feb. 18, 2016.
Camille Neal, junior, biology major said, “ This is my second time attending the career fair. There were plenty of companies to choose from for every major at GSU. I always feel better prepared for the future after I attend the fair.”
If you have any questions about the Career Fair, visit the Office of Career Services located in A.C Lewis Memorial Library, Suite 167.