Annual Career Expo Works to Connect Students to Employers

The Office of Career Services sponsored its annual Spring Career Expo on March 7, where employers from all across the area come looking to hire Southeast students from a variety of majors.

Director of Career Services Dan Presson said the event is intended to bring employers who are looking to hire Southeast students and graduates.

“All 140-plus employers that are here are all 100 percent engaged in hiring SEMO graduates and students as interns. That's what makes this so exciting and why we do it every semester,” Presson said. “There are so many companies out there looking to hire, and they want to hire SEMO, so I think that's a great problem to have and it's a wonderful event to throw because there are just so many great people.”

Freshman computer multimedia graphics major Christine Punzo came to see what opportunities are available.

“I went here last year and there weren’t many people looking for that sort of major and I’ve noticed a lot more this year so that’s pretty exciting to see my major growing,” Punzo said.

Junior Johanna Oster came to see some of the companies that were strongly represented.

"I visited Buckle, Enterprise Holding, Pepsi MidAmerica, Aerotek, and many more. All were very welcoming and I was able to form great connections with these companies,” Oster said. “I look forward to getting in contact with these companies gain about future job opportunities."

The purpose was for students to learn more about future career opportunities and begin to build networks with alumni and professionals of their field.

Associate Director of Admissions Alisa McFerron explained how as an alumna to and as an employee of the university she has witnessed the department’s recent improvements.

“Since I was a student, Career Services has exploded with the number of services that they offer, so there is a chance that there wasn’t a career fair when I was a student at Southeast or they didn’t promote it if they did,” McFerron said.

Career Services provided other services for students such as professional headshots along with free professional clothes from the Career Closest located in the Redhawk Food Pantry in Kent Library.

The Office of Career Services is hosting its second Healthcare Career Expo for those interested in jobs in relating fields. This event will take place on March 29 in the Student Recreation Center.