Career fair connects students and alumni

Career_Fair2
Talent Acquisition and Retention Coordinator Robert Weiler II talks with Radford University student Gabrielle Smith about employment opportunities with Pressley Ridge.

Hundreds of students explored potential job and internship opportunities on Jan. 26 at the Spring Internship and Career Fair.

About 50 employers participated in the event, including PricewaterhouseCoopers, represented by alumni Nana "T-Chee" Kum and Lin Huynh.

“We’re here because we know Radford University has a lot of talented students," Kum said. "We’re a product of Radford University, and we know how much the university invested in us."

Afterward, Kum and Huynh spoke with students in Professor Dan Davidson’s class.

“We don’t want to just come on campus and recruit students. We want to help students understand exactly what the corporate world is about and tell them about our experiences," Kum continued. "We want to help the students understand the difference between campus life and professional life and that the work they are putting in now will soon benefit them."

Among the more than 200 students combing the different business booths was senior Sarah Parnell. The biology major is on track to graduate this fall with a degree in biology.

"I came here today seeking opportunities and to explore options that I haven’t explored before," Parnell said.  "I’d like to make connections and maybe find and internship for the summer.”

Parnell said she hopes to work in conservation, explaining she desires to do something to "help save the planet."

Junior C.J. Shonnard said he wasn't so sure about his career path, but he was confident the career fair would help point him in the right direction.

"I’m really indecisive, and I’m not sure what I want to do in the future. So, I wanted to come out and meet and talk with some people from different companies and try to figure out what I want to do," Shonnard said.

Career fairs are just one way Radford University is preparing students for a diverse range of employment opportunities, said Sgt. Charles Grubbs '02, representing the Harrisonburg Police Department.

“Radford sets up students to succeed and to be a well-rounded person who can pretty much work anywhere they want to go," Grubbs said. "It’s diverse enough and small enough to get that one-on-one education and diverse enough to give you a well-rounded education that sets you up for success in the future. That’s what we’re looking for today, that diverse individual who has an open mind and is willing to accept any challenge in today’s world.”

Students will have another opportunity to explore career and internship opportunities at the STEM Internship and Career Fair on Feb. 24. Details on this event and future events can be found on RU's Career Services website.

Career_Fair1

Radford alumni Nana "T-Chee" Kum (left) and Lin Huynh were among the alumni taking part in the Jan. 26 Spring Internship and Career Fair.

Jan 29, 2016