by Natalie DeFord, News Writer
Walking into a job fair at Pacific Lutheran University is like walking into a rainbow. Booths of all colors and assortments surround students and offer them free candy and swag. Perhaps even a future career could be this rainbow’s pot of gold.
More than 130 students attended last week’s Fall Career Fair in the Chris Knutzen Hall Wednesday Oct. 15, but free items were not the only thing these students sought.
More than 55 vendors, including 17 volunteer organizations and 38 employers, were there to offer opportunities to students.
The volunteer organizations present included American Red Cross, Peace Corps, The Rescue Mission and Lutheran Mission Corps.
The wide variety of employers included YMCA, Goodwill, Tacoma Community College and Weyerhaeuser.
Upon entry to the Career Fair, students swiped their LuteCards and received freshly-printed name tags including their majors, if declared. Students were free to wander and interact.
Marie Boisvert, Director of Graduate Admission, was tabling outside the fair for PLU Graduate School opportunities. Boisvert said the job fair is not only a great way to connect employers and students, but that it also coincides with PLU’s mission statement.
“It can solidify the steps you need to reach your future career,” Boisvert said, “but it can also help you find your passion, your vocation.”
The PLU offices that held the Fall Career Fair were Career Connections, the Academic Internships Office and the Center for Community Engagement and Service.
Tommy Skaggs, Coordinator of Student Employment and Technology, welcomed students at the swipe-in station at the career fair’s main entrance.
“The goal of the Career Fair is to get students to talk to employers,” Skaggs said.
Some employers return each year. Either employers approach the fair, or they are recruited, Skaggs said. He said PLU also tries to include employers that they think students would like to see at the fair.
Skaggs encourages anyone who was unable to attend the Fall Career Fair to go online and check out the Lute Link program.
Lute Link is an online database featuring PLU alumni who are interested in meeting and mentoring current PLU students.
“With Lute Link, a career fair happens anytime,” Skaggs said.
Lute Link is an online database featuring PLU alumni who are interested in meeting and mentoring current PLU students.
“With Lute Link, a career fair happens anytime,” Skaggs said.
Lute Link can be accessed through the Career Connections website, specifically here.
