A total of 30 employers, 206 students, and representatives from all majors attended the Internships and Majors Fair on Oct. 5 in Anacon Hall. This was the first time the University combined these two events in order to consolidate the similar fairs and provide an array of options for students at once.
In addition to being an event where students can meet with potential employers, the Internship and Majors Fair also gave undecided and re-deciding students a chance to explore academic majors options with faculty from each school at Monmouth,” said Jeff Mass, Assistant Director of Career Services.
According to Kathryn Kloby, Vice Provost for Transformative Learning, the idea to combine the two fairs was a recommendation made by the Student Government Association (SGA). “Experience is key and we know students are coming to get experience. At this fair, students were able to speak to a major they may be interested in and then go to speak to a professional in that area and see what they are looking for,” said Kloby.
Essentially, the Internships Fair and the Majors Fair are both an important part of college and your career. It is great for students to be able to obtain this information at two different events,” said Will Hill, Assistant Dean for Career Services.
We have been a partner with the University for 10 years and we have found success when attending,” said Courtney Chamberlan, a representative of Northwest Mutual who attended the event looking for interns. She explained that in the past they have hired interns for their company from the University who have gained entrepreneurial experience though their internship.
New Jersey State Parole Board was another company looking for interns. According to Karol Schwing, a represenative from the NJ state Parole Board, they usually obtain 90 percent of their applicants from NJ schools and they always receive a handful of them from Monmouth University students. Schqing said that some of those students are usually reached through internship fairs.
I’m here today to see what opportunities there are for employment in the area,” said Vera Boateng, a graduate student at the University studying corporate and public communication. This was the first time she attended an internship fair on campus. “When I was getting my undergraduate degree, my school never had anything like this. There was never an employment fair this broad,” she said.
Ciara Fisher, a sophomore business student also attended for the first time and explained how she thought it would be great to get started on finding an internship early.
Companies that were scheduled to attend included American Red Cross, BGCM Community Center & Sportsplex, Clean Ocean Action, CSAV Systems, Enable, Inc. Family First Urgent Care, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Frank Pallone’s Congressional Office, FTI Consulting, Gallo Wine Sales of NJ, Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore, iCIMS, Jersey Cares, Jewish Renaissance Foundation AmeriCorps, Michael J Hennessy & Associates, Inc. MU Student Employment, New Jersey State Parole Board, Nordstrom, Northwestern Mutual, OASIS tlc, POAC Autism Services, Social Stamina, Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, TEDxNavesink, The Arc of Monmouth, The Community YMCA Child Achievement, The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, The Salvation Army, Vydia, WeiserMazars LLP, and Wilkin & Guttenplan.
“Career events such as the Internship Fair can be really effective if you plan accordingly,” said Mass. He explained that prior to the event, it is important to make a complete list of who you would like to speak to. The list of employers are always posted in advance on the Monmouth University Career Services page. You can then visit the attending employer’s careers section portal on their websites and see what openings they have.
According to Mass, it is imperative to set time and effort aside in order to plan your “elevator pitch.” He said that first impressions still go a long way, and advises that students make sure to start off with a firm handshake, maintain good eye contact, and dress appropriately for the occasion.
For more information, students are welcome to visit the Career Services office to get tips on interviewing skills, job search strategies, resume and cover letter construction, and more. “The staff there will help them build the confidence needed to succeed,” explained Mass.
PHOTO TAKEN by Danielle Schipani
