The Office of Student Engagement hosted the third annual Small Business Fair on Sept. 22 in Anacon Hall, giving Monmouth University students an opportunity to connect with businesses from the surrounding community. The event featured food vendors, academic services, fitness and beauty businesses, as well as other services geared toward college students.
Caroline Peters, assistant director for the City of Long Branch’s Office of Community and Economic Development, said the fair provided an opportunity to connect local businesses with students.
“We focus on highlighting the small businesses in Long Branch itself, and we saw this as a great opportunity to reach out to our neighbors at Monmouth U,” Peters said. “We just want to be involved in the community and thought this was a great option to do that.”
Among the businesses attracting students was The Fro Yo Cafe, which recently opened a location in Ocean Township. Students were able to choose their own frozen yogurt flavors and toppings, drawing attention from students passing through the Student Center.
Jordan Moss, a sophomore nursing major, said seeing other students walking around with frozen yogurt caught his attention. “I saw people with froyo downstairs and said, ‘I’ve got to tap in,’” Moss said.
For other students, the variety of businesses was just as appealing as the food. Jaela Rivera, a sophomore nursing major, said she was excited to see familiar businesses represented at the fair. “I was excited when I saw all of the businesses, especially names I recognize like Pandora,” Rivera said.
Another Monmouth student, Samantha, said the event introduced her to businesses and services she could see herself using. “Jaela called me and told me that there was FroYo in the Stu,” Samantha said. “When I came up here, I was actually more excited when I saw the businesses and names that I know, like AT&T. I thought, ‘I can actually use this stuff. This is really convenient.’”
Businesses also offered students free merchandise, coupons, and experiences throughout the event. Among those in attendance were Outback Steakhouse, AT&T, Pandora, SugaringLA and the City of Long Branch.
Some businesses used the event to offer special deals specifically for Monmouth students. Liz Dayton, an instructor at Tandem Movement in Asbury Park, said the fitness studio was offering students an opportunity to try its classes.
“We’re offering some deals for college students to get them into fitness if they are not already, or just want to try out some classes,” Dayton said.
Monmouth students can receive their first class free at Tandem Movement by presenting their Monmouth University student ID.
The fair also featured academic and career-related services. Anthony Vallone, who runs a Microsoft tutoring company specializing in Excel, spoke with students about developing skills they may need in their future careers.
“We customize our lesson plans based on the needs of each individual student,” Vallone said. “Some students want to stick with beginner information and we’ll tailor our lesson plans to that.”
Vallone is offering Monmouth University students and faculty a 25% discount on his Excel tutoring services. Customized lesson packages are available in person throughout Monmouth County or remotely.
Vallone said the event also gave him the opportunity to speak directly with students and learn more about their needs. “The traffic in here has been steady, it’s been great,” Vallone said. “This is one opportunity for me to get face to face as opposed to being on the internet all the time to look for business, but also to hear the exchange with the students, which ones have Excel experience, or will need it with their majors.”
The Local Business Fair connected Monmouth students with businesses offering services, discounts and employment opportunities in the surrounding area. The event also provided local businesses with an opportunity to engage directly with the community.
