Spring career fair connects students with opportunity

By Stephen Wilson

Gateway Career Center provided students and employers two ways to connect at the spring career fair. Spanning two days, the event offered an in-person and a virtual fair.

Like the days before COVID, the in-person event invited organizations from across industries the opportunity to meet Lafayette students and discuss a range of roles. Twenty-four organizations were on hand this spring with 45 representatives, which included 17 alumni.

Students from every class year were there to bump elbows, share résumés, and discuss career paths. A few alumni from the Class of 2021 attended as well to take advantage of the chance to network.

The virtual fair opened its doors to companies that were using distance recruiting to engage students in their career searches. Twenty-nine employers along with 41 representatives met on the Handshake platform, the College’s primary online resource to connect students with employers.

Companies created profiles that included information about the organization, their available positions, and the ideal candidates. Students then could join representatives in individual or group chats, both text and video. 

“It was exciting to see Farinon active with people again,” says Mike Summers, associate vice president, Gateway Career Center. “Offering in-person and virtual options to employers and students expands the opportunities for both groups. It is always wonderful to see so many alumni return and lend a hand to Lafayette students—the support they benefited from is now something they are able to offer.”