Campus Events, Career and Internship Center

Samantha LaRose '17

The spring 2017 Career, Internship, and Graduate School Fair, held on Tuesday, March 21, brought together 123 organizations, including 25 graduate schools, 52 for profit and 46 non-profit groups. The event, coordinated by the Career Education and Professional Development Office, featured companies such as Linium Recruiting, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and Fingerpaint Marketing.

The annual Fair is a big step for many students to get a foot in the door of the professional world.  Students have the opportunity to network with professionals, learn more about prospective organizations and fields, all while putting their name out there.

Even prior to the fair, English major Julia Lowney ’17 understood the importance of embracing the opportunity to use the professional skills she has gained throughout her four years at Siena.

“This is such a huge opportunity to network and form relationships with potential employers and I believe this is key to landing a job later on. It’s also going to be great practice for students to present their own skills and elevator pitches because these conversations will almost be like informal interviews. The more practice we get speaking to professionals, the more we’re going to be prepared for the real world.”

Siena alumna Erin Grogan ’16 understands the importance of the event; as a senior at the 2016 Career Fair, she stopped by the UPS booth. This year, she stood behind the table, representing the UPS organization. Grogan was one of forty Siena alumni who participated in the Fair.

“We want to impress on younger students, freshmen and sophomores in particular, the importance of getting involved in the internship process earlier in order to provide a more hands-on experience and increase their viability as candidates when approaching graduation,” said Ashley Dwyer ’08, assistant director for employer relations at the Career Education and Professional Development Office. “In addition, we want to encourage Liberal Arts students to attend to learn about the various ways they can apply their skill sets to a particular organization.”

Of her experience at the Fair, Lowney shared, “Everywhere I looked, I saw students initiating conversations and asking great questions and even though no one is looking for the exact same career, it really felt as though the student body came together to support one another's future endeavors.”

Students of all class years and majors should take advantage of the workshops, events and tips the Career Education and Professional Development Office has to offer by learning the ways in which they can apply their knowledge and skills to a company or organization. After all, Saints don’t sit on the sidelines.