On Wednesday, March 14, the Career Center for Life Calling hosted a career and internship fair in Upper Convo from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

“We want to bring quality employers to campus so they are seeing our soon to be graduates and interns.” said Zach McGrain, executive director of the Career Center for Life Calling. 

A total of 23 businesses and organizations attended the fair, representing a variety of industries including education, accounting and insurance among other things. 

 “For the university-wide [career] fair, we open it to all industries. This is for all students.” said McGrain.  

Some businesses that were there include New York Life, Schneider Downs & Co. and Northwestern Mutual of Canton, bolstering the professional environment of the event and helping it appeal to a large number of students. 

“The majority of the opportunities are full-time and internships. Some are seasonal, but ultimately they are building a pipeline for future careers,” said McGrain. 

Most of the companies and organizations, in addition to interviewing students, also gave them flyers and brochures that gave them their companies’ websites, so they could officially apply to them.  

This particular event has been hosted for the past few years, and its effects for students have been positive. 

 “The feedback we get from students and employers about connections built has been positive,” said McGrain.  

Although McGrain said that the Career Center for Life Calling doesn’t have exact numbers of successful careers and internships due to the fair in the past because of confidentiality, there have been many positive connections he has heard of that were made because of it. 

Participants in the Career and Internship Fair, in addition to talking to employers, could also have professional headshots taken in the room next to the fair. The photographer who took the headshots will email them to the students. 

While checking into the fair, students were given raffle tickets and, according to the brochure handed to them, were told to “Visit at least five employers for the chance to win AU swag.” 

Dozens of Ashland students attended the Career and Internship Fair and built positive connections with potential future employers, who represented a wide range of industries that would appeal to students of different majors.  

For more information about future events, visit Explore – Engage Ashland (campuslabs.com).