When U senior Marlon Ruiz came to the engineering, science and technology fair on Wednesday, he said he was looking for national companies in pharmaceutical science that have a branch in New York.
Ruiz, a student in biochemistry, plans on moving to New York with his wife after he graduates.
“It opens your eyes to whatever is out there, like what you can use your degree for and who can use you,” Ruiz said.
At least 1,000 students looking for employment attended the engineering fair on Oct. 8.
U Career Services sponsored the fair, which featured about 120 different employers that are part of science and engineering companies. The employers came to talk to students who are interested in internships or professional careers in these fields, regardless of their majors.
Stan Inman, director of Career Services, said they are selective in inviting many of the best companies in the country to the fair. Many of the companies featured are national, such as Google and Avalanche.
“We hope that our students are networking and finding or preparing to find the career paths that they ultimately want to have,” Inman said.
He said the fair was open to all students, not just seniors and juniors.
“We want freshmen and sophomores to come and talk to employers so they can start learning about them so as they are moving towards graduation they will know more the companies they like to target,” Inman said.
Weston Sellers, a senior in mechanical engineering, said he received an internship for a natural gas company by attending the technology fair a year ago. He is now looking for a job after he graduates in May. He talked with a few companies that were in attendance, such as Procter & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark.
“I just wanted to reach out to as many companies as I can and see what options are out there,” Sellers said.
Ruiz said he is spending Fall Break sending résumés to the companies he met at the fair so he feels that the career fair came at the best time.
Not all students who attended are in a science or technology field. Carissa Parkinson, a senior in English, said she didn’t expect to find a job that was perfect for her. She thought the career fair would be more general, like others she has attended.
“I will stay and check it out just in case there is something for me. I have a minor in business and so there might be a clerical job for me,” Parkinson said.
During the fair, Career Services worked on an informational piece for its Web site on “How to succeed at the Career Fair.” A woman dressed up as a superhero and was videotaped talking with employers.