Heavener students, major companies make connections at Career Expo

As Heavener Hall’s doors opened, eager students filed in for the opportunity to meet recruiters and speakers from some of the nation’s top companies. They greeted each other with friendly smiles and firm handshakes— the first of many great first impressions.

This friendly and personal environment encompasses the type of experience the inaugural Heavener School of Business Career Expo maintained during its two-day informational fair Monday and Wednesday.

The expo hosted more than 20 information sessions from major businesses including Disney, Google, Hershey’s, Deloitte, Wells Fargo, SunTrust, Procter & Gamble, and Johnson & Johnson.

Derek Guffin, the assistant director for career and academic advising at the Heavener School of Business, orchestrated the event.

“It should help connect students and employers in meaningful ways.” Guffin said. “Students who are unsure of their career paths can learn more about these fields and students seeking internships and jobs can connect with employers after sitting through a session.”

The expo partnered with student business organizations—like the Student Finance Group and Warrington Diplomats—to facilitate the event. Partnering with student organizations increased the opportunities for the organizations to network with employers, Guffin said.

“I’m most excited to hear about students walking away from the experience with a heightened sense of awareness about their own career path,” he said.

Catherine Choe, a senior finance student, said she really appreciated that the events were only open to business and accounting students.

“The sessions were very informative, and we had a lot of one-on-one access with recruiters,” Choe said.

The main goal of the expo was to educate students on different business career paths, and share the typical “day in the life” of these companies’ employees.

The Deloitte session opened with a short video on what it means to be part of Deloitte and their company culture.

“I don’t want this to be a waste of an hour for you,” said Molly Blaes, Deloitte’s lead campus recruiter.

Blaes’ goal of sparking student interest in different business fields was a common theme among the companies. She said she was happy to be a part of the career expo for the opportunity to help guide students toward their potential career paths.

“A lot of younger students have the opportunity to hear about different professions, and it’s good for them to get in front of recruiters earlier and often,” she said. “The expo is definitely something they should keep doing.”

The Google session was led by three UF students that had previously interned with the company. The students spoke about their experiences at Google, and how they achieved their “googleyness.”

Eric Fischer, a fourth-year marketing student, said he enjoyed the event’s personable environment.

“It’s formal, yet informal,” he said. “It was good to get their personal experiences.”

Gresjana Jashari, a senior finance student, said she was interested in mingling with recruiters from several of the big companies.

“I came for companies like Johnson & Johnson, Deloitte, and Disney,” she said. “I wanted to hear about the opportunities they have, and what I need to do to actually get the job.”
Megan Harrett, a fourth-year accounting student and Warrington Diplomat, said the expo was great at providing a look into different industries. She thinks student feedback has been very positive.

“I think it’s been going really well, especially for the first one,” she said.