Diamond Jenkins
Staff Writer
In an effort to introduce students to post-secondary career options after graduation, Jackson State University hosted its annual Career and Internship Fair on Wednesday, Feb.15th.
The fair provides the following resources to its students: career coaching, job search skills development, internship programs, on-campus interviews and career resources.
An average of 50 companies participate in the annual event to offer JSU students internships and career opportunities. Career Services Director Lashonda Jordan stated: “It gets our students to start thinking about career options and for those who are not ready for graduation it brings different opportunities to their backyard so they do not have to look any further for career opportunities.
She added: “We have some of the top recruiters nationwide that come here to Jackson State.”
Iris Barnes, general manager for The Southern Urban Network and representative for TeleSouth said, “I think that it is a great opportunity for students to see that different opportunities are available for them in their selected career path. You get one place like a one stop shop, where you meet a lot of people who are aggressively hiring and you can find something that fits perfectly for you.”
Lavenita Cottrell, who serves as the assistant director of Career Services, said: “This program has been ongoing for many years. Each year we get new and returning participating companies that come from all across the country. It is a huge advantage to talk to companies for free, not having to pay for an application fee.”
One of the companies in attendance was the Madison, Miss. Police Department.
“This fair provides options that JSU students can choose from. This is my first time attending and I felt it was important for the department to be here because law enforcement is a great field to be in; with or without a college degree,” said Officer Meagan Casey.
Many students in attendance said the fair was very beneficial.
“I am taking this opportunity to see what today’s event has to offer. I feel that it allows students to network and share their resumes to actually get out in the professional world,” said Karen Ware, a senior health care administration major from Ridgeland, Miss.
Terence Easterly, a junior computer engineering major of Jackson, Miss. said, “This is my first time coming to this fair and I get to explore other options and get more information on what online applications do not mention.”
Jeremy Hodge, a coordinator in the Career Services Center said, “I believe that students should have a goal for their future in mind. Most of the time college students do not think of the journey ahead and by Career Services sponsoring this event, we are showing the students that we have their best interest at heart.”
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