Students from nine different schools gathered in the Dixon Center to meet with various companies to network and find jobs and internships.
Cabrini College Cooperative Education and Career Service office partnered with counterparts at other colleges to provide undergraduate, graduate and alumni career opportunities.
“It’s a good career fair,” Kelly Fincher, U.S. Secret Service, said. “The applicants (students and alum) look much more professional, taking an interest in their careers.”
Wednesday, March 21, Cabrini held the Intercollegiate Career Fair. Chestnut Hill, Gwynedd Mercy and Rosemont colleges and Arcadia, Holy Family, Immaculata and Neumann Universities partnered with Cabrini’s Career Services office and Eastern University to bring over 100 employers to the campus.
“The fair includes something for everyone,” Nancy Hutchison, Director of Cabrini College Career Services, said. “Other schools have nursing programs and we make sure that there are nursing opportunities given and that’s for every major.”
The Intercollegiate Career Fair was combined with the Government Career and Information Fair that was suppose to take place in February, but due to snow cancelations the Dixon Center gym was filled with students, alum and organizations.
“100 percent of the employers showed up and the student traffic was good,” Hutchison said.
Undergraduate students from all the schools went looking for internships while, graduates and alumni were looking for jobs.
“I’m looking for information on jobs in social service,” Joe Kimpflen, senior history and political science major, said. “I want something that I can do while I go to grad school.
“I’m looking for an internship,” Chris Hiser, junior management and information science major, said.
“I came looking for a part-time job or an internship,” Danielle Cenneno, junior business administration and student of Neumann College, said. “Being here (at the fair) has helped.”
Many of the companies and organizations go to brand their name and get people to recognize the company. Some of the organizations people haven’t heard of before and others companies brand to get people to realize how large the business is. Yet each one has opportunities of internships and jobs.
“People don’t realize how big our organization is,” Mary Koronkiewics, of JEVS Human Services, a non-profit organization. “The career fairs get people to know and understand the company and besides that we potentially find people to work with us.”
There were many students ranging from undergraduate to alum at the fair.
“I was surprised at how many adults were at the fair,” Ruby Remley, business administrative professor, said. “Shows you how many people are out of work.”
Jeanne Cummings-Flanagan, of the Pennsylvania State Civil Service Commission, said, “By 2013 about 30 percent of the work population will be retiring. This will open up so many jobs to the now undergraduate students.”
The fair included Wawa, U.S. Department of State, NOVA Bank, U.S. Census, Catholic Relief Services and more, each one giving the students opportunities to network.
“It’s nice to have a fair where nine different schools are together,” Jim McNichol, of the City of Philadelphia Controllers Office, said. “ It gives better coverage to the organization, making the fairs more beneficial for the everyone.”