Throughout their time at Flagler, students are encouraged to explore where their interests, education, and experiences can take them. That might mean discovering a career they had never considered, finding an internship that puts classroom learning into practice, or exploring a graduate program that opens the door to their next chapter.
The Fall Career & Graduate School Expo brings those possibilities directly to campus. On Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Flagler Room, more than 70 employers, graduate schools, and higher education representatives will be on hand to meet with students, answer questions, and share opportunities.
Here are five reasons to make the Fall Career & Graduate School Expo part of your week.
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Explore What Comes Next
You don’t have to know exactly what you want to do after Flagler to benefit from the Expo.
With opportunities spanning business, law and law enforcement, marketing, hospitality and tourism management, psychology, sociology, sport management, wealth management, nonprofits, and communications, students can explore career paths and industries they may not have considered before.
The Expo also features 23 graduate schools, giving students the chance to learn more about what could come after their undergraduate degree.
“The Expo is about more than finding a job or choosing a graduate program,” said Vernita Bowens, director of the Career Development Center. “It gives students an opportunity to explore what is possible after Flagler, learn about different career paths, and begin building relationships that may become valuable later in their college journey.”
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Have Low-Pressure Conversations
The Expo is designed to give students a chance to talk directly with professionals and graduate school representatives in a welcoming environment.
Students can ask questions about internships, full-time positions, graduate programs, career paths, and what organizations are looking for in future candidates without needing to have a specific plan in place. Sometimes, a simple conversation can introduce you to an opportunity you did not know existed.
“I encourage students to be curious and ask questions,” Bowens said. “Even a simple conversation can introduce them to an opportunity or career path they had not previously considered.”
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Connect Your Classroom Experience to a Career
Your major is only part of the story. The Expo gives students an opportunity to see how what they are learning in the classroom can translate into careers, internships, graduate programs, and other opportunities after graduation.
By talking with professionals across a range of industries, students can begin connecting their interests and experiences at Flagler to the skills and experiences employers and graduate programs are looking for.
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Meet More Than 70 Industry and Higher Education Representatives
With 70 registrants expected at this year’s Expo, students will have plenty of opportunities to step outside their usual circles and make new connections. Representatives will be on hand from a wide range of industries, along with 23 graduate schools, creating an opportunity to learn about different fields, organizations, and educational paths in one place. Even if a table does not immediately seem connected to your major or interests, it may be worth stopping by.
“Stop at different tables,” Bowens said. “You never know what opportunities they may have available.”
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You Could Walk Away with an Interview
Making a connection at the Expo could be the first step toward something bigger. Students can use the event to introduce themselves to potential employers, share their experience, ask about opportunities, and learn what it takes to become a competitive candidate. That is why Bowens encourages students to come prepared, bring their resumes, and “dress for success.”
Most importantly, students should not feel like they need to have everything figured out before they walk through the doors. “Career development is a process,” Bowens said. “Sometimes one conversation, one connection, or one new idea is enough to help a student begin seeing possibilities they had not considered before.”
