On Thursday, Sept. 11, the Academic Success and Career Center (ASCC) hosted a WSU Internship Fair. The event was held from 3 to 6 p.m. in the CUB Senior Ballroom. Students from all fields were welcomed at the fair, where more than 20 companies offered work opportunities.
The event was a smaller-scale fair held in the middle of campus, where employers in attendance were prepared to discuss internship opportunities within their respective branches. Companies such as Avista, Macdonald-Miller, and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories were present. Many of the tables offered promotional products and business cards for students.
“What stands out to us is definitely people who like to be innovative or like to problem solve,” said Alexia Saad, an Avista corporation representative.
Many attendees came prepared and dressed in business attire, with their resumes on hand. Their preparation reflected the event’s emphasis on professionalism and helped create an atmosphere where students could confidently engage with recruiters.
“I think that it shows that they’re interested in hiring students at WSU,” said Anna Schmidt, a first-year business major. “So it gives me confidence that there’s interest and that I can see the diverse businesses.”
The internship fair was hosted as a smaller event compared to the career fair that is held in the fall and spring. The size of the event focused on students who are starting their professional careers, making it less intimidating than a larger career fair and preparing students for the WSU Career Expo on Oct. 7.
“I would recommend going to both [internship fairs], you could use this as a stepping stone to get some practice in there, start networking, and you can use what you take from this event and then apply it to the career fair,” said Omar Urbano-Rendon, the employer relations coordinator for the ASCC.
Urbano-Rendon mentioned that employers attending the expo event are hiring for full-time and internship positions, giving students a variety of options to explore. Some employers were unable to participate in this internship fair, but will present at the career expo in October.
Kaya Richardson of Macdonald-Miller Facility Solutions highlighted the organization’s connection to the event and said that the company’s CEO serves on the board of the hosting organization, which adds an extra layer of interest for students and employers. Macdonald-Miller has been in operation for 60 years and is the twelfth largest mechanical contractor in the U.S.
“That’s what we’re really looking for, interns. There are so many higher-ups at our company that started as interns, and are now VPs,” said Richardson.
The ASCC hosts many events to encourage students to network and explore opportunities for their future. The career expo will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at the Beasley Coliseum. This fair will have over 230 employers participating, making it a high-interest event. More information and online registration can be found on the ASCC website.
