The event, held in the Recreation and Wellness Center, provided a crucial platform for job-seeking Bobcats from all eight schools and the College of Arts and Sciences to explore career opportunities, network with industry professionals and take significant steps toward securing their professional futures.

Exhibitors from various sectors — including finance, healthcare, technology and non-profit organizations — were present, eager to connect with the university’s talented student body. Sponsors included New York Life Insurance Company, Wolloston Real Estate, Corbin Advisors and Phaidon International, with Hartford Healthcare, M&T Bank and Dattco serving as official employer partners of the university.

Representatives from WFSB-TV, where several recent graduates of the School of Communications have landed both on-air and behind-the-scenes roles, were on hand to scout Quinnipiac’s deep and talented student media pool.

“This is the next generation,” said Dave Ward, the station’s newsroom manager. “To be able to catch people early and connect with them and share what we do in the real world and hopefully encourage them to get into it too — it’s great to have that interaction as they take the very first step in their career.”

Notably, the fair also featured several Quinnipiac alumni representing their respective companies, offering unique insights from the perspective of the vast and accomplished network of professional Bobcats.

“It’s just awesome to be able to give back to the students,” said Mike Courtmanche ’19, MBA ’20, an assistant vice president and talent acquisition recruiter at M&T Bank in Bridgeport. “Face-to-face connections are definitely better than exchanging emails and sending resumes. You get that actual connection, so even if I don’t have something available right now, I can put a name with a face and stay in touch with an applicant on LinkedIn.”

Students seized the opportunity to discuss internships, summer employment and both full-time and part-time roles. The conversations ranged from detailed discussions about specific job requirements to broader inquiries about company culture.

Beyond networking, the career fair also provided practical resources to help students enhance their professional profiles. A dedicated station offered students the chance to have professional headshots taken, a valuable asset for polishing their LinkedIn profiles and online presence.

Additionally, the event marked a pivotal moment in the students’ professional development, providing clarity and direction as they navigate their career journeys. Stone Luetje, a fourth-year marketing major, said he was challenging himself to follow through on connections he initiated on LinkedIn and other social media platforms.

“I’m trying to work on my communication skills and start growing my network,” said Luetje. 

Sometimes showing the initiative to strike up a conversation with an employer is all it takes to stand out in a competitive job market.

“In our industry, it’s super important because we are looking for people who are outgoing and who are not afraid to go up to a table and talk to somebody,” said Aurora Borst, a talent acquisition specialist at Enterprise Mobility. “There are other competencies we look for, but that’s a big one because you’re going to be dealing with people all the time.”