The office of Career and Professional Development (CPD) is excited to showcase its annual Career Fair Wednesday, February 19th in the Floy Lewis Bakes Center from 12-2pm! Open to all Ursinus students and alumni, the Career Fair is a chance for students to meet with a variety of employer partners in order to learn more about different companies, networking, and explore internships as well as other job opportunities. With 60 employers already registered, and room for more to join, the Career Fair caters to all majors, offering students a wide range of opportunities.
Registration can be found on Handshake under the Events tab>>Career fairs at your school>>Ursinus College 2025 Career Fair. Though not required, it is heavily encouraged to register in order to get email reminders and information as the event approaches. Samantha Harvey, Assistant Director for Employer Engagement, emphasized the importance of utilizing Handshake, stating, “That’s where you can also see the list of all the attending employers, so as you do your research beforehand of who you might want to talk to, you can view the full list and get a description that the employer submitted about what they do. It does link to their website as well!” Another piece of advice Harvey shared is to look beyond the name. “We always say to students, look beyond the name of a company as well, because every company and organization has a need for so many different skill sets and majors, so really think beyond just what you see as the name of the organization.” Michele Poruban, Associate Director, Experiential Learning, further stressed this point. “If you look at the name and you see healthcare, you might walk away from it if you’re not a science major, but the reality is they need marketing, they need writers, they need people to communicate!” Having so many options available to students is one of the major goals of the Career Fair.
Once registered, the next step is preparation. The best strategy, Poruban shared, is to make a plan for going through the fair. Creating a plan for which employers to visit helps prioritize the places you are most interested in speaking to. “We often say, bring at least a resume for each of the organizations that you want to visit, and then maybe two extra ones for those spontaneous conversations,” detailed Poruban. Many organizations collect contact information, and having a resume present is a standout way to show your interest!
Don’t have a resume or not sure if it’s up to standard? No worries! The CPD office will host walk-in hours from 10-3pm on Tuesday the 18th to help students with resume reviews, planning routes for the fair, and overall to answer any questions/concerns that may arise. Resumes are not required, so if walking around and feeling it out in-person is more your style, then that’s okay too! Many employers have volunteering options as well – another great way for students to explore their interests and potential future careers. Regardless of one’s intention for going, the Career Fair provides great experience in networking that shouldn’t be missed!
After creating a plan for going through the fair, picking out your attire is next up! “We really recommend dressing based on the conversation you plan to have. What we mean by that is if you’re looking for an internship or a job, basically that conversation is an interview, so you would be dressed more on the professional side,” Poruban explained. For those looking to just have introductory conversations, business casual is encouraged, and those more observing, neat and clean attire. Ursinus’ BearShare free thrift store in the Lower Level of Myrin Library will be open throughout the week, so students can stop by to grab any clothes they might need.
During the Career Fair, there will be tons of familiar faces, such as the CPD staff and Zach the Bear! Headshot photos can be taken during the fair by student photographers, and a lounge table will be present for decompressing or relaxing if needed. When making the rounds, keep
in mind employers are there not only to seek out students, but to help them strengthen their candidacy! Asking questions on what makes someone stand out to them is a great way to build up experience for future opportunities. The CPD office has several networking questions available to students, some of them being:
What is your hiring process?
What kind of education, training, or background does your job require?
These are just a few examples of the many questions you can ask employers during the Career Fair.
Whether you are a senior preparing for graduation, or a freshman with no idea what you want to do in the future yet, the Career Fair provides a unique experience for all students and alumni to build a foundation for so many different opportunities.