Tables upon tables take up the Great River Ballroom (formally Kryzsko ballroom) as students walk to and fro. 10:30 a.m. has never been so lively with the number of students and faculty that take up the space. What’s to learn at these tables? What is the take away from them? The answer is what each individual chooses to take from them. While that might be frustratingly vague, there is truth in it.
The Major and Career Exploration Fair, coordinated by Paul Stern, is an event to assist students in figuring out what they want to do in college nd beyond. The event takes about a month to coordinate.
“It takes a whole team, comprised of representatives from the WSC, Chartwells, Student Union, Academic Departments, Student Senate, and other student support departments across campus and at Southeast College,” Stern said.
For those who are undecided, the major and career fair is an opportunity to see in person what Winona State University has to offer. Students have the ability to interact with professors and students who either are in or have been in certain majors.
“Often there are upper classmen who are in those majors that are willing to share their experience in the major as well,” Director of Career services, DeAnna Goddard said.
One example of such was at the Global Studies table. They had a student ready and able to answer questions “from a student perspective,” Professor Hornby Uribe, chair of the Global Studies department, said.
Students can ask questions and figure out whether it’s something they want to do, and how they can track it out. This fair also allows students who already have majors an opportunity to possibly pick up another major, or a minor. Students can figure out if they can work it into their schedule and ask questions directly to a professor without having to go to their office hours. Even if someone isn’t looking for another major, or looking to pick up a minor it’s still a good thing to go to. You might never know you want to pick up a minor if you never know about it, and the major and career fair is the place to do that.
These fairs are beneficial to all the different departments as well.
“They [departments] get to connect with students and prospective students, right? They’re already here, but they’re perspective to their degrees,” Goddard said.
The major and career fair is held every October. And while that might seem like a downfall of the system, there are several other options throughout spring semester. For the students who have a more solid idea of what they’re doing there’s the Career and Internship fair that is available both fall and spring semester.
These allow students to “build connections with employers, start building your network to ask really meaningful questions to help you explore. And confirm that you’re interested in a certain industry that you’re getting some insight into the kinds of potential positions you might be applying for in the future to maybe secure an internship,” Goddard said.
There are also resources such as the Warrior Success Center and things of that sort. If there’s anything to be taken away, it’s that these events hold something for everyone.
