Brent Quam/Winonan

Students dressed in their professional best, and looking determined to land that one big interview or at least network a bit, milled the aisles, looking for the right booth at the Career Fair, held in McCown Gym last Wednesday.

Maria Sekevitch, a Winona State senior majoring in business administration, was one such hopeful.  She had submitted two resumes by 11:30 a.m., thirty minutes after the fair began.

“I’m just checking some [employers] out,” she said. “I’m not limiting myself.”

Career Services’ associate director, DeAnna Goddard, coordinated the event.  Dozens of businesses and colleges set up booths in the gym, including IBM, Gundersen Lutheran Health System, Fastenal, Target, the University of North Dakota, and the Navy, to name a few.

Another student, Alex Crawford, a junior and political science major, was looking for something a little different.

“I’m travelling to Africa next semester, and I’m looking for some kind of project to work on while I’m there,” he said.

For their part, employers at the fair seemed pleased with the turnout.  Scott McCauley, of Federated Insurance, had received five resumes and talked with as many students by 11:30.

“By fair’s end, I expect to have anywhere from fifty, to one hundred to look at,” he said.

Mike Casper, American Family Insurance’s representative at the fair, said, “Winona State has always been a good source of job candidates for us.”

He did, however, say that he wished Winona State offered a bachelor’s degree in insurance, a major available at only a handful of Minnesota colleges.  Both Casper and McCauley were searching for students majoring in business or marketing.

Career Services does more than simply host job fairs, though.

Sheryl Saul, a career adviser with Career Services, located on the third floor of Maxwell Hall, said a primary responsibility of her job was to “make employers aware” of Winona State’s students and their capabilities.

A Graduate Success Report is available for viewing on the Career Services webpage, which lists Winona State graduates by major.

The report for 2010, the most recently compiled, paints an encouraging picture for Winona State students soon to be graduating, highlighting Career Services’ outstanding record for helping graduates find employment after college.

Career Services sponsors a number of programs and events with just this goal in mind. They frequently host employer question and answer sessions where students can meet with representatives of an area business and get an opportunity to network.

The Mayo Clinic, for example, is visiting Winona State on Oct. 10.  Students interested in these and other initiatives should contact Career Services via email at [email protected] or call (507) 457-5878.  Information on upcoming Career Services-sponsored events is available in the daily WSU update or on Career Services’ Facebook page.

While last Wednesday’s fair was the last being hosted by Winona State, Career Services is offering a shuttle service for students interested in attending the MN Government & Non-Profits Fair at Coffman Center at the University of Minnesota on Friday, Oct. 26.

Contact Brent at [email protected]