Davenport University’s annual Career and Internship Fair attracted more than 50 employers looking to fill roles and roughly 200 students looking to make valuable career and internship connections.

The Career Fair, held at Davenport’s Center for Learning and Engagement (CLE) on the W.A. Lettinga Grand Rapids Campus, is a premier opportunity for students to connect directly with industry professionals and explore a wide range of career pathways.

Eric Cross, assistant director of Career Services, said having hundreds of students and employer partners together in the CLE at one time provided an undeniable energy in the space. “You could hear a constant buzz from the ongoing conversations, and that kind of energy is exciting for us in Career Services,” he said. “It brings us joy knowing we are connecting our students to opportunities that are going to help them land a career after they graduate from Davenport.”

Cross said that attending the Career Fair is one of the most important things a student can do during their time at Davenport. “Not only do we give students the opportunity to meet quality employers face-to-face, but we also give them the option to have a free professional headshot taken that can be used on their LinkedIn and Handshake profiles.”

Marketing major Emily Root believes in the value of attending the Career Fair. She went looking for an internship she hopes will lead to a full-time position after she graduates next year.

“I will have many options with my marketing degree, but I plan to concentrate on brand engagement and content creation, so I’d love to find an internship that will give me experience in those areas,” she said.

This was Root’s third time attending Davenport’s Career Fair. She said she keeps returning because of the connections she makes. “I recognized quite a few of the employers at the Career Fair, and at least one recognized me from last year,” she said. “It’s all about getting my name out there and making those connections. One company might not have a position for me, but the representative might know another company looking to hire. You never know what might happen.”     

Ahmad Masada, a recent Davenport graduate in network management and cyber defense, is no stranger to the career fair either. He secured an internship after attending one of Davenport’s career fairs and is hopeful that another visit might lead to a new job. “I have had good luck at this career fair in the past, and even if I don’t walk away with a new job, I always make great connections.”