Davenport University held its annual Career and Internship Fair on February 15 at its Grand Rapids Lettinga Campus.

More than 200 students looking for employment or internships were able to connect with around 50 employers from a wide range of industries, including healthcare, finance, manufacturing, non-profits, government, banking and more.

This was the first time that Davenport held the event in person since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the response from organizers, students, and employers was overwhelmingly positive.

Ethan Tanis, assistant director of career services, was excited to see employers interacting with students in person.

“We haven’t had the opportunity to run a large-scale event like this since the pandemic, but our employers and students showed up in full force; not even a snowstorm could keep them away,” said Tanis.  “Davenport has so many talented students, and it is heartening to be able to provide them an opportunity to showcase their talents to our employer partners,” he said.  

Ryan Markham, who graduates from Davenport in April with a bachelor’s in marketing, said attending the career fair was worthwhile.  

“Attending Davenport’s Career Fair was a great experience, and I enjoyed speaking with employers and having the opportunity to share my resume,” said Markham. “It was nice to see that the employers were excited to talk to Davenport students and how much they value Davenport graduates,” he said.

Shawna Smith will receive her MBA from Davenport in August. She helped organize the event and was pleased with the turnout and the fact that she was able to make real connections with potential employers.

Employers who attended the career and internship fair said they were able to make some valuable connections with students and commented on how professional and well-prepared the students are.