Nov. 2 Maryville College Career Fair an opportunity for employers, organizations to recruit MC’s best and brightest
Oct. 17, 2023
For college students slogging their way through the first half of the academic year, May might seem as if it’s light years away. Those with eyes on earning their diplomas next spring, however, would do well to start making post-graduation plans, according to Dr. Niklas Trzaskowski, director of the Maryville College Career Center.
To give those Scots a head start on mapping out their futures, Trzaskowski and the Career Center team are organizing the annual Career and Internship Fair, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, in the Clayton Center for the Arts. Last year, almost 500 Scots attended the event, and many walked away with opportunities for internships and even careers, Trzaskowski said.
“If you are graduating this upcoming May, the time to look for your next opportunity after Maryville College is now,” he said. “It may seem like a long time to go, but finding a meaningful post-graduation opportunity takes time. Students looking for internships for the spring or summer should also search for opportunities now.
“Generally, you want to secure an internship several weeks, if not months, before the start of the semester in which you hope to complete it. Students not yet ready to talk about internships or careers should still attend to learn more about different career paths, and to speak to representatives from a variety of organizations.
“Finally, if you are an employer who is not attending this fair, you are missing out on the chance to introduce Maryville College students to all the amazing opportunities available at your organization,” Trzaskowski added.
Representatives of businesses and organizations can register for the fair through Friday, Oct. 20, to join almost 40 of their peers for a chance to recruit Maryville College’s best and brightest. Confirmed attendees for the Nov. 2 event include: 21st Mortgage Corporation; Aatmos; ADMA BioCenters; Blackberry Farm; Blount Partnership; Camps Merri-Mac and Timberlake; Cintas Corporation; Cirrus Aircraft; City of Alcoa; Clayton Homes; Covenant Health; Enterprise Holdings; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Knoxville Utilities Board; L’Arche St. Louis; Northwestern Mutual of Middle and East Tennessee; OTICS USA; Peace Corps; Pellissippi State Community College; Pilot Company; Republic Finance; Rodefer Moss & Co, PLLC; Soar TN; Tennessee Department of Children’s Services; United States Secret Service; Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, Inc.; Village Behavioral Health; Westgate Resorts; and Youth Villages, among others.
“I always want to highlight and commend the companies that consistently attend our fairs, like 21st Mortgage, Blackberry Farm and Clayton Homes,” Trzaskowski said. “Not only are these companies staples in the economy of this region, but we also appreciate their efforts in offering career and internship opportunities to our students throughout the years. We are also excited to welcome Pilot Company back to campus for this fair, and we’re looking forward to welcoming first-time Career Fair registrants such as Aatmos and Cintas.”
New for 2023, the Career and Internship Fair will focus solely on job placement and internship placements, he added. In September, a separate event was held at the Clayton Center to promote graduate and continuing education programs, and the Nov. 2 event will be a chance for MC students to connect with recruiters and explore career options with some of the area’s most dynamic employers.
“The Career Fair is a wonderful chance for students to discover opportunities where they can earn practical experience, practice their skills and make a difference in the world,” Trzaskowski said. “We do not have major or industry-specific career fairs at MC. Therefore, we have recruiters from several different industries in attendance. This allows students to not only have conversations with recruiters working for organizations relevant to their career interests but also makes it possible for them to chat with recruiters working in different sectors.
“Students often discover opportunities that they may have not previously considered. Students, in the past, have come to the fair determined to talk to one company, only to discover that another company also offered opportunities relevant to their career interests. This fair allows all students who attend to find internship and post-graduation opportunities with a variety of organizations. Learning how to network and how to communicate effectively, along with discovering professional opportunities, are skills that students will use throughout their lives.”
The 2023 Career and Internship Fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the William Baxter Lee III Grand Foyer of the Clayton Center for the Arts, on the MC campus. There’s no charge for students to attend, and those organizations wishing to sign up for a table can visit the Career Center’s Handshake site, or contact careercenter@maryvillecollege.edu with questions.