Maryville College Spring Opportunities Fair brings end-of-semester possibilities for graduating seniors
March 27, 2026
Commencement is less than two months away, and Maryville College seniors on Wednesday took advantage of one more MC Career Center event to firm up their post-graduate plans.
The annual Maryville College Spring Opportunities Fair, held in the William Baxter Lee III Grand Foyer of the Clayton Center for the Arts, featured 30 businesses, nonprofit organizations and graduate school opportunities designed to give MC students an opportunity to network, meet-and-greet and plan for their exodus from College Hill.
“In the current economy, what often sets candidates apart is not only subject knowledge but their ability to communicate effectively, critically assess information and work well with others,” said Dr. Niklas Trzaskowski, director of the Career Center. “These skills are developed consistently by Maryville College students through their coursework, the core curriculum and their significant practical experience. A liberal arts education also instills a commitment to lifelong learning and adaptability, which is increasingly important as roles evolve and technology continues to change rapidly, especially considering developments in Artificial Intelligence. These qualities position our graduates well for opportunities that extend beyond a single academic discipline.”
Some of those in attendance have job opportunities lined up, but the Spring Opportunities Fair gave them a chance to make long-term plans. English major Megan Cooper ’26, who currently works as an ambassador in the Office of Admissions, hopes to land a position as a Maryville College enrollment counselor, but her ultimate goal is law school.
“I came to talk to (Lincoln Memorial University), because I’m really interested in their hybrid law program so that I can work while also going to law school,” she said. “I’m hoping to take a gap year to study for the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) so that I can get as high a score as possible, so it’s really nice to talk to them and get some information about that.”
In addition to LMU’s Duncan School of Law, the university’s School of Business and Master of Science in Criminal Justice program were represented. Other graduate programs from East Tennessee State University, the University of Pikeville, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Pharmacy, Campbellsville University, Bryan College Online and Middle Tennessee State University’s Master of Science in Professional Science Program set up tables, alongside businesses like Pugh CPAs, where alumna Christi Fightmaster ’97 recognized her younger self in the students who came through the fair.
“I am a proud Scot, and it’s rejuvenating to be on campus and see all these young faces and their potential,” she said. “I can remember when I was preparing to graduate and looking at my future options, and I don’t know that I took advantage of stuff like this, but man! This is just an incredible opportunity for students.”
Pugh CPAs, she said, hosts a student leadership conference for rising juniors and above to learn more about the firm, meet its leaders and discover more about the tax, audit and financial consulting business; those who attend get first pick for the following year’s paid internships, she said — a tax internship from January through April 15, and an audit internship from May through August.
“It’s always a great opportunity to come out and really educate the future of the accounting industry,” she said. “We’re very niche in what we’re looking for, which is those future accountants, and it’s always great to get in front of them and talk about the industry and get them excited about it.”
Finance/Accounting and Sociology double major Maddux Morse ’27 was one of those juniors who stopped by Fightmaster’s table to learn more about the conference and corresponding internships. Although she won’t graduate for another year, she’s aiming for a summer internship in her field.
“I’m looking for an internship because I want a career in business,” she said. “I’ve used the Career Center to help me build my resume, and I go to every career event I have a chance to, just because it’s good practice giving your elevator pitch and talking to business professionals.”
The other vendor she set her sights on: Dollywood, where Talent Acquisition Specialist Rusty Prochnow was in constant demand by students eager to learn more about working for one of the biggest theme parks in the Southeast.
“We’re looking for interns. We’re also looking for full-time employees, and we love Maryville College students,” Prochnow said. “Everyone who has come to us from Maryville College, we’ve had great experiences with, so we always want to expand our reach and bring people in. There are a lot of different departments that are looking for help, and some people don’t realize the opportunities we offer.
“Some people think of Dollywood as roller coasters and our fantastic world-class entertainment and our food, but there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff that we also have that people need to have jobs in, like our merchandising team. Our crafting team is looking for interns. Our finance team is looking for interns. It takes a lot of work behind the scenes.”
And maybe, said senior Rebecca Johnson ’26, there’s a need at Dollywood for an American Sign Language-English Interpreting major.
“I am looking for essentially anywhere that would be open to hiring an interpreter,” she said. “I think one thing that people often forget is that anywhere a Deaf person could be, an interpreter could be also. And so technically any of these places could have an interpreting opportunity, and that’s why I’m hoping to talk to Dollywood, because I know a lot of their performances need interpreting. At the same time, at all of these other tables, there are more opportunities than we often expect.”
At this year’s Spring Opportunities Fair, some of those opportunities were offered by organizations that set up for the first time, or returned after a several-year absence. Matt Mullins, director of Marketing and Communications at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge, was seeking interested students with communication skills and an eagerness to work with the public.
“Learning how to have those interactions with the public, learning a set of information to then share that with people — these are skills that are just communication skills that you need in a business, that you need in a real-life environment,” he said. “So for us to be able to come in and have students and younger people engage at the museum level is a fantastic opportunity for us, and we hope for the students as well.”
The AMSE has developed a partnership with Maryville College over the past couple of years, he said, that has engaged both faculty and students — in particular, Associate Professor of Chemistry Dr. Nathan Duncan and his Fermentation Science students. Few of the organizations in attendance on Wednesday, however, had more of a connection to Maryville College than the YMCA.
After all, Bartlett Hall has the organization’s name carved into stone on its façade — a nod to the reason it was built in the first place, when celebrated alumnus Kin Takahashi 1895 worked to raise money and organize student brick-making to build the YMCA a home more than a century ago.
“We passed the building coming in, so I had to do a little research to see what that meant,” said HR Supervisor Megan Griffin. “We’re here because we’ve got lots of part-time positions open — a lot of summer jobs and a lot of seasonal jobs, from summer camp to front desk to the fitness floor to swim instructors to lifeguards. We’re kind of all over the place, so if you like people, we’re the right place to be. Whatever students enjoy doing, we can find a niche for them.”
This year’s fair brought out more than 230 students, Trzaskowski said, exceeding expectations — and last year’s attendance. He hopes the increase, he said, means that those who did attend understand the nature of the event: That every partner who set up a table came with the intention of bringing a Scot on board, many of them regardless of individual majors … because the liberal arts approach, Trzaskowski said, prepares them for anything.
“I encourage students to focus first on the skills and competencies they have developed through their coursework and experiences, as those are what employers value most,” he said. “In relatively few fields does the specific degree title matter more than demonstrated skills and experience. I also encourage students to reflect on where they have applied those skills, whether through their senior study, internship, on‑campus employment or classroom projects.
“In addition, I recommend that students speak with alumni, recruiters and professionals in industry to learn about the paths they took to reach their current roles. Listening to those stories helps students see that there are many routes to meaningful careers, and that communication, reflection and a focus on transferable skills are critical in navigating the job search.”
