[288] MTSU Students, Alumni Await Career Fairs

Release date: Feb. 5, 2010

News & Public Affairs Contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Career Center Contact: Bill Fletcher, 615-898-2500 or bfletch@mtsu.edu


MTSU Students, Alumni Await Career Fairs


(MURFREESBORO) — Four fairs, two days: MTSU students and alumni should not bypass the chance to find seasonal and permanent employment and internship opportunities.
The Career Development Center Internship Fair and Summer Jobs Fair will be held Tuesday, Feb. 9, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on the Murphy Center track level, event organizers said.
Two weeks later, on Feb. 23, the 10th annual Nashville Area Teacher Recruitment Fair and Nashville Area College to Career Fair will be held in adjacent buildings at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. An admission ticket is required for this event, but free tickets are available for students and alumni at the Career Center in Keathley University Center Room 328.
“These four fairs are for all majors and job seekers,” said Karen Austin, Career Development Center associate director.
Director Bill Fletcher said the center chose to combine the Feb. 9 internship and summer jobs fairs because of current economic conditions and a larger location.
“Our venue typically has been JUB (James Union Building),” Fletcher said. “We do have tons of space (in Murphy Center).”
As for the fairs, Fletcher said it is “a mix from summer jobs to internships, but some employers are hiring for full time. So if they’ve got it (full-time jobs), we’ll put it out there for students. That may be your one opportunity to meet with a (prospective) employer. Students may not get another chance.”
Fletcher said he hopes the number of job seekers increases because “students have not been responding” in a recent trend.
“I went to a college career-center conference last summer,” he added. “The No. 1 challenge is marketing to students, not employers. That’s an overwhelming challenge in a recession.”
At least 55 companies and organizations had registered by Feb. 5 and more are expected for the Internships and Summer Jobs Fair, Fletcher said.
Austin added that students should have their IDs while alumni should bring their resumes.
For an updated Feb. 9 company list, visit http://career.web.mtsu.edu/.
MTSU is part of a 14-member consortium involved in the Feb. 23 College to Career Fair and Teacher Recruitment Fair in Nashville. Event organizers said they expect more than 1,500 juniors, seniors, graduate students and alumni to attend. The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce is a co-sponsor.
“This is our big spring event,” Fletcher said. “This is the best deal in town, but it’s only for the consortium which includes MTSU students and alumni.”
For more information, visit www.nashvillefairs.org/consortium.html.

College fairs at a glance

Feb. 9
Event: Internship Fair and Summer Jobs Fair
Time: 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Location: Track level in Murphy Center, MTSU
Open to: MTSU students and alumni
Companies/organizations participating: 55 as of Feb. 5

Feb. 23
Event: Nashville Area Teacher Recruitment Fair and
Nashville Area College to Career Fair
Time: 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Location: Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville
Open to: MTSU and Nashville-area college consortium* students and alumni (ticket required)
Employers participating: NA for 2010 (122 in 2009)
Teacher employers participating: NA for 2010 (107 in 2009)
* — Participating schools include Aquinas, Athens State (Ala.), Austin Peay, Belmont, Cumberland, Lipscomb, Martin Methodist, MTSU, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Trevecca, University of the South, Vanderbilt and Western Kentucky.

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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.