Florida A&M University was scheduled to have its Career Fair for students, but due to Hurricane Heliene, it was canceled.
The Career Fair takes place every semester; this is very important for students, faculty, and staff as they plan mixers and events so employers can get to know the students here on campus better.
This event is so reliable for the student because the goal of college is to leave here and get a job in the real world. The career fair was at the center, facilitating these goals and dreams. The career also allows students to network and possibly get internships that could eventually lead to employment.
With the postponement of the event, there has been a level of concern amongst students about how they’ll still be able to reach their goals of landing internships and jobs.
Third-year business student Craig Kalimai voiced how the delayed event has endeared him in his pursuit of employment, “having just to go off online applications, there’s no face-to-face interaction, and recruiters can’t put a face to a resume.” Students have a much harder time having their applications, which makes it a lot more difficult; this proves why having a career fair is vital to students landing employment.
Certain majors had certain events catered to their students; for example, FAMU School of Journalism and Graphic Communication had a career event lined up with members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization.
Ranata Hughes, internship coordinator for SJGC (School of Journalism and Graphic Communication) touched on the impact the cancellation of the Career Fair had on students.
“Students were extremely excited about the Career Expo and Career events that I had scheduled for the journalism school,” she said. Disappointment has filled the school since the announcement of the postponement of the career fair. School officials have yet to announce the new date.
With no new date being set up yet, students have begun to wonder if the companies that were scheduled to come for the original date will be able to return. Many of these companies are outside of Tallahassee and have to make travel arrangements for representatives to come to FAMU to speak to students. The chances that they all return to the school are not high.
Pre-physical Therapy major John Stokes, a graduating senior at FAMU, said, “It was very important to get the resources that I need to get a job upon graduation.” Many seniors have this same sentiment that John voiced; as previously stated, the goal of attending college is to get a job. That fact is heightened for graduating senior students as they prepare for life outside of college.
The Career Fair is now scheduled for October 23rd.