University kicks off first annual Career Expo

On Thurs., Feb. 18 the Career Services Center hosted the first annual University Career Expo attended by approximately 120 students. The event took place in the Alumni Pavilion gymnasium and lasted from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thirty-four employers offered networking opportunities, internships, part-time and full-time positions. Elke Hardt, director of career services, was in charge of organizing the event.

The gym was filled with employers offering different experiences to the various majors on the La Sierra campus. Students hovered around from booth to booth dressed in professional attire and holding folders containing their resumes. Education majors found opportunity at the booths for Milo Adventist Academy, Network of International Christian Schools, or even La Sierra University’s booth advertising their graduate programs. Criminal Justice students found a lot of different career paths with booths like the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Victorville, Riverside Police Department, or even the Moreno Valley Police Department. There were booths that offered interesting opportunities to every student like the Peace Corps, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Smart Energy, Walgreens, and Hampton Inn and Suites.

Most students came in looking for a career that matched what they were currently studying. Stephanie Solorio, senior majoring in psychology, hoped to find opportunities in the field and found a few that were related.

“I came for the business opportunities. This is a neat opportunity to show students the different kinds of employment,” said Brandon Li-Lau, a senior majoring in business.

The Corona division of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), or Naval Surface Warfare Center, is the U.S. Navy’s only independent analysis and assessment center, with more than 1,000 scientists, engineers, and support staff. The center provides the objective assessment needed for the Navy to gauge war-fighting capability of ships and aircraft, assess warfare training and analyze new defense systems, its website states. The center works behind the scenes in the military with career fields such as business and finance, engineering, and cyber security. Tashell Richmond, contract administrator at NAVSEA, worked as the spokesperson for the Career Expo booth and discussed possible internships and full-time employment with students.

Another booth that offered employment to those who may be interested in social work or physical therapy was Inland Respite, Inc., located in Riverside. Andrea Balcazar, the spokesperson of the booth, was looking for students interested in a part-time position. Their work would consist of providing non-medical in-home respite care for Riverside individuals who have developmental disabilities, an illness, a physical disability, or any impairment that would require home care.

Walgreens offered internships and employment opportunities for any student looking for experience or a career after college. They offered two positions, key holder and assistant store manager trainee. Their internships ranged from corporate to pharmaceuticals. “If you want to find employment, you have to be willing to learn something new each and every day. Also, keep in the mind that everybody wants that next job, so what are you doing now?” said Phillip Quintero, community leader at Walgreens.  

For Hardt, the launch event proved a success and will continue to be held in future years. “Our original goal was to provide a variety of full-time and internship opportunities across industries to as many of our majors as possible,” she said. “I'm proud of my staff for coordinating it, grateful that we pulled it off despite the rain and another campus event held at the same time, and excited that it provided an opportunity for La Sierra students to meet with employers and obtain potential employment.”