The semi-annual Career and Graduate School Fair was held in Lee Arena on Wednesday, Sept. 15.

Representatives from nearly 100 local, national and international companies were present to talk face-to-face with students who are seeking their next moves.

First-year social work graduate student Jalen Durham spent over an hour talking to representatives from a broad range of companies in attendance.

“I talked to a couple of them that you probably wouldn’t expect to look at if it wasn’t for the career fair,” said Durham.

Even students who aren’t actively seeking a position could find benefit in the four-hour event Wednesday.

Junior accounting major Ashton Schrader attended for the first time.

“[I wanted to] kind of see what’s out there, to have a feel [for] what businesses are looking for, and different avenues I can go down,” said Schrader.

Cameron Clurman, a local store manager representing Walgreens, iterated what important conversations students can get out of attending a career fair.

“I think it’s important to have a face-to-face conversation about career opportunities with our company and then ultimately find out what they’re looking for,” said Clurman. “Walgreens is so large, being a global company now, and we have so many different avenues of careers, you can almost fit anyone’s focus that they have with their education or their career.”

There were also various Washburn University faculty and staff representing departments with graduate programs. Attendees could even get a free headshot.

Amanda Hughes, assistant director of membership and outreach with the Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation, was with a photographer in a lit-up corner of Lee Arena.

“We think it’s important that everyone has their best foot forward and it’s important to have that professional look,” said Hughes. “When you’re looking for a job or networking, it might be great to add that to your social media.”

A virtual meeting counterpart, with dozens of different companies from the ones in attendance at Lee Arena, is being held online today from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. If you want to attend virtually, you can register on Handshake.

Edited by: Simran Shrestha and Madison Dean