Annual career fair brings 150+ employers and graduate programs to campus.
By Madelyn Taliaferro · Contributing Writer
Grove City College’s Career Services Office hosted its annual career fair Wednesday, bringing in more than 150 organizations to meet, engage with and recruit students.
The event included 119 companies and 34 graduate schools, with more than 300 recruiters in attendance, including over 100 Grove City alumni.
Joanne Smith, assistant director of career services, has coordinated the Career Fair since 2020. According to Smith, this year’s fair was the largest of the past four years, making it a significant event for both CSO and attending students. She encourages all students of all class years and ages to go, as no matter what field students want to enter, practicing putting one’s name and resume out and talking to recruiters is a valuable lifelong skill.
As the largest recruiting event of the year, the career fair was surrounded by a flurry of activity. In the weeks leading up to the Fair, the Career Services Office (CSO) led resume workshops, interview prep and even hosted recruiters for on-campus interviews. The night before the Fair, CSO hosted a “Mix & Mingle” event where students could meet recruiters in a more informal setting before the official fair began.
Several recent alumni returned to the Career Fair, ready to recruit the next generation of Grove City College students. Owen Gensemer, class of 2026, represented the company for which he now works and recommended the fair.
“The career fair was a great opportunity to get my foot in the door and have GYF (Grossman Yanak & Ford LLP) put a face to my resume,” Gensemer said. “It helped me land an internship spot, which led to a full-time audit position.”
The entire IM gym was filled with career fair activity. Besides the recruiter tables, there were various refreshment stations, student tables for regrouping and note-taking and a LinkedIn photo booth station. At almost every booth, conversations were taking place. Recruiters and students swapped resumes for company merch and built connections for the current hiring cycles.
For students actively looking for summer internships and full-time positions, opportunities do not end with the career fair. All recruiters who attended have positions posted on Handshake, the college’s preferred job platform. Students can sort jobs by field, year in school, location and position type, including internships and full-time roles.
CSO is a resource for students year-round, not just at the Career Fair. The office hosts events, helping students explore majors and internships, resume and interview prep, grad school advice and more. If any of these resources could help with a calling and career journey, those interested can book an appointment on Handshake or email Career Services at career@gcc.edu.
