Though many career fairs attract hoards of students decked out in suits, the People to People Career Fair brought students in a range of clothing from casual wear to business attire.
Jenna Kyger, event coordinator for People to People Career Fair, said the fair presented a more relaxed environment than some other career fairs.
And some students, like Evan Ashmore, were able to recognize that feature.
“I’ve never been to a career fair before, but I could tell that this is a more relaxed environment and that definitely takes off the pressure to talk with employers,” Ashmore (junior-psychology) said.
The People to People Career Fair, held Tuesday in Alumni Hall in the HUB-Robeson Center, is geared toward students who are interested in working with nonprofit organizations, government agencies and summer camps, Kyger said.
It was open to all majors and had 138 registered employers, which was a 26 percent increase from last year, said Corinna Fischer, lead career fair coordinator.
“Over the years, we’ve had a high retention rate with employers, and I think it’s because these employers really want Penn State students,” Kyger said.
The People to People Career Fair had a free registration fee for employers and was funded by five academic colleges, said Chris MacGill, outreach programming and information associate director.
“By having the funding of these colleges, it’s really helped attract many employers, who might not have enough money to come recruit at the event,” MacGill said.
Many employers like Wendi Keeler, donor resources representative for the Red Cross, has attended the event for the past three years because of the variety of students who come.
“We always like coming to the event because it gives us a lot of different students to choose from when conducting interviews for our internships and full-time positions,” Keeler said. “Also, it’s great to network with other organizations and companies that also attend the event.”
Some students, like Corynne Ross, attended the People to People Career Fair to gain experience interacting with potential employers.
“As a sophomore, it’s hard to gain experience, and I want to start networking and explore more opportunities at this level,” Ross (sophomore-psychology and communications) said.
