These were the vital statistics of CCI’s JobExpo2013 – Kent State’s first job and internship fair specifically for juniors and seniors from every undergraduate degree program in the Schools of Communication Studies (COMM), Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) and Visual Communication Design (VCD). JobExpo2013, held on April 26 at The Ritz-Carlton in Cleveland, attracted an impressive array of regional employers, including national advertising agencies, integrated marketing communication agencies, TV stations, radio stations, newspapers, magazines, healthcare insurers, banks, national corporations, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
But the numbers behind JobExpo2013 tell only part of the story. The real value of JobExpo was measured in contacts and connections. Students spent nearly three hours in one-to-one conversations with hiring managers and industry professionals, and employers had the opportunity to meet CCI’s aspiring professionals, review and collect resumes and offer advice.
JobExpo2013 closed to great reviews from industry professionals and CCI students, including these:
Industry Perspectives
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"Kent State has one of the top communication programs in the country. There is great benefit for us to meet these students and for the students to see the wide variety of employers Cleveland has to offer – all in one room.” – Cari Jeanne Steiner, Fahlgren Mortine
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Your students are fantastic! I’m impressed with their professionalism and enthusiasm. They are well prepared, they ask relevant questions, and they’ve done their research. The event itself is a great idea because communication majors are in demand. We’re hoping to connect with a few Kent students this summer for fall internships.” – Monica Conklin, Cleveland Cavaliers
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“As job fairs go, this one was exceptional for what we need. The narrow focus on communication and media compared to other job fairs is fantastic! My time was well spent.” – Susan Pace, WJW Fox 8
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“The students are definitely well prepared compared to others I’ve met, and go to college campuses throughout Ohio. The students dressed well, they were ready to ask questions and they were not afraid to put themselves out there.” – Kimberly Joyce, Medical Mutual
Student Perspectives
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“JobExpo was a wonderful event. I’m so happy the College did this for us. We can never go wrong increasing our network of contacts.” – Thomas Jessup, senior applied communication major
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"Through the Expo, I learned that there are many broadcasting opportunities outside the newsroom. This was a great networking opportunity, and journalism is a who-you-know business. It's at events like this that we get to know people." – Jonathan Jankowski, senior broadcast journalism major
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“There were so many businesses and agencies I didn’t know about. I definitely recommend CCI do this again. What a great opportunity!” – Whitney Gibson, senior magazine journalism and information design major
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“This was a good experience and a beneficial event. Even when agencies aren’t hiring designers, they take my resume because they know someone who might be.” – Crystal Chow, senior visual communication design major
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“I learned how to show myself in the best light, and I learned different ways to make my resume stand out.” – Matt Orzag, senior public relations major
JobExpo2013 was principally organized by John Butte, JMC’s new coordinator for career services, who
also sponsored resume workshops with industry professionals prior to the event. “The ability of juniors and seniors to have structured conversations with perspective employers and professionals in their fields is extraordinary. For example, the news director of Cleveland’s WOIO/WUAB was here all afternoon talking to long lines of students,” Butte said. “Through JobExpo, we are introducing our best and brightest to Northeast Ohio employers. For a region long concerned with brain drain, we are taking positive steps to keep our best talent right here.”
“This first internship and job fair was a tremendous step toward increasing the level of service we provide to our students,” said JMC Director Thor Wasbotten. “We look forward to showcasing our students to prospective employers in the future.”