By Jen Forse | Staff Writer, Owen Carson | LTVN Broadcast Reporter
Baylor students explored dozens of on- and off-campus employment opportunities at the Career Center’s part-time job fair, where employers recruited students looking to build their resumes and gain practical experience.
LTVN’s Owen Carson has more.
The Career Center hosted the fair on the fifth floor of the Cashion Academic Center, bringing together employers from across Waco and Baylor’s campus.
Baylor alumna Samara Clark represented Soccer Shots, a youth soccer program that teaches children fundamental soccer skills and character development. Clark said many of the organization’s current employees are Baylor students.
“We focus on fun games and activities that utilize the little kiddos’ creativity and imagination while still teaching them soccer,” Clark said. “We also teach them things like respect, confidence and determination and what they look like in and outside of soccer, that way they’re growing in character as well as in their soccer skills.
The McLennan County District Attorney’s Office also recruited students at the fair. Josh Tetens, the Criminal District Attorney, said the office’s internship gives college students opportunities to gain firsthand experience with the legal system.
“We love the collegiate men and women who come into the office,” Tetens said. “Not only do we offer them fantastic opportunities to see how the sausage is made but prepare cases for trial and see them all the way through trial.”
McLennan County also offers interns opportunities to tour the courthouse and participate in experiences involving the medical examiner’s office and the jail, Tetens said.
“We love to gain these young men and women to give us different and unique perspective, but we also hope they become [interested] in the field,” he said.
La Fiesta Tex-Mex Restaurant was among the local employers looking to hire Baylor students. Austin Lyon, who represented the restaurant, said Baylor students are some of their favorite employees.
“Baylor students are young, fun and spunky,” Lyon said. “At La Fiesta, we like to have a good crowd and a good time, and Baylor kids love that.”
Career success professional Kristen Howerton said the fair was the Career Center’s third part-time job fair and was designed to connect employers with students from a variety of academic backgrounds.
“Career success professionals were all tasked with finding a couple of employers that would work for our majors,” Howerton said.
Howerton said Career Center staff used their professional networks to identify employers with opportunities that could benefit Baylor students. Some employers had previously shared part-time opportunities with the Career Center, while others had participated in Baylor’s larger career fairs.
Career success professional Jonathan Echols said the part-time job fair is a great opportunity for students to build their resumes and explore career options.
“It gives students a chance to figure out what they like and don’t like,” Echols said. “Then they also gain experience. It’s a plus for any employer to see they [candidate] had a job, showed up and did what they were supposed to do”
While she maintains an off-campus customer service job, New Braunfels sophomore Hannah Tupa explored additional opportunities at the part-time job fair. Tupa is open to opportunities that would help build her resume and teach her practical skills, with a slight preference for off-campus work.
“I like off-campus opportunities because I am on campus a lot as is; it’s nice to be able to get off campus and discover more places in Waco,” Tupa said.
The Career Center will continue hosting career-focused events throughout the semester, including Career Day on Sept. 30 in Foster Pavilion, which will bring together employers, graduate schools, nonprofits and government organizations.
