(Posted February 13, 2012)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- In years past, Juniata College juniors and seniors flocked to the college's Intramural Gym on Career Day to meet employers in a flurry of resume sharing. The student-employer interactions will still happen from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, Feb. 24, in the Kennedy Sports and Recreation Center IM gym, but there also will be a sprinkling of other career events preceding the career fair.

The fair features more than 80 employers from Pennsylvania and across the country, including such Fortune 500 companies as AllState Insurance, Deloitte, General Electric, WalMart, Hershey Foods Inc., New York Life and PPG Industries. Some 400-plus students are expected to visit the career event, most of them wielding resumes and references.

"About 60 percent of our graduating classes are comprised of students from Pennsylvania and many of them stay in the area to work. It's a great opportunity to see how dynamic our graduates are."

David Meadows, director of alumni relations

Students who visit the fair are encouraged to dress in business attire.

"It really increases the visibility of your organization or company," says Darwin Kysor, director of career services at Juniata. "Juniata students get to meet and talk with possible employers and companies see how the college's high academic standards and dedication to experiential learning can translate to productivity at their organization."

"About 60 percent of our graduating classes are comprised of students from Pennsylvania and many of them stay in the area to work. It's a great opportunity to see how dynamic our graduates are," says David Meadows, director of alumni relations at Juniata. Businesses will also have the opportunity to interact with Juniata faculty.

The program on the day of the Career Fair begins with employer check-in at 10:30 a.m. There will be refreshments served, along with a light lunch, during the hours of the fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Representatives can leave at 3 p.m.

--Although the Career Day event is at the end of the week, the first employment-themed event takes place on Monday, Feb. 20. "Flash Your Resume," at 7 p.m. in Sill Boardroom in the von Liebig Center for Science, allows students to get feedback on their resumes from Juniata faculty and administrators.

--A panel offering advice and strategies for pursuing graduate school will be at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 22 in Neff Lecture Hall in the von Liebig center.

--A quartet of Juniata entrepreneurs will offer advice on starting a business at a panel focusing on entrepreneurialism at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23 in Neff Lecture Hall. John Hille, executive vice president for enrollment, will moderate. Other panelists are Nicole Close, president of EmpiriStat Inc.; Robert Moreau, owner of Bib's Downtown Restaurant in Winston-Salem, N.C.; John and Angela Thompson, owners of Thompson Candle Company in Huntingdon, Pa.; and Peter Patitsas, managing director of Silverlining Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Huntingdon, Pa.

--Emil Nagengast, professor of politics, will moderate a concurrent Federal Employment Discussion at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23 in Sill Boardroom in the von Liebig Center for Science. Panelists include Frank Pote, foreign language program coordinator for the FBI, and Kristine Mindyas, an intelligence analyst at the National Drug Intelligence Center.

--In job interviews, many companies or organizations will ask applicants to dinner or lunch with employees. Many college graduates can be tentative when ordering wine or other beverages. Juniata will host a wine etiquette workshop at 3:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 24 just preceding a wine and cheese networking reception at 4 p.m. John Hille, executive vice president for enrollment, will teach the workshop.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.