In a world that thrives on interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, it’s essential that educational institutions, like ours, foster an environment of inclusivity and opportunity for students from all academic backgrounds. The annual college of business and engineering career and internship fair, while undoubtedly beneficial to business and engineering students, has the potential to be so much more if we extend its reach to encompass all majors.

The fair predominantly features employers and opportunities that align with the fields of business and engineering. Tables and representatives from renowned companies in these sectors are abundant, and the fair often hosts companies that are tailored to the interests of business and engineering students. While this tailored approach benefits those students, it inadvertently sidelines others who don’t fall into these categories.

Students from majors such as liberal arts, social sciences, natural sciences and the arts are often left feeling like outsiders at the event. While the fair may have a few representatives from non-business and non-engineering sectors, the overall atmosphere and focus remain predominantly centered around these two areas. This imbalance can lead to students from other majors feeling excluded from a crucial aspect of their career and professional development.

Additionally, the fair’s marketing and communication strategies often reinforce the notion that it’s primarily for business and engineering students. Messages, emails and promotional flyers tend to target these students more prominently, excluding other students from the opportunity to participate fully. This lack of outreach to students from diverse academic backgrounds leaves them feeling disengaged and looked over.

Traditionally, career fairs tend to be centered around specific schools or colleges within an institution. While this approach can be beneficial to those in their respective fields, it can limit opportunities for students who don’t belong to those particular facilities. In addition, students in different majors and fields may not have the same level of support and preparation for the professional world. 

This disparity is particularly evident when we consider programs like the personal and professional development (PPD) program, which cater specifically to business students. This program equips business students with a range of essential skills and tools that prepare them for success beyond the classroom. Students in this program receive guidance on crafting effective resumes, optimizing LinkedIn profiles, creating professional business cards, honing their interviewing skills and mastering the art of networking. 

However, this situation isn’t as beneficial for students pursuing other fields of study. Unless they happen to encounter specific professors or extracurricular activities that offer similar training, they may not receive the same level of preparation for their future careers. This inequity not only hinders their professional growth and development, but also perpetuates the idea that certain majors are more “employable” than others.

To promote inclusivity and fairness, it’s essential that our college extends the benefits of programs like PPD to students across all majors. While it might not be practical to create identical programs for every discipline, we can work towards a more equitable solution.

With the number of employers increasing each year, the idea of including other majors, or possibly creating new career fairs for other majors and departments, should be considered. Expanding the career fair to include a broader range of majors makes sense when there is an increase in employer participation. 

Looking ahead, it’s our hope that our college takes significant steps towards fostering greater inclusivity in our career fair initiatives. Whether by expanding the existing career fair to include students from all majors or by creating new specialized career fairs for the other academic departments, there’s immense potential for positive change.