“Careers for the Common Good” highlights volunteer, service opportunities
PHOTO CREDIT: Ronan Himelrick
On Wednesday, the Memorial Union courtyard was filled with students and potential employers for the annual “Careers for the Common Good” career fair.
The fair hosted 36 organizations including state departments, nonprofits, armed forces and police.
This is an annual event hosted by the University of Rhode Island’s Center for Career and Experiential Education (CCEE), according to the marketing and event coordinator for the center, Kristy Embrack Searles.
“A lot of these companies recruit here every year,” Searles said. “So they’re actively hiring URI students every year.”
She shared that the types of organizations present at the fair contribute to the “common good” idea and that the service component of these organizations is “incredible work.”
Searles highlighted the larger efforts of the URI community in making this event successful.
“What’s really special about this one is that we have a lot of classes, so faculty will send their students,” Searles said. “I teach here, so I obviously encourage my students to come. I think it’s our responsibility to make sure that students have access to opportunity.”
Kaylyn Keane, the coordinator of the URI Energy Fellows Program, noted that it is important for students to pursue jobs and internships before graduation to be competitive when applying for jobs.
“Students need to understand it’s really important to do an internship or some type of work experience before they graduate,” Keane said. “The number one thing when companies are hiring graduates is that they select one over the others whether they have done an internship or completed some sort of work experience.”
Her specific program, the Energy Fellows program, has allowed students to pursue jobs in the renewable energy sector, government departments and more.
One of those graduates, Abbie Hasenfus, who currently works for the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, spoke about the culture of the University and how that allows students to find opportunities upon graduation.
“I would say, you know, URI is full of bright students who can offer a lot to the clean energy industry,” Hasenfus said. “ URI is such a lively campus – there are so many students who are walking through this area right now who can take a look at our fliers and get in touch with these opportunities.”
Hasenfuss’s sentiment was echoed by Josh Fishbein, another graduate from the Energy Fellows program.
“This campus has kind of an attitude towards sustainability,” he said. “So it’s a good place to recruit.”
Seniors Giftilyn Ntiomoah, a nutrition major, and Kamolat Ibikunle, a health sciences major, shared their thoughts about feeling prepared to join the workforce.
“When I do things like this, I network with employers, finding internships or opportunities, or even sometimes if I don’t find some for me, I find stuff for my friends,” Ntiomoah said.
She and Ibikunle are both looking for career opportunities in healthcare and social work.
“I think this is a great way for students to learn about different opportunities that are available because we don’t know since we’re already in school, so this is a way for us to know the different institutions that are willing to hire us and give us an internship,” Ibikunle said. “I think this is really an important event for students to have on campus. They allow us to network, and it allows us to really know about the different opportunities and open up horizons in terms of the kind of jobs that are available for us.”