The UTRGV Career Center hosts the Spring 2024 Career & Internship Expo Thursday at the PlainsCapital Bank El Gran Salón on the Brownsville campus. Over 100 employers were present on the Brownsville and Edinburg campuses. Estefania Ramirez/THE RIDER
The Career Center hosted the spring 2024 Career & Internship Expo on the Brownsville and Edinburg campuses Thursday and Friday with over 100 different employers recruiting.
The center supports UTRGV students and alumni with their next big step while in school and after graduation.
Ronnie Garcia, associate director for employer relations for the Career Center at UTRGV, said it is important for students to attend the expo to build “social capital” and “understand what opportunities are available.”
“Students come in with an idea of what they want to do after college, but sometimes it’s the stone that’s left unturned that could have been that diamond in the rough,” Garcia said.
The expo is open to all majors and happens once in the fall and once in the spring semester.
Employers are chosen through Handshake and invited to the Career & Internship Expo.
Garcia said the Career Center sends emails to any employers that post jobs on the portal for students.
He said local, statewide, national and international employers come to the fair because “they want to educate our students and they want to recruit them.”
“We have a number of students for a particular major who have requested a certain company,” Garcia said. “We share that and try to make that connection to make sure that we’re able to, kind of, broaden opportunities.”
Ingrid Gonzalez, an international business sophomore, said she hopes to make “connections” during the career expo.
“I know right now maybe I won’t get a job, like, right away, but I am kind of looking forward to it as I’m working on my major,” Gonzalez said. “People recognize me and they know who I am, so in the future, they will think of hiring me.”
She said her favorite part of the career expo was the “variety” of different departments.
Mikala Irby, recruitment manager at Teach for America, said they are looking for prospective employees.
“Teach For America finds, develops and supports equity-oriented leaders to transform education and expand opportunity for all children,” according to its website.
Irby said Teach For America is interested in diverse backgrounds.
“You look for someone that’s very much in line to understand the issue of education, equity and someone that has the ability to learn and meet capacity, because we recruit from different backgrounds, different majors,” she said.
Irby said the organization participates in career expos because it is a great way to “get in front of students that typically don’t have access to knowing what we do.”
Communication sophomore Karla Averanga asks for more information from DHR Health representatives during the spring 2024 Career & Internship Expo Thursday at the PlainsCapital Bank El Gran Salón on the Brownsville campus. Estefania Ramirez/THE RIDER
The Rider asked Garcia for advice for students who visit the expo.
“I always tell students to be fearless,” he replied. “These employers are on their side. They don’t want to see them fail.”
Garcia said to ask questions and be curious “in a professional setting.”
He said “it’s game day” for students and alumni that need an internship or to establish a career.
Irby advises students to be “open to different opportunities.”
“I have held so many different positions because I have continuously put myself out there to try different avenues, take different internships, but just be open to different possibilities,” she said.
Garcia advises students to look at the list of employers on Handshake and the opportunities they have posted on their website “to see what opportunities are not on our Handshake portal but that are available in general.”
Garcia said UTRGV is a big part of the community.
“We want to make sure that we are opening opportunities for everyone and particularly our students,” he said.
The expo was also open to the university community.
“So we love seeing faculty and staff members stop by as well to build those networks within the industries,” Garcia said.
Gonzalez advises students to attend every semester.
“Even though you wouldn’t meet someone or, like, you’ll get rejected one year … next semester you can still come and try again,” she said.
Gonzalez said it is good to show interest because “it’ll increase your chances of getting hired.”
Garcia said the Career Center helps students create their next connection.
“So, we really try to connect students with their next right because people’s stories never end,” he said.
Employers talk to UTRGV students about their respective programs during the spring 2024 Career & Internship Expo Thursday at the PlainsCapital Bank El Gran Salón on the Brownsville campus. Estefania Ramirez/THE RIDER
