This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Grove City College Career Fair.
Since its inception, the fair has grown to become the College’s main recruiting and networking event. Students from all years and majors can find jobs, internships, fellowships, and networking opportunities at the fair on Oct. 4 in the IM Room of the Physical Learning Center on campus.
Organized by Grove City College’s highly ranked Career Services Office, the Career Fair is one of the biggest in the region. This year the College will be hosting recruiters from 160 organizations, including corporations, non-profit organizations, ministries, and graduate and professional programs from 27 states.
“It is set to be our largest Career Fair over the last five years. And we are excited to welcome back around 120 alumni recruiters from our attending organizations,” said Renee Coyne, director of Career Services.
The fair provides opportunities for students who are exploring careers and developing skills, Coyne said. “It’s a great time to talk with representatives, gain confidence in sharing specifics about yourself, and find out more about the organizations and opportunities available to all students,” she said.
She said many of the organizations represented at the fair work to create a culture and work environment similar to that of Grove City College. Recruiters and employers who attend the fair routinely comment on the quality, character, work ethic, and integrity of the Grovers they encounter.
Dr. Jim Thrasher ’80, former director of Career Services, designed the first Career Fair. “God was incredibly gracious and the first one was a huge success. Corporate sponsors were plentiful, and our students were ready to put their best foot forward. We overwhelmed the recruiters with huge attendance numbers and well prepared students,” said Thrasher, who currently serves as senior advisor to the Vice President for Student Recruitment and associate professor of Biblical and Religious Studies.
Over the last quarter century, it is safe to say thousands of Grove City College students and graduates have found future employment, internships, or advanced educational opportunities through the Career Fair.
Employers represented at the fair include 84 Lumber, Allied Machine, Ansys, Armstrong World Industries, BNY Mellon, Bechtel, CNB Bank, Komatsu, Lockheed Martin, Northwestern Mutual, Morgan Stanley, PPG, SherwinWilliams, Siemens, and Westinghouse. Representatives of state and federal agencies, including the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the FBI, state police, will be in attendance, along with a host of graduate schools, seminaries, law schools, non-profits, and ministries.
Grove City College has an enviable record of graduate success. Within six months of graduation, 96 percent of the College’s class of 2022 were working, earning advanced degrees, serving in the military or the church. Graduates see a 20-year return on investment of $476,000; an average early career salary of $59,800, and average midcareer earnings of $116,000 according to PayScale.