The nursing department hosts its annual talent acquisition event
The Student Nurses Association hosted a Nursing and Healthcare Career Fair Friday in the Minnesota State’s Centennial Student Union ballroom.
The fair, which initially started in 2019, has seen significant growth, with an estimated 500 students in attendance and over 38 employers participating this year — the largest number since 2019. The event aimed to help students network, gain confidence and potentially secure internships or full-time jobs.
“The importance of the event is that it provides students with real-world exposure to potential employers,” said Dr. Sabrina Imke, faculty advisor for the Student Nursing Association.
The fair has evolved from station-based discussions to featuring speakers. The ballroom was set up with a variety of tables, each staffed by a different company, where students met with representatives, gathered information, and asked questions. Light hors d’oeuvres and drinks were also provided for attendees, courtesy of the College of Allied Health and Nursing.
A diverse array of employers were present with affiliations in the fields of nursing, social work, and recreation leadership and management. Alexis Persons, the Assistant Director of the Career Development Center (CDC), explains that the “Student Nurses Association and the Career Development Center aimed to include more majors within the College of Allied Health and Nursing,” allowing the participation of students outside of the nursing program.
“In the future, we’re looking at bringing out more student associations so they can table at this event,” added Imke.
Companies that recruit international students were highlighted from the list of employers supplied on the brochures as a special accommodation for students impacted by immigration laws that restrict employment options.
The fair was student-coordinated and student-run, with career services providing support.
“The event’s success is a result of the collective effort of the student nursing association’s executive team, who worked all summer to arrange it,” said Imke.
Fikir Tebeje, a senior nursing student from Ethiopia, serves as president of the MSU Student Nurses Association and has been involved in planning two career fairs, along with executive board members vice president Meghan Steffens, treasurer Paige Linhoff, and secretary Wendy Orina.
Tebeje acknowledged the contributions of volunteers Bria Hayes and Bella Baima, who were not official board members but played crucial roles in planning the event. She emphasizes that the event’s success resulted from a team effort and the support of their faculty advisor.
“I want to shout out to our faculty advisor, Dr. Sabrina Imke. We wouldn’t be able to do this without her; she’s been my right hand.”
She underscored the benefits of career fairs for nursing students, including networking, building connections, and securing job opportunities, noting that MSU’s nursing program has a strong reputation.
“Attending this career fair allows you to show your personality and who you are as a person. As a nursing student, you might not have a hard time finding a job because there’s always a job somewhere for you. But getting a chance to chat and talk to these employers and see how they are as managers is important,” said Tebeje.
Elena Drake, a senior nursing major, attended the career fair as a requirement for her leadership and management class. She reiterated the value of the fair in “broadening her career perspective and providing detailed information on different employers.” She discussed the benefit of “being able to choose specific locations and roles based on the information gathered at the fair.”
“I would say come because you meet so many different people; it broadens your view, especially in your last semester, when you’re looking at areas to start applying,” said Drake.
Caption: Student filling out a form for an internship at the annual health talent acquisition event hosted by the nursing department. (ALEXIS DARKOW/The Reporter)
Write to ephrata.bezuayene@mnsu.edu