LAS VEGAS - More than 150 UNLV student-athletes and 30 potential employers were given the opportunity to meet with one another at the inaugural Student-Athlete Career Fair on December 2 at the Lied Athletic Complex on the UNLV campus.
The fair was sponsored by the UNLV athletics department, the Student-Athlete Advisory Board, the UNLV student government and the career services office to provide student-athletes with the opportunity to network and create professional connections with potential employers.
?The UNLV Student-Athlete Advisory Board and Eric Toliver are due the lion?s share of the credit for this outstanding evening,? said UNLV Director of Athletics Charles Cavagnaro. ?With the Board?s support, Eric put together a program that only will get better as time goes on. We?ve received nothing but praises after the completion of the first affair.?
Student-athletes, ranging from freshmen to fifth-year seniors, gathered information on internships, summer and permanent employment and career opportunities with some of the country?s most prestigious employers. The fair allows students to undergo informal interviews and question and answer sessions with the representatives in attendance. Among the employers and recruiters represented at the fair were the U.S. Secret Service, Infinity Broadcasting Corp., Coca-Cola Bottling and associates from Morgan Stanley Dean Witter.
?I think it?s a great opportunity for us and these student-athletes to make professional networks,? said Nina Murillo, recruiting coordinator for Avis Rent A Car. ?Student-athletes make great employees because they are well-versed in perseverance, teamwork and goal-setting.?
The fair was created by the advisory board to help student-athletes understand that one day intercollegiate athletics in their life will come to and end.
?UNLV is committed to preparing student-athletes for life after athletics,? said UNLV Assistant Athletics Director Eric Toliver, who oversees the UNLV CHAMPS/Life Skills program. ?This type of activity was a big eye-opener for a lot of our student-athletes.
?Several student-athletes were able to secure internships and make arrangements for summer employment through this program. Student-Athletes had to prepare a very thorough resume to present for their future employers. Overall, the future is bright for this type of activity for our student athletes at UNLV.?
The student-athletes were required to prepare a professional resume prior to the fair in order to try to sell themselves as well as learn about the potential employers. For the underclassmen, the fair provided a chance to learn about available career fields and what employers look for in candidates. For the seniors, it provided not only the opportunity to learn but the chance to practice for real job interview situations.
By the end of the evening, several students had secured internships while others had been granted interviews or offered part-time employment.
?I never thought that just being a student-athlete would have such a positive effect on my potential as an employee,? said Rachel Goodpaster, a junior shortstop on the Rebel softball team.
?I know there is life after football,? said senior Tim Dombrowski, a fullback on the Rebel football team. ?I think the employers that came tonight had a chance to see how professional and marketable student-athletes really are. Everyone likes a team player with a great GPA.?
The fair was a big success, and the athletics department is already planning a second student-athlete career fair for next year.
