The University hosted its annual Research Park Career Fair at the Illinois Conference Center on Monday from 3-7 p.m.
The professional event provided current University students from different backgrounds a chance to not only acquire job opportunities firsthand from recruiters but also get connected with the companies, specifically those based in Research Park at the University.
According to the Research Park website, “Research Park at the University of Illinois is a leading innovation hub for technology commercialization with a unique environment that cultivates startups and increases capabilities for established companies. The mixed-use composition promotes creative collisions and interdisciplinary collaborations, strengthening the bridge between campus and community.”
More than 20 companies were involved in the career fair and looked for students who might be interested in their available positions.
“We are just looking for students that have the capacity to meet the requirements for the opening positions, as well as people that are interested in working in a very collaborative environment in the Research Park,” said Gwen Hotaling, a representative of the Research Park booth.
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From the variety of employers at Research Park, University students can explore different professional opportunities in many areas such as technology and science, attracting individuals to attend this career fair.
“I am looking specifically for an internship in the summer,” said Nicole Maldonado, junior in Engineering. “I am looking (to) gaining experience, especially in my field.”
Aside from summer internships or full-time opportunities from established companies or startups, there are also plenty of research opportunities, opening additional doors for job seekers and aspiring researchers.
“I do research work already and I really enjoy doing the research because it is a very collaborative and ambitious environment,” said Nina Trousdale, junior in Engineering. “So, I want to continue doing some type of research throughout the summer and I am hoping to explore other opportunities.”
“My overall experience was pretty positive,” Trousdale said. “I have gone to other career fairs before and I don’t think I have gained as much information from those than they did here because I feel like the people here were just very interested in hearing more about students. I enjoyed it a lot.”
