Connections matter in the business world — from coworkers to executives. The University of Indianapolis Stephen F. Fry Professional Edge staff is hosting an event to help attendees make these connections and discover new job opportunities.
According to Senior Director of the Pro Edge Center Kirk Bryans and sophomore communication major and Pro Edge Student Staff Member Allison Dininger, UIndy Means Business is an on-campus career fair open to all of UIndy with no advance registration required. Bryans said this event has been going on for 10 years in the Primo Banquet Hall, located on National Avenue, but was brought to campus in 2022. Bryans also said the event features more than 30 businesses, such as The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Crew Carwash Inc., the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and more. The event has three sponsors: Federated Insurance, Fastenal and London Witte LLP, and these companies will be representing themselves at the event.
“Getting work-based experience is really crucial to achieving everybody’s goal for graduation, and being able to put that on your resume just improves your chances of getting the job you want when you graduate,” Bryans said.
Bryans said some students may see businesses at the fair and assume it only accepts certain students or majors, but that is not true. Bryans pointed out that many businesses seek talent from all academic backgrounds. This openness can create opportunities for students to explore various career paths, regardless of their major, Bryans said.
“I don’t want them to look at the name of a company and make an assumption,” Bryans said. “Somebody may see a hospital and think they only take healthcare workers when hospitals have jobs for almost every major.”
Diniger said this event is a great opportunity for all students to explore careers they might not have imagined themselves doing. Although most of the employers are business-centered, she said she encourages all students to attend and see what they can get from the opportunity.
“They can network and they might get a job or an internship from there,” Diniger said. “But even if you’re not a business major it’s an amazing opportunity just to work on your networking skills and you get to see what’s out there, you never really know what might pique your interest.”
According to its website, the Pro Edge staff proactively and strategically equips, exposes and encourages students to define and achieve their goals. The website says they sponsor essential skills training, speakers and career-related events throughout the year in order to give all students a competitive advantage.
Bryans said getting work-based experience is crucial for college students to achieve their goals after graduation. The UIndy Means Business Fair is a chance for students to look for opportunities to build their resume in order to meet those goals in the future, Bryans said.Students can schedule appointments with the Pro Edge career coaches or attend Walk-in Wednesdays when the office located on the second floor of Schwitzer from 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. Pro Edge also has a list of the signature events it hosts yearly on its website.
