Last week, the Nebraskan Student Union was filled with future healthcare professionals eager to explore the many opportunities available in the field. The Health Careers Fair was held for high school and college students, featuring pre-professional programs, school representatives and campus resources.
Abby Hiatt, a sophomore from Hershey High School, said the fair helped her explore different healthcare paths beyond what she originally had in mind.
“It’s nice to see what different opportunities there are,” Hiatt said. “I was originally thinking about a larger school, but now I can see and evaluate all my options.”
Organizers said the fair is designed to give students access to opportunities they may not otherwise discover by bringing everyone together.
Students were able to connect with 22 pre-professional programs, covering areas like nursing, physical therapy and public health. The fair also featured over 40 professional school representatives to help answer questions and discuss educational programs for those wanting to know more about what there is to offer.
UNK students said the event is beneficial for learning about programs they may not have considered before attending.
Cassidy Patterson, a junior communication disorders major, encouraged students attending to remain open to different paths and learn about what there is to offer.
“Figure out what you’re passionate about and understand that it’s OK if that changes,” Patterson said.
Lily Seibert, a UNK senior and representative for communication disorders, said going to an event like this would have been valuable in her academic journey, adding that more promotion could help students discover career paths more efficiently.
“I don’t think I ever went to a fair like this when I was deciding what I wanted to do,” Seibert said. “I never heard of any. This would have been beneficial to go to.”
The career fair also gave smaller and underrepresented programs the opportunity to connect with students interested in pursuing careers in health.
“Most people came into our program with a different path decided, and ended up switching to ours when they learned more about it,” Patterson said. “It’s a very underrepresented program.”
For healthcare employers, the event was an opportunity to connect with future professionals and share insights into the qualities they value.
Colleen Lopez, a human resources generalist at Phelps Memorial, said career fairs often lead to meaningful connections and future employees.
“These events have definitely helped us bring in job shadows and interns, and (we) have been able to retain people from that,” Lopez said.
Lopez also said it’s important to explore as much as possible during these events to help understand what students want in a school or career.
“Soak up as much as you can when you come to events like these,” Lopez said. “You get a better idea of what you want in your career.”
