On Wednesday, Sept. 27, from noon to 4 p.m., the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources hosted their annual career fair at the MizzouRec Complex in the Historic Brewer Fieldhouse. The event was put together by Matt Arri, coordinator of career services in the Office of Academic Programs.

Companies and organizations from around the country gathered to provide students an opportunity to network and discuss internships and full-time career positions. Represented industries included agriculture, animal and plant sciences, business, sport and leisure, and hospitality, providing outlets for students in each of CAFNR’s 12 undergraduate degree programs. Hospitality management students were met with a variety of future employers spanning the breadth of the four program emphasis areas (lodging management, conference and event management, food and beverage management and sport venue management).

Companies in the food and beverage industry included DairiConcepts, Hormel Foods, Coley’s American Bistro, The Kraft Heinz Company, Holten Meats, Seaboard Foods, Schreiber Foods, Triumph Foods, Bunge North America and 4 Star Restaurant Group. Lodging companies in attendance were Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Tan-Tar-A Resort, Ameristar Casino, Lodging Hospitality Management, Isle of Capri Casino Hotel and Kansas City Marriott Downtown. Additional hospitality-related corporations were Hollywood Casino St. Louis and Worlds of Fun/Oceans of Fun. Each spring the Department of Hospitality Management hosts an industry-specific career fair that also includes panel discussions and breakouts.

“Career fairs like these provide excellent opportunities for students to interact with industry professionals and grow not only as students, but also as future employees,” said Eliza Tse, professor and chair of the hospitality management program.

This year, students were able to use the University of Missouri Career Fair Plus app to help them navigate the event. The app allows users to see what companies are attending as well as search for employment based on major, industry, etc. CAFNR Career Services provided pre-fair workshops with mock interviews, resume reviews and an internship fair highlighting students’ previous experiences.

“It is important that career fairs like these take place because it is an amazing way to make connections and network,” said Hailie Bollini, a junior hospitality management student who attended the fair. “The fair helped me with my internship/career by offering a variety of opportunities. It also taught me about the options I have in this industry.”

Photos of the event can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/cafnr/albums/72157685626637532/with/36688961033/.