Job Fair: Employers like what they see in CIU students
Job Fair: Employers like what they see in CIU students
November 21, 2023
By Brandon Lee, CIU Student Writer
Employers from around greater Columbia sent their recruiters to campus to meet with CIU students and discuss careers and internship opportunities. The biannual event is for students to connect directly with representatives of various businesses, nonprofits, ministries and churches.
Notable institutions represented at the Job Fair included the Zeus company, makers of reinforced polyimide tubing, The Richland County Sheriff’s Department, which already employs 45 CIU graduates, and Chick-fil-A.
The recruiters say they are looking for passionate, hard-working students.
A representative of Still Hopes Retirement Community described his ideal employee as “having integrity, high character, and an ability to fit into any given culture.”
Soccer Shots, an organization offering soccer programs for kids, also made an appearance at the Fair. They have developed a strong connection with CIU, having both CIU graduates and current students as coaches and faculty.
“We’ve had connections with CIU over the years, and with the formation of the first soccer team at CIU in 2012, we had easy opportunities to recruit soccer players from CIU to come work for us,” said Soccer Shots representative Abi Vasquez.
Chick-fil-A representative and CIU graduate Jonathan Lawrence cited many reasons for his repeated recruiting trips at CIU.
“The character and values that are instilled into students at CIU align perfectly with what we are looking for at Chick-fil-A,” Lawrence stated. “We find that students from CIU live out what they have learned and make a huge impact in their respective environments. We don’t see these things to such an extent in any other group of students. The character of the CIU student is unmatched, and because of this, I find myself coming to CIU first to recruit potential employees.”
CIU consistently ranks among the Top Regional Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report, as well as a Best Value Regional University in the South. Apply now or request information on enrollment by contacting Admissions at (803) 807-5024 or admissions@ciu.edu.
Charles Chen checks out dozens of Columbia area employers looking for "passionate, hard-working students." (Photo by Chariti Mealing, CIU Student Photographer)