More than 300 Vaughn students filed into the hangar for the department of career services’ semiannual career fair on Thursday, April 10. With representatives from more than 50 companies in attendance, students were able to gain an insider’s perspective of post-graduation life, and what is waiting for them as they enter the job market.

Students were able to meet with representatives from various industries, ranging from airlines and airports, to military, police and fire departments and business and financial services. While many companies, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and American Airlines attended as welcomed repeat guests, the fair saw a number of first-time guests, including Eugenio Pereira, an operations manager for Sheltair Aviation Services, a company that provides construction services and properties to the aviation industry.

“The students here seem very dedicated to their work,” said Pereira. “They’re very friendly, they’re professional; we’ve had a very pleasant first experience at Vaughn.”

A number of Vaughn alumni were in attendance, representing their respective companies and offering career advice to current students. Alumni in attendance included Mohammad Mukhtar ’01, associate at the World Financial Group; Elis Kucevic ’05, supervisor of line maintenance at LiveTV; and Kenneth Andwood ’09, manufacturing engineer at Alken Industries, Inc.

“I know how it feels to be in these students’ position,” said Kucevic, who was also a first-time attendee at the fair. “I’m glad I could come back and offer help to current students. I started my career at one of these fairs, and I learned everything I know from the company that hired me right here at Vaughn.”

Philip Meade, director of career services expressed excitement about having alumni return to campus for the fair.

“Nobody knows what these students are going through like people who have been there,” he said. “Bringing alumni to these fairs allows our students to look ahead toward their future; to get a realistic idea of what awaits them after graduation.”

The career fair is hosted by the department of career services, and is held twice per year, during the fall and spring semester. The next fair will be held on Thursday, September 25, 2014.

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Left: Vaughn students speak with representatives from Emirates Airlines. Right: Elis Kucevic ’05 speaks to students about career opportunities at LiveTV, a company that provides entertainment systems for airlines.