Education Career Fair

By Victoria Cruz

Contributor 

On April 7, the Office of Educational Services hosted its third annual Education Career Fair. The event is a collaborative effort with the Career and Professional Development Center. 

The OES office believes access to opportunities in education to be vital, thus eliciting the need for a stand-alone event outside of other industry fairs that happen throughout the semester.  

“We know that current professional development does a number of industry fairs,” Angela Todaro-Kraszewski, the current Director of Educational Services said. “But felt like education was unique enough that we wanted to make sure that we created a space for our students in the College of Education — who are looking for jobs, whether it’s part-time or full-time.” 

Todaro-Kraszewski who is responsible for putting the event together, said that the main objective of the event is to connect students with potential employers for prospects beyond student teaching. 

The offices’ primary objective is to arrange placements for undergraduate and graduate education candidates in P-12 schools.  

This is to fulfill their required clinical and field hours in regard to their student teaching. 

These placements happen in districts all over the state of Connecticut.  

Long-established districts and district partners are looking to the university to provide candidates eligible for hiring and placement. 

One attendant, Gianna Ciarleglio, a school counseling graduate student, expressed her excitement and relief for this type of event.  

“Job searching is like another job so when I saw this opportunity it was like everything’s right at my feet,” Ciarleglio said.  “I felt like it was a perfect time to just come and like explore the different schools and different opportunities that are given to me through Southern.” 

 Master of arts and teaching graduate student, Nic Page said that the event was a good opportunity to network with professionals.  

“It’s really nice to actually be able to come here and still branch out,” Page said. “It’s been a very positive experience you know got some contact information that I’m hopefully going to be able to use in the future.” 

The event has garnered a favorable response from students and employers.  

 “We get positive feedback from our employers and from our students,” Todaro-Kraszewski said. “Word seems to have gotten out so we’re seeing a nice flow of students and we see a lot of employers returning every year.”  

As the demand for educators continues to grow, events like the Education Career Fair serve as a crucial bridge between students and the professional world.  

With dedicated support from the Office of Educational Services, students at the university are not only gaining access to valuable opportunities but are also being empowered to take the next step in their careers.  

Whether seeking a full-time role or simply exploring options, the fair stands as a testament to the university’s commitment to preparing future educators for success both inside and beyond the classroom.