HPU Students Make Career Connections with 100+ Employers at Expo

High Point University students learned about a variety of jobs and internships as they had the opportunity to make connections with recruiters from more than 100 companies on March 12 at the Nido and Mariana Qubein Conference Center. Godwin Mondo, an exercise science major from Raleigh, North Carolina, spoke with Natasha Nieves, university recruiter for Gartner.

HIGH POINT, N.C., March 19, 2025 – High Point University students learned about a variety of jobs and internships as they had the opportunity to make connections with recruiters from more than 100 companies on March 12 at the Nido and Mariana Qubein Conference Center.

Students dressed professionally and arrived with resumes ready to talk with recruiters, including some from Northwestern Mutual, Gartner, Cintas, Towne Bank, Novant Health, Old Dominion Freight Line and Bell Partners Inc. They also posed for free professional headshots to update their LinkedIn accounts.

HPU’s Office of Career and Professional Development organizes Career and Internship Expos twice each academic year to connect undergraduate and graduate students with employers. They also host additional career fairs focused on specific majors and dozens of professional development events. The expo attracts companies from across the country, as well as state-level and local firms.

“The recruiters and decision-makers who are in here are serving as educators in a lot of ways,” said Dr. Doug Hall, HPU’s vice president of career and professional development. “This is helping the student be more inquisitive in engaging with employers. I heard from a couple of employers who have visited other schools’ career fairs, and they see a distinct difference in how HPU students are dressed and come prepared with asking great questions. They’re setting themselves up for success.”

Jaime Nardolillo, a Class of 2018 alumna, returned to campus as a regional sales manager in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut for Collabera, a global company that provides digital and information technology services for Fortune 1000 companies. She said having opportunities to attend career fairs and receive support from Hall while she was a student helped guide her career direction.

“I think High Point does a really great job of sharpening the sales professionals here and giving them opportunities to network and connect with a lot of different companies and industries,” Nardolillo said. “I love that they teach etiquette and social skills in fine-dining restaurants like 1924 Prime. This campus is really good at teaching and instilling life skills.”

Having in-person conversations gives students an opportunity to learn about what jobs are available and what employers look for, said Jenna Phelps, a talent acquisition business partner for Keyence Corporation of America.

“I invite anyone to come talk to me, regardless of whether they’re interested in sales or in Keyence, because I know having that conversation is going to get them one step closer to figuring out what they want to do,” Phelps said. “I’ve been in their shoes. I think that’s something students always forget. I remember how stressful that is. It feels like a huge decision figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life, but it doesn’t have to be. Just focus one step at a time.”

Networking with businesses was the main motivation for attending the career fair for students like Wyatt Cosgriff, a junior entrepreneurship major from Bergan County, New Jersey.

“A big thing when you’re looking for a job is making sure you can connect with people and get out there to speak with as many people as possible,” Cosgriff said. “I believe that the more people you talk to, the better chance you have to find a job that’s best for you.”

Meeting representatives of Continental Tire at an HPU Career Expo two years ago led to landing a job for Nate Alleman, a senior marketing major from Columbus, Ohio.

“You’ve got to make that first connection, shake their hand and give a firm handshake,” said Ben Niehaus, a senior finance major and president of the HPU Student Government Association. “To start a conversation with somebody is going to move you much further than just applying on LinkedIn and just throwing your resume to them. There are lots of companies here that are excited to hire High Point University students. I actually met with a consulting firm, and one of my classmates who graduated last year was there. It’s important when he can shake my hand and introduce me to his manager.”

Natasha Nieves, university recruiter for research and advisory firm Gartner, said nearly half of the students she talked with are “ready to jump into the workforce. While we don’t have opportunities for freshmen or sophomores, I do encourage them to come out and meet employers so they can start to figure out what they want to do and have conversations about what the jobs look like. If they’re starting to think about it now, they will be ready come senior year. I’ve seen a little more of underclassmen, but again that is exciting to see that they’re taking it seriously early on.”