The Career Center at Rose Hill recently hosted 11 Signature Partner employers and nearly 100 students at its Winter Wonderland Kickoff event on January 25th at the McShane Campus Center. Loosely inspired by the Bryant Park Winter Village, the event boasted resume reviews, free food, and opportunities to bring home merchandise from the attending employers.
The front lobby area of the Career Center was transformed into a hot chocolate bar and waiting area for one-on-one resume reviews with employers in the interview rooms. Students were able to request a session with a specific company representative or meet with the next available representative. Nishi Akhtar, FCRH & GSB ‘24 met with RSM and received “some invaluable advice. One was learning how to learn and never being afraid of asking questions!”. Just past the hot chocolate was a designated area for free sandwiches, pasta salad, potato salad, and chicken fingers from Barino’s Market. Students and employers were able to continue networking as they ate. Haania Imran, FCRH ‘26, shared she “loved networking at the Winter Wonderland… [the employers] provided exceptional advice for my resume and informed me about upcoming opportunities – all of which I will be focusing on ahead!
On the other side of the Career Center office space, the common area was laid out to feature “market stall tables” for each of the 11 Signature Partners attending. In this area, students were able to learn more about opportunities and upcoming events with the employers, get to know the recruiters, and pick up free branded gifts ranging from bags and hats to cookies and stress balls.
If attendees were lucky, they were also able to spot a surprise appearance from “Pengie the Personal Statement” – one of the Career Center full-time team members dressed as an inflatable penguin to match the event’s theme. Pengie did stop for photos with students, as well as wander the McShane Center to help promote the event to Rams passing by.
While students were able to gain valuable insight and connections, employers also benefited from the event. According to Nikki Denkler, Recruiter and Campus Recruiting Manager at Aldi, “the Spring 2024 Semester Kick-Off Event was a gratifying experience, allowing me to engage with students and faculty members alike. It served as an effective platform to introduce students to the valuable resources provided by Career Services and to showcase the exciting opportunities available at ALDI.” Amanda Bush, a Fordham alum now working with KPMG, shared this sentiment: “It was so great to be back on campus in the exceptionally nice new campus center to attend the Spring 2024 Semester Kick-Off Event! I really enjoyed meeting new students, hearing about their interests, and sharing my experiences and advice with them. I always love giving back to Fordham in ways like this.”
If you missed the Winter Wonderland Kickoff and want to get involved with the Career Center this spring, be sure to check out our full event calendar at https://careercenter.blog.fordham.edu/events/
The Fordham Career Center is committed to building a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship while providing a bridge between the classroom experience and the world beyond. Throughout the job and internship search process, it is our goal to help students, alumni, community partners and employers alike understand the extraordinary value of a Fordham education. To learn more about our offerings and connect with the Career Center, visit fordham.edu/career.
