By Matt Vines November 13, 2024
SHREVEPORT -- Cortney McCall, principal of Brown Upper Elementary School in Webster Parish, wanted to talk to any and everybody.
The teacher shortage across the state and nation is well-documented, and McCall was eager to meet LSUS students of all majors who may be interested in education Wednesday at the LSUS Career and Internship Fair.
“You don’t have to have a degree in education to start your journey as a teacher,” McCall said. “We have teacher prep programs that can accept graduates with any major.
“I just spoke with a science major whose family is in education, and those are my favorite. Science majors make great science and math teachers, and if you have family connections to education, then you understand how rewarding a career in education can be.”
LSUS students browsed nearly 50 informational tables and booths representing companies and employers hungry to hire college graduates.
Biological sciences major Jailen Rhine is aiming to land a research job studying cells.
“That would be my first choice, but I’m really open to a lot of different things,” said Rhine, who has a concentration in cellular and molecular biology. “I visited a lot of different tables today.”
Various healthcare companies from hospitals to mental health to hospice were in attendance.
Law enforcement entities were one of the central industries present as representatives from Bossier Parish, Louisiana and Texas state offices, and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol chatted with LSUS students.
“We like college-educated officers because they tend to think more broadly,” said Colonel Forrest Collins with the Bossier Sheriff’s Office. “Our academy is geared more toward the college level, so we definitely like to engage with college students who are interested in law enforcement.”
Other main industries included financial services, casinos and hospitality, manufacturing, and a variety of other business-related industries.
As MBA student Tiffany Robinson walked around the career fair, she noticed business majors of all types were in high demand.
“I’m looking for an internship that could hopefully lead to a full-time job,” said Robinson, who is pursuing a human resource management specialization in her MBA degree. “The career fair is a great place to work on professional skills such as greeting people and how to talk to potential future employers.
“I’ve learned a lot of about companies in the area and what type of people they are looking for.”
Jennie Flynn-McKevitt, director of career services, said she heard a lot of positives from both students and employers about the event that attracted around 200 students.
“The companies I spoke with said they had a great experience, and there were smiles from students and employers today,” said Flynn-McKevitt, who added that student attendance was at an all-time high. “There were a lot of opportunities from internships to part-time work and then full-time jobs, so it’s something that can appeal to all students and not just those who are about to graduate.”
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