More than 100 businesses and organizations packed into Centenary College’s Fitness Center for the Spring 2023 Regional Career Fair on Friday, but one color appeared more than any other – LSU Shreveport purple.
Four LSUS booths dotted the landscape – an LSUS booth dedicated to attracting first-time freshman and transfer students as well as separate booths to promote entities like the College of Education and Human Development and masters programs in Public Health and Counseling.
Multiple other LSU entities like Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport added to the purple parade.
The regional career fair was a joint effort between Shreveport’s four colleges – LSUS, Centenary, Southern University Shreveport and Bossier Parish Community College.
The 2023 fair is a hopeful start to recreate a tri-state career fair in which universities from all over North Louisiana, East Texas and southern Arkansas descended upon Shreveport decades ago.
“We were hoping to reach 100 vendors, and we’re ecstatic that we exceeded that mark,” said Jennifer Flynn-McKevitt, the director of career services at LSUS. “Our participation in being one of the hosts as well as an active participant is important to us because we want to show that we’re invested in this community.
“We’re committed to employers and to job seekers in this region.”
LSUS recruiter Tia Wilson pitched potential college students on becoming Pilots.
“We want first-time freshman and transfer students to know how great of a place LSUS is to go to school,” Wilson said. “I’ve been talking a lot about our scholarship and financial aid packages as well as how LSUS can be a great fit for them.”
Job seekers meandered through the curtained fair with 185 participants looking for their next career or educational program.
The booths represented an array of industries with higher education, healthcare, law enforcement, banking and tourism/gambling leading the way.
Local heavy hitters like the Willis-Knighton Health System, Benteler Steel, the City of Shreveport, Bossier Parish School System and Bossier City police were in attendance as organizations scoured the venue for talent amid tight labor market conditions.
Organizations traveled from as far away as New Orleans (Xavier University) and from Texas locales like Longivew (police department), Carthage and Marshall (school districts).
National brands also made an appearance as job seekers passed booths for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Coca-Cola.
“We want our students to know about the variety of options that exist right here in the Ark-La-Tex,” said Flynn-McKevitt, who added that 50 LSUS students registered to attend the event while anticipating additional walk-up participants. “These companies are talking to students of all majors to fit roles in their organizations.”
About LSUS
Founded in 1967, Louisiana State University Shreveport offers a wide array of nationally accredited undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including a doctoral degree. The university’s mission is to educate a diverse population of graduate and undergraduate students; engage in regional and global thought leadership through community collaboration and service; and innovate to enhance the application of knowledge and intellectual discovery through faculty and student research and creative endeavors.
