VOICE OF THE VOICELESS

Siena Heights University was host to Operation Serve’s Career and Opportunity Expo Nov. 4 in the Fieldhouse.

Career Services Specialist Melissa Growden is the creator and head of this event. She gathered employers from all around Michigan and some parts of Ohio.

When I spoke with Growden, I asked her about her intent of for this event and what outcome she expected.

“Well, our goal has always been to connect students with employers for either full time or part time positions, internships, volunteer opportunities,” she said. “It’s our goals to create those connections.”

This is sixth year for the Career Expo, and with 73 projected employers attending, it continues to have a great reputation. This year, it is no different.

I attended the expo, dressed up, with the chance of opportunity on my mind. Even though I was not looking for a job or an internship, I was still open-minded to what I could find.

There was a range of different employers from: AARP, Alro Steel, DTE Energy, Goodwill, Hantz Group, Lowe’s, McDonald’s, The Michigan Air and Army National Guard, Quicken Loans and South Central Michigan Works, to name a few. Services like: Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, Dominican Volunteers USA, The Social Security Administration were also in attendance. Educational institutions attending the event included: Spring Arbor University, University of Phoenix, and the International Trucking School, among others.

Being a resident of Oakland County, not too many of these jobs appealed to me, but what I did find were a few chances to not only improve my resume, but also to improve myself. I spoke to the United Way about volunteering in the community and helping the homeless. I’ve always enjoyed giving time and helping the homeless. I have been blessed with so many opportunities, and I like to take that blessing and help others who didn’t have that.

I spoke to the Dominican Volunteers USA about giving a year to their service after I graduate. I am not a Catholic, nor am I someone who is huge on moving away from the people I am closest with, but I do plan on listening to the sisters when they come here in January to get personal testimony about how their communities exist.

A lot of the vendors were very friendly, and it was definitely a great opportunity to work on interview skills and networking for the future.

When I asked Growden how she felt about how the event went, she said, “I believe it was a success, with 80 employers showing up and over 267 job seekers who had come to the expo.”

With the seventh annual expo coming up next year, I am truly looking forward to going to find out what new opportunities will come.