The fifth annual “Career Fair” held Feb. 3 offered students of all majors the opportunity to find employment while still in school.

Employers from different companies set up displays in the Duke Ellington Ballroom, located in the Holmes Student Center, where students were able to meet with employers, ask questions and hand out resumes.

Virginia McKeefery, associate director of cooperative education, said about 1,000 students generally visit the fair along with about 50 employers from 15 academic departments.

McKeefery said the fair was geared toward undergraduate work experience during college such as positions with the co-op and internships in which a student would work full-time during alternate semesters.

Kelly Ritchie, Lands’ End Clothing Store employment specialist, said the company has been to the fair for the past few years.

Ritchie said, “We enjoy returning to the fair because of the enthusiasm of NIU students and lots of success in the past.”

The clothing store is offering store management internships which will consist of full management responsibilities, Ritchie said.

Karen Hickey, NIU graduate, said she became familiar with Lands’ End through a classroom presentation and was able to meet with them at the career fair. She said she entered the company after graduation as an assistant manager.

Hickey said, “It (the fair) prepared me as to what the company was all about.”

Thomas Pelliccioni, an NIU graduate employed at Software Architects Inc., said, “We have recruited at NIU often in the past, and about 60 to 70 percent of the company are NIU graduates.”

Bobbie McCarthy, Procter and Gamble health and personal care professional sales unit manager said, “The company looks forward to the recruiting reciprocal relationships with NIU, which has provided the company with several managers and offered good sales management opportunities to the students.”

McCarthy said although the company has recruited from Illinois for the past decade, this year it offered its first summer internship at the career fair.

She said Procter and Gamble offers students full-time employment as sales representatives along with some company benefits.

McKeefery said she was pleased with the turnout of the fair, “It offered a good mixture of companies.”

McKeefery said, “Every year we (cooperative education) look forward to increasing the attendance of our students and the diversity of employers. This year the fair was increased by at least seven employers and we hope it continues to do so.”

The Orgaization of Black Business Students and the Business Interior Design students helped at the fair.