Did you know MSU ranks among the top universities in the nation for employability? 93 percent of graduates secure jobs, continue their education or pursue other opportunities after graduation. The university has built a reputation for preparing students to succeed after college.
Each year, Student Affair’s Career Services Network (CSN) department hosts multiple career fairs, bringing hundreds of employers to campus to connect directly with students. Through partnerships with campus departments, including others in Student Affairs, these events help Spartans build confidence, practice professional skills and take the first steps toward internships and full-time careers.
Building Confidence and Professionalism
For Whitney Denney, senior events manager for CSN, career fairs represent months of planning, leading to a few key hours of opportunity. Denney joined MSU in January 2025 after more than a decade working in career services roles in higher education. She serves on the employer relations team, helping coordinate events that connect employers with Spartans.
“Being able to work in education in a job that supports students is really valuable,” Denney says. “I love working at Career Services because it fits at a really interesting place in the university between academics and the corporate world, helping bridge those gaps. I love being able to serve students in a way that helps prepare them for their next steps after graduation.”
While students may only witness the event itself, Denney and her team begin planning up to a year in advance. They secure venues, schedule dates, connect with employers and coordinate with campus partners to determine which employers align with specific industries and the themes of each fair. Employers register through Handshake, MSU’s career management platform, and the team launches announcements to inform students which organizations will attend the fair. Some fairs host 30 to 50 employers, while larger events can welcome 150 to 200 organizations.
“We’re there for employers and students every step of the way, from initially contacting our office to participating in various events and recruiting opportunities,” Denney says. “Many employers have great experiences hiring Michigan State University students and return to our events each year.”
Face-to-face conversations are essential during a job search often dominated by online applications. Attending in-person networking events shows initiative and helps students make a lasting impression. Career fairs also provide an opportunity for students to build confidence in their professional skills. Denney says the main goal of each event is to ensure the experience feels welcoming so students can focus on building relationships with employers.
“You can see the difference before and after – how much more confident students feel leaving than they did entering. Career fairs can feel intimidating, but students can dive in, attend their first fair, and leave with a positive experience and new opportunities.”
Building Employer Partnerships
While Denny focuses on event logistics, Mary Molnar-Witherspoon, director of employer relations and communications for CSN, works closely with employers to build partnerships and ensure they have opportunities to connect with students.
“We’re essentially the front door for employers to come in and connect with our students,” Molnar-Witherspoon says. “We meet with employers and connect them to the right departments, career fairs and activities so they can come on campus and hire our talented students.”
Molnar-Witherspoon oversees employer engagement efforts, including career fairs, campus interviews, employer events and communications. Her team works with companies across industries to connect them with the students who match their hiring needs.
“We try to reduce as many barriers as possible so we can bring more employers to campus,” she said. “With more than 50,000 students here, there truly is a job for everybody. Casting a wide net helps both employers and students.”
Employers recruiting at MSU consistently mention valuing both soft skills and academic preparation. Communication, adaptability and excitement often stand out during career fair conversations. Career Services helps students build experiences and highlight their leadership skills, community engagement and involvement in student organizations and Fraternity and Sorority Life.
“A student may meet the qualifications for a job, but employers are also looking for someone who is excited about the opportunity, willing to learn and able to communicate well,” Molnar-Witherspoon says. “They want someone who will be a good coworker and contribute to the team.”
Preparing students to showcase those skills requires collaboration across campus. Career Services works with faculty, student organizations and campus partners to ensure students gain experiences that help them stand out in the job market.
“MSU is preparing students for not only jobs that are available right now but for jobs we don’t even know will exist in twenty years,” says Molnar-Witherspoon. “It’s just a great time to be excited about careers. There are so many opportunities for students, and I hope they take advantage of them. I hope they understand that the sky’s the limit and that Career Services is just here to help support them throughout that process.”
Comfortable With the Uncomfortable
Senior marketing student Kharye Williams has experienced MSU career fairs from both sides, as an attendee and as a member of the planning team. Williams is a dual-enrolled student pursuing a Master of Science in marketing research and analytics and has worked with CSN since August 2024.
Williams’ responsibilities as lead marketing and events intern for CSN include helping coordinate career fairs by preparing materials, assisting employers with questions, approving registrations on Handshake, checking in students, ordering supplies, posting marketing content on social media, creating email communications, setting up event spaces and ensuring the day runs smoothly.
Williams remembers feeling overwhelmed during her first career fair as a student. However, Career Services’ resources, including resume reviews, interview preparation and career advising helped her gain confidence before future events.
“What really drew me to career services is that they offer support to help me get ready for the career fairs,” says Williams. “They helped me feel more confident talking to employers and getting out of my head before the fair started. My managers were always helping me find opportunities I hadn’t seen myself.”
After presenting during a student panel with employers, Williams connected with representatives from La-Z Boy, which led to a consumer insights internship during the summer of 2025.
“After the panel, I applied for an internship and one of the recruiters remembered me,” Williams says. “We talked about that during my interview, and I think that really helped me get ahead and get my foot in the door for that position. I felt like I got that internship because they remembered me from the career fair.”
During her internship, she conducted market and demographic analysis, evaluated product performance and pricing strategies, and helped design research plans using primary and secondary data.
Williams encourages all students to attend career fairs early in their college experience.
“Be comfortable with the uncomfortable,” she said. “Employers are looking for students to hire. You just have to show them your most authentic self and showcase the skills that you have. There’s no reason to be nervous because they’re at the fair for you.”
The Sky’s the Limit
Stories like Williams’ highlight the impact of career fairs on student success. For Denney, watching students build confidence throughout the event is one of the most rewarding moments of her work. “Students often arrive feeling nervous, but by the end of the fair they’ve had great conversations and made connections. Seeing that growth in confidence is really powerful.”
Molnar-Witherspoon says those moments reflect the larger mission behind CSN’s work. “When students are excited about the opportunities in front of them and confident about their future, that’s incredibly rewarding. The sky’s the limit for what they can achieve.”
As industries evolve and technologies reshape the workforce, MSU continues to adapt its approach to career readiness. Through collaboration with campus partners, strong employer relationships and hands-on opportunities including career fairs, the CSN plays a critical role in supporting MSU’s 93% job placement rate.
For thousands of students each year, those few hours at a career fair can lead to internships, job offers and long-term career paths. A conversation could be the first step forward in their career path.