The Allegheny Gateway hosted the second annual student job fair in the Campus Center on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Each year students are invited to visit several campus and Meadville organizations that offer jobs through the college for the federal work-study program and campus employment. The jobs that have not already been filled on campus set up tables and are there to inform students looking for employment.

Emerald Collie, ’16, attended the fair as a recruit for the Operation Read Program.

Collie said that Operation Read is an after school program that works with and tutors elementary school students specifically focusing on reading skills and comprehension.

“I look at the job fair as an opportunity for students to explore different areas of student employment so not your traditional on-campus job,” Collie said. “Most of these jobs go into the Meadville community and engage that way.”

Heather Fish, the Davies Community Service coordinator, also attended the job fair as a recruit in search of finding more students interested in becoming a Davies Leader.

Fish said that Davies Leaders complete local community projects and receive leadership training.

“It’s a compensated service,” Fish said. “Your complete commitment is 600 hours. Three hundred hours over a school year and then the additional 300 over a summer or another school year and they go to different local organizations including the Academy Theater, United Way and The Market House and help out in any way they can.”

Fish said that she hopes the job fair serves as a jumping off point for students looking for employment.

“I’m hoping that students will see the different kinds of employment opportunities that the college offers in town,” Fish said. “You don’t just have to work a circulation desk at the library. You can also get to know the community a little better by engaging in different organizations and meeting people who live in Meadville. So I’m hoping that it will just let students know more of the opportunities and the relationship that Allegheny is building for them.”

Natasha Eckart, assistant director of financial aid, attended the job fair in case students had questions about the paperwork they had to fill out in order to work or if they had any general questions about a work-study job.

Eckart said that all of the jobs represented at the fair are jobs that still need students to work.

“A lot of times the jobs that still remain are the ones that are involved more in Meadville,” Eckart said. “I think students get a little scared sometimes, especially incoming freshman, that they would have to go off campus to work especially with transportation concerns and things. I think one thing that is highlighted well here is that there are transportation options through the CATA Bus and the shuttle vans which help offer really great opportunities that you don’t necessarily have here on campus.”

Briana Howard, ’19, said she attended the job fair because she wants to help her parents in paying her college tuition and that she would love some extra spending money.

“Everyone is really helpful here,” Howard said. “They explain their job and purpose really thoroughly and it’s nice to learn about all the different jobs.”

For students that did not have the chance to attend the job fair, more information about remaining on-campus jobs can be found online at Allegheny.edu under financial aid.