ULM’s Nursing and Health Sciences Career Fair held Thursday was a “giant melting pot of fields” to student Nathan Simpson.

Simpson, a senior biology major, came to the annual Nursing and Health Sciences Career Fair held in Student Union Building ballrooms from 3 to 6 p.m.

Though Simpson hopes to go to medical school in the future, he noted local hospitals’ medical laboratory science programs as possible options.

Simpson said that people could check out fields they might be interested in or people who are unsure of future career choices can “find their options.”

Though nursing students were the majority in attendance, other health sciences students also had the ability to gain career information and connections.

Simpson said the fair was important for both nursing and health science majors.

According to Simpson it “gives them the opportunity see all local area hospitals and what they offer.”

Nursing and health science students visited different businesses’ tables to speak with representatives and to gather information about career options after graduation.

Leslie Neider, a senior nursing major, said professors encouraged nursing students to go and that she thought it was a great opportunity to learn about career options.

Neider also said it gave her a “new understanding of how many options there are.”

Though most businesses are local medical facilities and hospitals, representatives from employers such as the US Army and University Health from Shreveport gave students a glimpse of options elsewhere in the state and country.

Roslynn Pogue, director of Career Connections, said around 23 medical facilities and hospitals from the region attended the fair to recruit nursing and other health science students to full-time positions after graduation.

As with each fair, Pogue said the office tries to get more facilities represented at the fair to show students a wide variety of options.

This year’s fair included several businesses new to the fair such as Willis Knighton and Opelousas General Health System and loyal employers who attend every year.

Pogue called the fair a “great networking event” for students because employers that they meet remember them.

Pogue said it was a time for students to “make a positive first impression on employers.”

“It gives them a chance to meet their future employers and get a good look and what they seek,” Pogue said.

Pogue said the recruiters seemed pleased with the turnout of students at the event.

Anna Lee is the Employment Specialist from St. Francis Medical Center.

Lee said the event is a good networking tool and one that St. Francis representatives “must attend” each year.

“We get a lot of good feedback from nursing students,” Lee said.

Lee said students in related majors should attend to “get a good idea of what’s available after graduation.”

ULM’s Office of Career Connections hosts the annual Nursing and Health Sciences Career fair each fall semester.

The office switched the fair from evening to afternoon after checking with health sciences professors.

Though the fair is recommended for juniors and seniors in those fields to bring resumes and to meet possible employers, the fair is open every year to all classifications with nursing or health science majors.