Students in lab coats filled a SUB ballroom as the Office of Career Connections hosted the Nursing and Health Sciences Career Fair Thursday.

“The career fair gives students a great advancement to understand the job requirements well. They have a chance to listen to what the recruiters are looking for to get into medical fields” said Roslynn Pogue, Director of the Office of Career Connections.

She said students get a good idea of where they would like to work.

The fair was mandatory for all nursing and health sciences majors.

“I have been looking for an internship, and this career fair is very helpful. It gives me variety of choices,” said Sheva Bridges, a junior nursing major.

The event had 15 booths of hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers and graduate schools. The representatives came from different parts of several states.

“The students are very enthusiastic. We are looking for students who are genuinely passionate about health promotion and disease prevention,” said Louisiana State University representative Emmanuel Clottey.

Clottey also said collecting “diverse” information from one place enables these students to compare and contrast what is available with their needs.

Nursing and health sciences are in demand in today’s medical field. The convention also highlighted different scopes of the field.

“I have come here to get the feel of working in a medical field. I hope to find a job in the second year of my nursing,” said Markeia May, a junior nursing major. “Job experience is very important for nursing. The more we work, the more we learn.”

She also said, “Having major job providers under a same roof is a boon for students. Such events should be conducted time and again. It keeps us updated with the job credentials.”

Pogue said the fair benefits students graduating in December and May as they look for internships and careers.

“This program is also great startup for the future graduates. At least, the students have a chance to get their name out which notifies the hospitals about their capabilities after they graduate,” Pogue said.