Students wishing to pursue academic education beyond their undergraduate degrees had the opportunity to attend Bradley’s annual graduate and professional school fair.
Eighty graduate and professional school programs were represented at the fair on Thursday, Oct. 25 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Michel Student Center Ballroom. Recruiters visited from the Midwest and other regions across the nation.
“It seems like there’s a little bit for everyone,” said Madeleine Peterson, senior psychology major.
A rainbow of tablecloths draped tables that lined the room. Students and recruiters filled the aisles, chatting cordially about opportunities for continuing education.
Jimmy McCaughey, junior mechanical engineering major, attended the fair to pursue further opportunities in aerospace engineering and was impressed by the number of schools available for such a unique area of interest.
“I’ve always been interested in maximizing my academic potential,” McCaughey said. “It’s nice to have [a graduate school fair] on campus, to be able to come as you are, not have to dress up.”
Recruiters said they enjoyed the event and were impressed by the university.
“I feel like Bradley’s career center does a good job making sure that students are … equipped and in the know,” said Victor Jones Jr., a recruiter for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “I always like that about Bradley.”
Carmen Kremitzki, assistant director of the Smith Career Center, coordinated the event. Several staff members of the Smith Career Center were on hand to check in, guide and advise students throughout the fair.
“Graduate or professional school is an option many Bradley University students pursue,” Kremitzki said. “It is important to learn how the process works and to learn about the career paths these programs will lead to even early on in a student’s career.”
Dashawn Cason, a Bradley alumnus, represented the Saint Louis University School of Law. He met the recruiters for SLU Law at the graduate school fair as an undergraduate at Bradley.
“Just like I’m here now, there was a Bradley alum who was really my ambassador,” Cason said. “Even questions I didn’t know I had, she brought to my attention.”
Courtney Cronin, senior elementary education major, attended the fair for class, with no intention of a graduate school search, but ended up learning more than she expected.
“I haven’t really thought about graduate school, but some of the schools at the fair have really good programs. You can get a degree in a year; I didn’t know that was possible until I came,” Cronin said. “Now I have some schools to look at.”
The I-74 Graduate & Professional School Fair is hosted by Bradley in collaboration with Augustana College, Monmouth College, Knox College and Millikin University, and has been held for around 20 years.
Questions about graduate and professional school or next year’s graduate and professional school fair can be directed to the Smith Career Center.
