By: Brandon Cruz
The PSGA (Purchase Student Government Association) services at the job fair outside the Campus Center North (CCN) building. (Photo by: Natalie Tulloch)
On April 10, the Purchase Student Government Association (PSGA) organized a job fair in front of the Campus Center North (CCN) building for students to explore and apply for service positions available throughout the 2024 to 2025 academic year. Despite the semester coming to a close, Purchase students sought out the opportunity to take on roles.
“It’s a really great way to get involved on campus, but also just to make friends,” said Aidrian Graber, a senior history major and PSGA coordinator of finance. “It’s really hard to make friends on a college campus, especially if you don’t know anybody. If you get involved in a service or club, it’s basically instant friendship.”
“There’s a lot of cool opportunities for students to get involved here,” said Alex Lewack, a senior gender studies major. “Hopefully there will be big interest for a lot of these different job offers, but I think they’ll fill all their spots up.”
The Stood members sitting outside the CCN. (Photo by: Natalie Tulloch)
Leaders of these groups felt that the job fair was necessary for students to get informed about what they saw as good opportunities. But, to some, it isn’t always easy reaching out to every student.
“The job fair is just one of the ways I’m trying to get out there,” said Rachael Girsang, Vice President of the PSGA. “It might be hard [communicating], just because I know people want to get paid, and they might not necessarily want credits, but I think an internship is a great experience.”
The Alt(ernative) Center members engaged with interested students at the job fair. (Photo by: Natalie Tulloch)
Alt-Center intern Laila Polito believes students need to be more informed about their purpose. “I think it’s a matter of people understanding what we do, and what our goal is. I don’t think it’s difficult [finding interns], I just think people need to know.”
“We advertise very heavily on our Instagram,” said Polito. “We just reopened after Covid very recently, so it's been very difficult to get the ball really rolling, I guess.”
The Mt. Olympus screen printing shop members at the job fair. (Photo by: Natalie Tulloch)
Co-director of the Mt. Olympus print shop, Elizabeth Cuminale, said, “Our actual space is way nicer than our table, currently.”
Cuminale believes that there’s more to show than what the job fair allows. “Our other events had a lot more interest in interning, just because I feel like it hits more when you see the actual place in person,” Cuminale said. “People better understand what it is.”
The Purchase Television (PTV) station members at the job fair. (Photo by Natalie Tulloch)
Students also shared their thoughts about other students being involved with campus activities.
“I feel like these are really good programs, but they don’t get enough funding, and they don’t have enough reach as I wish they would. I feel like not enough students are involved in these programs,” said Abryannah James, a sophomore arts management major. “I think being an intern is a really good opportunity for students because it gives you something to do and something to put on your resume.”
James encouraged interning, saying, “It’s just a fun experience. At least with these programs, like Sub Mag (Submissions Magazine), and The Phoenix, you get to work with other creative students.”
Yanni Eleftheriou, a junior new media major, said, “I don’t think that many students really know [the job fair] is going on.”
He added that despite the low turnout, he feels that students should engage with what goes on at Purchase.
“It’s definitely important for students to be involved on campus, and take initiative for the change that they’d like to see.”