York College Hosts Fall Career Fair Expo with the Most Employers to Date
When Ashiya Norfleet ‘27 entered the M&T Bank Field House on September 23, she had one goal in mind: connect with as many employers as she could in hopes of securing a job after her upcoming May graduation. A Psychology major with a minor in Business, Ashiya aimed to combine the skills she gained from both topics and utilize them to find work that would lead to a successful career.
Having been a local and a member of the YCCOSP scholarship community, Ashiya knew the value of opportunities like the Fall Career Expo York College offered and didn’t want to miss the chance to network and prepare for life beyond college. Many students shared the same eagerness and excitement to connect and potentially secure job connections.
There was no shortage of employers to connect with at the Expo. This year, 147 employers registered to attend, the highest number on record. Over 30% of the companies represented at the event were also corporate donors to the College, with many having representatives from York College itself.
For students like Ashiya, attending the Expo can open up unexpected career pathways. Ashiya is interested in using her eventual degree in Psychology, with a minor in Business, to enter the world of human resources. Drawing on her experience attending four Career Expos throughout her time at York College, she recommends students start early.
“For freshmen, I would say show up just to get an idea of what it’s like, so that when you really do need it, you’re ready and prepared,” she said.
Other students echoed the goal of broadening their horizons and putting themselves into the professional world. Teddy Peterson ‘27, a Finance major from near Philadelphia, aimed to build his network and scour for potential internships. He’s active in campus leadership through the Student Managed Fund. It’s a student group that oversees a portfolio worth thousands of dollars to gain hands-on investing experience across various sectors.
Teddy came seeking clarity on job locations and hiring timelines.
“I'd like to start a wealth-management network, so if I can start finding clients to build a portfolio with, that's one of my biggest things right now," Teddy shared, offering encouraging advice for first-time attendees: "Be open. Go into it with the mindset that they want to talk to you. You’re not on anyone else’s time. You’re going to meet new people. Put yourself out there, put yourself forward. Be forward and don’t be afraid to be yourself."
On the other side of the tables, the room was filled with employers, many of whom were York College alumni who once stood in the exact same shoes as current students and are now eager to guide the next generation.
Alaina Reaver ‘23/MA ‘24, recalled the shift from student to professional. She spent the day talking to students about the world of accounting, as well as job and internship opportunities available at SEK, CPAs & Advisors. For Reaver and her firm, the Expo is about finding long-term team members.
“We strive to start as an intern and keep you the whole way through - there’s always room for growth,” Reaver said.
She pointed to the proven pipeline between York College and her firm, adding, “We actually have an intern who got hired full-time in May for the upcoming year already. We’ve had good success – there are a lot of people at SEK that are YCP alums, and I think it speaks for itself.”
This year’s Expo also highlighted the strong ties between York College and the regional business community. Over 30% of the companies represented at the event are also corporate donors to the College. That connection underscores just how much local employers value YCP students, not only seeking them out as future employees but also supporting the College to ensure it can continue preparing stellar graduates.
A few rows over from Reaver was Shauntelle Fitzkee ‘20/MS ‘24, who echoed what some students had already said they are doing: keeping an open mind about their career pathways. Representing Behavior By Design, Fitzkee looked back on her undergraduate years, when she was dead set on traditional clinical psychology. She said it wasn’t until she took a chance on a local behavioral technician role that everything clicked.
“I honestly fell in love with it,” she said, describing how watching young clients celebrate small victories made her pivot her graduate focus toward Applied Behavior Analysis. “Watching the kids make substantial progress and watching them grow was honestly one of the most amazing things to get out of the job.”
Fitzkee made a point to encourage them to look beyond their degree titles. “I feel like once we choose a major, we have to stick with that major… We don’t know every single job opportunity,” she urged. “Go out of your comfort zone. Try to learn about other things going on and talk to different people.”
It was precisely that willingness to step out of a comfort zone that transformed the day for students like Ashiya. Walking back through the bustling field house, resume in hand, her perspective on career options had shifted. By taking the leap to chat with recruiters outside her initial radar, like the team at the University of Maryland table, she’s now looking at hospital HR as a possible future.
As the day wound down, students left with confidence and knowing that they didn’t have to enter the professional world alone. For every student preparing to take that next big step, events like the Career Expo offer a powerful reminder: the future is wide open, and sometimes all it takes is starting a conversation.
