First impressions are lasting.
That’s the idea behind the Syracuse University Career and Internship Fair. Every fall, thousands of students descend on the JMA Wireless Dome looking for their big break. To see and be seen. To make an indelible impression.
Every fall, the floor of the JMA Wireless Dome is transformed into the Syracuse University Career and Internship Fair, where students go to see and be seen. This year’s event featured nearly a hundred employers.
Organized by Career Services, the fair enables them to jumpstart their future. And nearly a hundred employers are there to help—from blue chip companies (Coca-Cola, Macy’s, Micron and Toyota) to beauty and fashion brands (L’Oréal and Capri Holdings, the latter of which owns Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo and Versace) to financial service giants (Equitable, Synchrony Financial and GP Fund Solutions). And many more.
The experience can be exciting and a little scary, admits Megan Carr, a junior majoring in advertising. A student worker in Career Services, she not only attends the event but also helps organize it.
“Fashion and style are important to students, so companies like L’Oréal and Macy’s draw long lines,” says the aspiring magazine art director. “They’re valued for their global reach and extensive resources.”
At the same time, the fair showcases state and regional entities like National Grid, Helio Health, Pinckney Hugo Group, CenterState CEO, and M&T and NBT banks.
Tomoyoshi Takita, a senior majoring in information management and technology, says the fair has reaffirmed his desire to stay in Syracuse after graduation. “Why leave when there are perfectly good companies here to choose from,” the Queens, New York, native asks rhetorically. “I’ve grown to appreciate the area through the University.”
Details Matter
The fair enables recruiters, like this one from Equitable, to “see past the resume,” notes Adam Capozzi, director of career services, assessment and student success.
Adam Capozzi, director of career services, assessment and student success, considers the fair more than a networking opportunity. “Some use it to gather insider information about companies or industries; others, to brush up on their interviewing skills.”
He applauds the professionalism of this year’s attendees, most of whom are smartly dressed and unfailingly polite.
“It's never too early to start building connections within the industry,” says Arabella Titley (above), a first-year student interested in sports sponsorships.
Such meticulousness is why Syracuse students often find success on their own terms, explains Capozzi, noting that 91% land a job related to their career goals within six months of graduation. “Details matter.”
For some undergraduates, the event is their first exposure to Career Services or professional development, in general. “They’re beginning the process sooner,” Capozzi observes.
Take Arabella Titley, a first-year student in the management and sport management dual B.S. program. The London native is interested in how beverage companies influence the core fan experience.
“It’s a rapidly growing, highly competitive field,” observes Titley, who met with representatives from Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. “It’s never too early to start building connections within the industry.”
Xubo “Brian” Wang, a sophomore majoring in sport management, already has completed an internship. He hopes to secure a few more before graduation while continuing his research into organizational culture and people analytics.
“There are five or six companies here that I would gladly intern at,” says Wang, surveying the rows of table and booth displays. “I want to learn about their culture. I also want to show them what kind of person I am and what I can bring to their team.”
A 10 Out of 10
Students use the fair not only to speak with company representatives but also to network with one another. Studies show that 80% of jobs are found through networking.
Anna Salewycz ’25 is proof that career fairs work. A broadcast and digital journalism graduate, she parlayed last year’s event into an internship opportunity at H/Advisors Abernathy in New York City. Salewycz now works full time for the global communications firm. “It was a 10-out-of-10 experience,” she says of the fair.
Capozzi never tires of such feedback. After all, his office seeks to create “authentic professional connections” between students and recruiters. “We help employers see past the resume.”
He describes the fair not as a “one-and-done” but, rather, a step in a multistage process. What students do before and after the event is often as important as what they do during it.
For this reason, Syracuse provides career development programs to help students every step of the way. Some offerings are exclusive to Career Services, while others reside in units like the Office of Alumni and Constituent Engagement as well as the schools and colleges.
“Syracuse has prepared me … to land my dream job,” says junior Tasha Tonna, who visited many of the fair’s table and booth displays.
Integral to many of these programs are AI-driven platforms, like Handshake, which lists available jobs, internships and professional growth workshops, and Ask Orange Alumni, enabling students to contact graduates in different industry groups with questions about academics, work, careers and more.
“Syracuse has prepared me well,” says Tasha Tonna, a junior majoring in design studies. “Between our faculty, who are active in their field, and our vast alumni network, I feel like I have the resources—and connections—to land my dream job.”
Simple Acts of Kindness
Ninety-one percent of Syracuse students land a job related to their career goals within six months of graduation. “Details matter,” says Capozzi of the interviewing process.
Regarded as an extension of the classroom, Syracuse’s career and internship fair lets students put preparation into practice.
Simple acts of kindness, like sending recruiters a thank-you note, also make a difference. Studies show that 80% of hiring managers find such correspondence helpful in making their decisions.
Lisette Child, assistant director of employer relations, adds that a prompt, personalized thank-you signals professionalism. “It also reinforces a connection, keeping you top-of-mind for other opportunities down the road.”
Adam Baltaxe ’25, an international relations and Spanish language, literature and culture double major, got “five interviews and 5 million brochures” at last year’s career fair. A timely follow-through has led to his success as an interfaith leader and a published researcher.
“Commencement notwithstanding, the career and internship fair might be the single most important reason you set foot in the Dome,” Capozzi says. “It’s life changing.”
