On March 22, 2014, the Office of Multicultural Programs (OMP) partnered with the City of Springfield, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Missouri Career Center and City Utilities to host a Meet and Greet event to connect diverse students to area employers. The event was held at the Missouri Career Center and transportation was provided for students to ensure access to the event.
Over 20 employers participated and approximately 30 students participated in the event to learn about job opportunities and possible student internships. This initiative supported goals of the OMP office to expose diverse students to job opportunities that should be considered to stay in Springfield after graduation from college, which also supports diversity initiatives for the partners that helped make the event a success.
Many students commented on how much they enjoyed the event because it was a mix of informal and formal interactions. The students enjoyed being able to have long conversations with the employers and learning more about the opportunities in Springfield. We hope that we can make this an annual event.