Many students landed internships or made necessary career connections during Southern Adventist University’s annual Meet the Firms in October. This event brings together companies from many different industries and gives students the opportunity to talk with representatives and learn more about their respective fields.

“One of my greatest joys is connecting people,” said Lisa Kuhlman, assistant professor in the School of Business, who teaches a class to prepare students for the event. “Meet the Firms is about connecting possible employers with our students. I love that every semester this event continues to grow, which offers more and more opportunities for our students. Every semester, recruiters complement our students for their preparation and research on the firms, and they tell me how much they look forward to attending our event.”

Over the years, the event has grown. In 2012, 38 businesses participated. This year nearly 70 took part, with approximately 200 students connecting with them.

“As a public relations major, Meet the Firms gave me the opportunity to speak to various companies and understand the importance of their work,” said Kaitlyn Colon, junior public relations major. “Speaking to the representatives of these companies has given me insight into how a business should be presented and the importance of knowing how to represent a company and what it stands for.”

Every year student’s benefit from Meet the Firms. Some receive internships, others receive full time jobs, but most at least walk away with more connections. Businesses also value this event, as they are able to talk with the future faces of their company.

“Meet the firms has been a great experience for me and my firm,” said Michael Loopy, assistant manager of Primerica Financial Services. “Ever since I got started with the company five years ago, Meet the Firms has been an event I look forward to because I enjoy the opportunity of giving students and alumni alike a chance to work with a large financial firm right out of college. According to the 2015 census, millennial’s are the largest generation in the workforce: 83.1 million. We at Primerica understand the importance of recruiting a qualified millennial sales force who will be the leaders of our company tomorrow.”