The College of Communications and Information Sciences is hosting the 15th annual Communication Career Fair Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Ferguson Center ballroom.

The Capstone has one of the longest-running campus job fairs for the communications industry, a UA news release stated.

Representatives from various media fields and students from campuses throughout the Southeast typically attend the fair, according to the release.

The fair gives students the opportunity to talk to professionals about the skills needed for internships and jobs in the mass communication field, said Caryl Cooper, assistant dean of the CIS and coordinator of the event.

“The Communication Career Fair is open to all students,” Cooper said. “The recruiters are interested in students who can communicate visually and in writing and can think on their feet.”

Students can help themselves by attending the Communications Career Fair, Cooper said. If students ask the right questions, they can discover ways to be successful in the field.

This year, the event will feature a Sports Communication Workshop that will be held from 11 a.m. until noon. A panel of professionals from various areas of the field, such as reporting, announcing, marketing and public relations, will be available to talk with students.

Alex Clark, a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism, said the fair is a really good opportunity to get insight on future careers.

“It’s helpful to know what people are looking for,” Clark said. “Especially when the job market is so difficult, anything helps. I’m glad the College is hosting this event for students. The wide variety of representatives can give a lot of good advice to aspiring mass communication students.”

When she graduates, Clark said she hopes to pursue a career in sports broadcasting.

“If I were to go, I would ask broadcast professionals what I need to be doing now or what I could be doing in order to take advantage of being at a school with such an outstanding athletics program,” she said.

Clark said attending the event will allow her to learn about internship opportunities available to students in the communications industry.

“Interning is such a vital part of developing a broadcasting career,” she said. “It allows me to receive first-hand experience in my field.”

Brock Brett, a sophomore majoring in journalism, said attending the fair will give her a better idea of jobs that will be available when she graduates.

“It’s a great idea because it not only features newspaper journalism, but there are representatives from magazines, broadcast news and so many other media outlets,” Brett said.

If You Go

What: Communication Career Fair

When: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Where: Ferguson Center Ballroom