In a first-of-its-kind collaboration at UCCS, several colleges and programs came together to host the inaugural Security and Defense Career Fair, held in Berger Hall in the University Center, on Tuesday, October 7.
The T. Rowe Price Career and Innovation Center, College of Business, College of Public Service and College of Engineering and Applied Science, along with the Cybersecurity Program and the Veteran and Military Affairs Office, joined to welcome students from across multiple colleges to the event.
The Security and Defense Career Fair was created to connect talent across disciplines, drawing students from majors including computer science, political science, engineering, business and more to connect with employers, government agencies and campus partners working in national security, defense contracting, cybersecurity business and related fields. Employers reported that the mix of technical and non-technical majors was exactly what they hoped to find. The organizations provided information on internships, entry-level roles, security-clearance pathways and graduate fellowships.
The fair’s cross-campus support was vast, with academic departments helping promote students in their majors and the Veteran and Military Affairs Office hosting outreach to service members. Preliminary results from the event suggest strong engagement: over hundreds of student-employer interactions, several on-site interview requests and numerous sign-ups for internship pipelines and information sessions. This partnership model is a template for future career initiatives, and organizers plan to gather employer and student feedback and refine the format for follow-ups.
The UCCS T. Rowe Price Career and Innovation Center team extends thanks to all participating employers, campus partners, student volunteers and faculty supporters. Students who missed this fair can still access employers’ contact lists, internship postings and recorded workshop materials via the center’s webpage online.
To get involved for the next fair, as an employer, sponsor or campus collaborator, please contact the T. Rowe Price Career and Innovation Center at [email protected].