St. Charles Parish Public Schools will host a college and career fair Thursday, Oct. 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Edward Dufresne Community Center in Luling. All high school students at Hahnville and Destrehan are invited to connect with college and career representatives about college admissions, programs and opportunities.
Anitra Boyd, professional school counselor at Hahnville High School, said over 50 representatives from colleges, trade schools, military branches and local employers will have booths at the event.
“Many college fairs are in New Orleans and surrounding areas,” Boyd said. “Our district takes pride in bringing these representatives locally to our families. This event is a valuable opportunity to gather information, ask questions, make connections, and take the next step towards exploring and planning for college, exploring career options, and building their network.”
Some of the colleges and career representatives attending this year’s event include Louisiana Office of Financial Assistance, Mississippi State University, The University of Southern Mississippi, LSU, Nunez Community College, ABC New Orleans, Valero St. Charles, St. Charles Parish Hospital, Healthcare Training Institute, University of Lafayette Louisiana, Delgado and United States Coast Guard.
The fair is an annual event that is geared toward seniors and juniors in Hahnville and Destrehan. Boyd said she expects about 300 attendees this year, and she said students may bring their resumes.
“Seeing students navigate through the representatives and market their skills and weigh their opportunities is always what I look forward to,” Boyd said.
Boyd said the number of community and college representative that plan to attend the fair shows a growing interest in connecting with St. Charles Parish students. This year also marks a significant increase in representatives since numbers dropped after the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said many of the representatives at the fair will be admission counselors and advisors.
“Representatives have multiple school districts in their zone with hundreds of students,” Boyd said. “Students can send emails and call, but the representatives’ schedules are really hectic. The fair places the representatives at their fingertips, in person.”
She said employers will also be there giving students insight into career paths.
“These are invaluable connections for a job, internship, apprenticeship, and more,” Boyd said. “I hope they see the value of this opportunity and not miss it.”
