Representatives from over 30 graduate schools gathered in Reid Ballroom on Oct. 6 for Whitman’s tenth annual graduate school fair. The Student Engagement Center hosted the event, which was designed to educate students about their post-graduation options.  A stream of students filtered in and out of the room throughout the afternoon, perusing the information laid out on tables and chatting with representatives from schools around the Northwest and beyond.

“We think students: first-years through graduating seniors: should attend this fair just to find out what the possibilities are,” said Director of Career Development Susan Buchanan, who has organized the fair for the past ten years. “They might find some hidden jewels and surprises that they didn’t know before. For first-years and sophomore students, [the fair] can help them determine their course of study at Whitman. Students can learn a lot. It’s particularly valuable because of the human contact with the representatives.”

Programs represented at the fair ranged from schools offering degrees in natural medicine and education to travel-volunteer organizations. Prior to the fair, a panel of law school representatives fielded questions from interested students.

“It used to be where students went to law school just to become a traditional trial attorney, but nowadays you can utilize the law degree in many different ways,” said Mathiew Le, a representative from University of Washington’s law program. Le cited advocacy and politics as possible areas to which a law degree could be applied.

SaeRom Konecky, a representative from Gonzaga University’s law program, advised students to research their post-graduation options carefully.

“Definitely find out as much as you can and weigh what you’re getting into against what you really want out of it,” she said. “[A law degree] is a really expensive degree to get if you’re not entirely sure if that’s the path you want to take.”

Students interested in traveling after graduation were given the opportunity to converse with representatives from programs such as the Peace Corps and the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program (JET), both of which assist college graduates in working abroad.

“It’s really a chance to experience another country’s culture while at the same time understanding yourself in a different light,” said Brett Rawson, representative for JET and a Whitman alumnus.

Although statistics show that many Whitman students do end up pursuing a postgraduate education, the fair’s organizers have had trouble drumming up student interest in the event in the past. Rachel Christopherson, an admissions officer representing Pacific Lutheran University at the fair, said that nationally the number of students applying to graduate schools has been relatively low in recent years.

“There are fewer students coming to grad school. It’s kind of working in a different way than professionals in the industry are used to. Generally a down economy means more people looking to further their education. It had been the case in 2007 that the numbers of graduate students were going up, but the census from 2010 showed that they’ve started to lessen again. I think people are worried about how to pay for it, and if it’s really going to lead to a job afterwards.”

192 students attended the fair and 17 attended the law school panel, a significant increase from previous years according to Assistant Dean for Student Engagement Noah Leavitt. Leavitt credited an unorthodox ad campaign by ASWC for the event’s success.

“ASWC did a really great job creatively getting the word out about these two events and it is highly likely that much of the increase in attendance is related to ASWC’s investment in making [the fair] an important learning and reflection opportunity for the entire student body,” said Leavitt.

ASWC’s advertising tactics included encouraging professors to speak in class about their graduate school experiences. ASWC also set up several eye-catching displays around campus, including colorful roadblocks and a stuffed cowboy near Styx, accompanied by slogans encouraging students to attend the fair.

“The light-hearted nature of the advertising I think emphasizes what a benefit and good thing it is to go to the fair, rather than just some sort of requirement,” said ASWC President Matt Dittrich. “The idea is that we make it feel super accessible and something that is worth students’ while.”

“I think this is a really great resource we have on campus, an opportunity to bring all these different options to one room and help give a little focus [to] what I want to do immediately after graduating,” said senior Emma O’Rourke-Powell.

Other students found that the fair didn’t have enough variety to hold their interest.

“I didn’t really see anything that jumped out at me. I just kind of walked in and walked out,” said senior Jessica Matresse, a Spanish major. “Most of the things I know about graduate school I researched on my own, so nothing [at the fair] seemed to fit what I was looking for.”