Spotlights
Physical Therapy Program Hosts First Ever Student-Led Career Fair
The Medical Mile, where GVSU’s Health Campus is located, is always buzzing with healthcare providers shuffling between buildings and appointments. The energy from this healthcare hub seeps onto campus, giving students a firsthand look at their future career.
Students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) were excited to channel this energy into a new event, specifically catered to students in their program: A student-organized career fair.
We spoke to Valerie Caylor, the class president of the DPT program, about her motivations for planning and executing the event. She explained that numerous companies in West Michigan were reaching out to the program with the hope of presenting to students to generate interest in their organizations. There was also a desire from students for early exposure to potential employers and experience in networking. Between these needs lay an exciting opportunity to connect students and community, right here on the Health Campus.
Valerie, alongside program faculty and fellow class leaders Kelsey Hurt and Mikayla Reese, conceptualized the event, from recruiting partners to financing. Valerie explains that engaging in this process enhanced her skillset in these activities, and helped her and her fellow students connect with companies they were not aware of prior.
In total, 25 companies tabled at the event in the Devos Center for Interprofessional Health, with students from every cohort of the DPT program in attendance. The room was alive with conversation and positivity, generating excitement from both students and company representatives.
Harold Gee, DPT ‘25, expressed particular gratitude in representing his employer, i’move, and returning to his alma mater. He shared that, “It means a lot to give back. It is great to come back to a place that has given a lot to you.”
It was clear from speaking to faculty, students, and employers at the event that this endeavor was mutually beneficial. Valerie was proud of the turnout and the buzz in the room, as well as navigating her dual role in the event: “Being able to separate planning it and being a student too.”
A common sentiment from students in the College of Health Professions is a desire to meet a need in the community, to help others. While this often means patients, it simultaneously means helping fellow students and the field at large, too. Events like these exemplify that desire and message.
Congratulations on a successful event, DPT students. We look forward to seeing what you accomplish next!
Written by Kennedy Scott, CHP Marketing and Communications Specialist
Interest Area(s)
Physical Therapy, Exercise Science, Allied Health Sciences
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