On Sept. 25, 2025, West Texas A&M University (WT) hosted its 51st Career and Internship Expo. The event was planned and organized by The Office of Career and Professional Development, and took place in the First United Bank Center with 97 employers attending.
The expo is meant to close the gap between a student’s education and their profession. Students of all majors and classifications were encouraged to attend. After checking in, students were able to choose their reason for attending. Whether they were looking for a full-time job, a part-time internship, or just job-browsing, the expo covered a variety of career interests.
Agricultural media and communication major Shadra Mikita explained her reasons for attending as a freshman. “If I wanted to find something here now, I could get started early and build up for better job opportunities in the future,” said Mikita. “There’s so many things here that they’re offering to freshmen that you wouldn’t think right away that we could do.”
Seniors also found the expo to be helpful in their search for jobs.
Animal science major Aubrey Cox shared her experience at the event. “I came here looking for a potential job opportunity,” said Cox. “I’m planning on staying in the area, and I know a lot of these companies are in this area, so I thought it’d be a good idea.” Cox shared how the expo gives her high hopes of finding a job opportunity. “There are many different companies, like a variety of different things that I could go into, so I really do think I might find my potential career here.”
Transfer students who are not from the surrounding area also shared how the event impacted them.
Brody White, who transferred from South Plains College, is now studying agricultural education at WT. White shared how some of the employers piqued his interest. “I was talking to a lady at Heartland, which is a Heartland co-op. They have a place over in Bovina, which is close to my home.” White encourages students not to shy away from attending the expo even if they lack professional experience. “They’re always willing to work with new people. And even if you don’t have the experience, I bet there’s always places that are willing to train you to do what they want you to do,” said White.
WT staff also shared their enthusiasm for the event.
Senior Director for the Office of Career and Professional Development Kat Kane explained the purpose behind hosting the event. “During their time here at WT, we want to make sure that they have an opportunity to hone and really develop those professional skills, and so our team works hard to make sure that students have an opportunity to do that both in the classroom, out of the classroom, and then in their internships in real-world opportunities,” said Kane.
Kane also reassured seniors who feel behind in their career search that it is not too late to prepare. “We have information available on our website about honing your resume at wtamu.edu/resumes, and we’ve got downloadable templates there that they can utilize. Please stop by our office and schedule an appointment so we can review those things with you,” said Kane.
She also informed students of the interview resources offered to students. “We’ll get you connected with an employer and do a real mock interview for you, but that way you’re practicing those interview skills again in a low-risk environment, so that when the stakes are high and you really have a job that you want on the line that you’ve already honed some of that skill set,” added Kane.
But what do employers have to say about the Expo? A few had this to say.
“We’re a company that is the regional John Deere dealership serving 21 locations in three states,” Western Equipment operational effectiveness worker, Jenny Weingartner, said. “We have roughly 750 employees, and we love to come to WT and look for students. Because what we’re looking for are not just kids that have an understanding of the communities that we serve and of our customers, but also that have demonstrated a willingness to learn and a commitment to work hard and just jump in. We’ve got opportunities in sales, in service and in parts across all of our locations, as well as a number of opportunities that come available in our offices.”
Whether you are looking for internships, full-time or part-time work, or something in between, employers come to the expo for students.
“At TPC (Texas Panhandle Centers), we are the local mental intellectual and developmental authority for the Texas panhandle,” TPC recruiter, Shawrlette Uy, said. “What that means is that we are a clinic that services anyone of age, from birth up until older adults, for any of our community members who have a mental diagnosis, individuals who struggle with substance use, whether it’s drug or alcohol related, or individuals who have an intellectual or developmental disability. With being a service center slash clinic, the population that we serve is very specific, so some of our positions, such as case managers, are also specific in what qualifies an individual, specifically people who have a major in human services, such as psychology, sociology, social work, counseling, criminal justice.”
And even if you are not quite ready for a position yet, the expo is still a helpful resource in making connections and practicing your skills.
“We’re kind of looking for a wide range [of candidates], anywhere from internships to full time employees,” Senior recruiter for Atmos Energy, Garrett Newsom, said. “We’re currently looking for everything from finance to accounting to legal to engineering, but internships wise, we’re looking for engineers mostly. We take one or two within finance to accounting, here and there, but we probably take about 40 to 50 engineering interns a year for that specific role. Mostly mechanical, civil, electrical, petroleum and chemical.”
No matter where you are in your college career, the expo can be a resource in your corner. For students who were not able to attend the fall Career and Internship Expo, there will be another opportunity to search for jobs at the spring event. Dates and details will be provided later in the school year.