September 10, 2019

collegiatetimes.com

September 10, 2019

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES

KAILA NATHANIEL / COLLEGIATE TIMES

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES

ENGINEERING EXPO See page 6

PAGE 2 September 10, 2019

opinions collegiatetimes.com

editor@collegiatetimes.com

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column

To stop climate change, we ought to go nuclear

T

Despite the stigmas surrounding nuclear energy resources, they provide an efficient, environmentally-friendly alternative. he world is running out of time to address climate change. As the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC ) report stated, to fully address climate change we will need to decrease CO2 emissions by at least 45% of 2010 levels by the year 2030. The goal is extremely ambitious, only giving us 11 years to completely transform the world economic juggernaut and wean modern society off of fossil fuels.

Many environmentalists point to renewable energy solutions for this problem.

Wind, solar and hydroelectric power, and to a lesser extent geothermal and wave power, tend to be their favorite sources of energy.

And for good reason, energy from the sun strikes the earth continuously at orders of a magnitude more than our society currently uses or will ever use. As well as the core of the earth always being hot and able to produce abundant electricity.

However, there is a catch to the buzz around renewable energy. The sun does not always shine, nor does the wind always blow.

Hydroelectric dams reroute rivers and can drastically disrupt fragile ecosystems. This is not to say that renewables do not have a place in the energy production system.

They are important parts of the system that may save us from our own energy needs.

However, it is obvious that these are not going to be enough to power the world and continue to improve the standard of living for humanity’s ever-growing population.

It is then that one source of power stands out. It is abundant, readily available and extremely safe: nuclear energy.

The very word “nuclear” conjures up images of mushroom clouds and apocalyptic events. For dozens of years, anti-nuclear

activists have espoused the dangers of this energy source. Three accidents in past years: Three-mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima still hang heavy in the public mind. Despite the fact that both the Fukushima and Three-mile Island accidents killed no one, and the residents surrounding the disaster area had no higher instances of cancer than the general public. Chernobyl killed 44 people, but it pales in comparison to the thousands of people that coal power kills every single year in the United States alone due to air pollution. Moreover, NASA conducted a study in which it estimates that the use of Nuclear energy saved nearly 1.8 million lives between 1971 and 2009.

Radiation is measured in the unit millirems. Many people have fears about radiation causing cancer, and while it is true that in relatively large doses, radiation can cause phenomena such as acute radiation sickness or increased rates of cancer in populations exposed to high levels of it. People are naturally exposed to radiation, as it comes from background sources in the environment, as well as from other sources such as the sun as well as medical imaging technology. Living within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant, a person would receive about one one hundredth of one millirem per year, whereas an x-ray would expose someone to about 6 millirems.

Yet no one fears getting x-rays or sitting in front of a television or computer screen or the countless other examples of everyday, mundane devices in our lives that expose us to radiation that we do not fear at all.

While many people fear a meltdown on the scale that was seen at Chernobyl, new types of reactors that are being demonstrated make the possibility of a meltdown nearly

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365 Squires Student Center

Nuclear power plant.

impossible. Although Murphy’s law exists, the chances of an actual meltdown coming from these new reactors are infinitesimally small.

Attending a school with an active nuclear engineering program, as well as one that at one time operated a nuclear reactor, it is necessary to educate those of the realities of the times we live in. The bottom line is that climate change is the biggest challenge facing humanity. As the world population increases, the demand for energy resources will only continue to grow. Currently, we are

SA 3.0

on course for ecological collapse. We have very few years to reverse course, and to do so will require humanity’s global cooperation to end our dependence on fossil fuels and to make the conversion to clean sources of energy. And as our time ticks away slowly but surely, it seems that nuclear energy will be our only way out.

MARCUS LEWIS • opinions columnist • sophomore/national security and foreign affairs

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sports

September 10, 2019 PAGE 3

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Tech holds off scrappy Old Dominion at home The Hokies got their revenge against the Monarchs in a sloppily played 31–17 victory for their first win of the season.

CLAIRE CASTAGNO sports editor

Virginia Tech was fired up for its home opener against Old Dominion on Sept. 7, a game that Hokie fans have waited for since the infamous 49–35 upset in Norfolk

rolling early.

ODU’s response outsmarted Virginia Tech’s defense, and the Hokies missed many blocks, allowing the Monarchs to run the ball 37 total yards and letting kicker Nick Rice make a 34-yard field goal.

“Coach Fuente was stressing that it’s the 2019 Virginia Tech Hokies versus the 2019 Old Dominion Monarchs. ”

Ryan Willis senior quarterback

a year ago. Since then, both teams have revamped, and the play from last year’s game gave no indication on the possible result of the 2019 matchup. However, Tech saw some familiar faces on the field in Eric Kumah and Chris Cunningham, ODU’s game captains, who were hungry for one last victory in Lane Stadium.

Quarterback Ryan Willis said that “coach Fuente was stressing that it’s the 2019 Virginia Tech Hokies versus the 2019 Old Dominion Monarchs” and believes that last year’s result had no effect on team during this year’s game.

The Hokies were able to get their revenge with a final score of 31–17, but it was certainly not done in dominating fashion. Tech still has not proved it can play consistently for a full 60 minutes as it began to break down in the fourth quarter.

Once again, defensive coordinator Bud Foster acknowledged that Virginia Tech needs to become a 60-minute football team.

“It was sloppy,” said receiver Hezekiah Grimsley about the game as a whole.

Within the first three minutes and 30 seconds of play, freshman Keshawn King recorded his first career rushing touchdown with a carry of 4 yards. On that first drive, King and Tayvion Robinson showcased their rushing game while Willis completed a few long passes. The Hokies’ first possession was very efficient, and it was able to get the offense

After a couple of overthrows by Willis, the Hokies found themselves at third and goal on their second possession and decided to go for the field goal. Brian Johnson’s 24-yard field attempt was good, and Tech ended the first quarter up seven.

During the second quarter, Willis connected on many of his passes, and receiver Grimsley impressively caught the ball with one hand in end zone to make the score 17–3 at the half.

The Hokies’ offense came out strong to start the second half with a 93-yard drive. Tré Turner received long, Deshawn McClease rushed 46 yards and Willis pushed through the defense at the 1-yard line for his first rushing touchdown of the season. ODU answered with a touchdown of its own off a 75-yard drive in 10 plays.

A pass interference call on Caleb Farley helped set up the touchdown.

Quarterback Stone Smartt was able to record another touchdown for ODU to keep the game within seven.

Virginia Tech’s defense let the Monarchs breakaway with the ball three times on the drive, and ODU managed 78 yards in only five plays.

But, immediately after, running back Terius Wheatley ran for a 71-yard return to put the Hokies in the red zone quickly. Phil Patterson received a 13-yard pass from Willis in the end zone to extend Tech’s lead to 14 with just under 12 minutes to play in the fourth quarter.

Willis and McClease both gave ODU possession on lost fumbles in the fourth quarter, but the Monarchs were not able to convert either of those into points or score again before the game ended.

Foster was not particularly happy with his defensive line’s performance; it allowed the Monarchs 202 rushing yards.

“I thought our tackling ... was just kind of average today,” Foster said. “You see some missed tackles and [ODU] guys outrun [Virginia Tech] guys”.

However, it did come up with six sacks on the game, and Rayshard Ashby led the Hokies in tackles again with 10. Defensive lineman Jarrod Hewitt was impressed with how some of the younger players on defense showed up.

Up next, the Hokies take on Furman at

home again at noon on Saturday, Sept. 14.

Last week the Paladins beat Charleston Southern 46–13. Head coach Fuente has another game against a non-power five program to work out some flaws in his team’s play. Old Dominion has another ACC matchup in store as it plays Virginia on Sept. 21.

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PAGE 4 September 10, 2019

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This is a deck headline. additional information about the story but DOESN’T THE HEADLINE. Grading theIt adds Hokies’ victory over theREPEAT Monarchs Virginia Tech’s receiving core, led by Tayvion Robinson’s 62-yard performance, carried it past Old Dominion at home.

DAN DEMSKI AND DEVIN SHEPPARD

sports staff writers

After the clock runs down and the game is reviewed, the sports section of the Collegiate Times likes to take a closer look into how Virginia Tech football played and analyze each position’s performance. Similar to a school report card, grades are assigned for both offensive and defensive positions based on execution against its opponent.

Offensive

Quarterbacks: B+ Senior quarterback Ryan Willis had a much better game in the home opener against Old Dominion on Saturday afternoon than he had against Boston College a week ago. Willis went 16/28 with 272 yards and two touchdowns. On an early offensive play of the game, Willis fumbled the ball before recovering and throwing the ball out of bounds. Willis made some good throws, but nearly had one intercepted close to the half, which was important to see against an inferior ODU defense. Willis took a big hit and lost a fumble in the fourth quarter and sat

out the rest of the game with a head injury.

Backup Hendon Hooker stepped in but did not attempt a single pass. He finished with three rushes for 7 yards. Overall, the quarterback group played pretty well, with Willis’ fumble being the lone turnover.

Running Backs: C+ The running backs struggled Saturday afternoon. Junior Deshawn McClease started for the Hokies and got most of the workload. McClease carried the ball 20 times for just 64 yards, an average of 3.2 yards per carry. McClease also struggled to secure the ball, fumbling in the fourth quarter. Freshman Keshawn King saw action for the second consecutive week. King finished with six carries for 23 yards and a touchdown. Overall, the running backs were not able to find much running room against an ODU defense that stopped the run pretty well.

Ball security also remains a concern, even when McClease’s fumble came late in the fourth quarter. The running back group must take care of the football as Tech gets closer to conference play. The Hokies’ 131 team rushing yards is not awful, but it’s not something to write home about.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: AThe receivers and tight ends played well Saturday afternoon. Freshman Tayvion Robinson led the way and turned in a solid performance in the same way that he did last week. Robinson finished with four catches for 62 yards, including a 32-yard reception on the opening drive that set up a Hokies touchdown. Four other Hokies had multiple catches and accounted for two touchdowns. Overall, the receiving corps looks to be very promising this season. Collectively, they are dangerous when they get the ball in space, being that each wide receiver averaged at least 14 yards per catch. If the receiving corps can keep the big plays going, then there is no doubt that the Hokies can have an explosive offense this season.

Offensive Line: CThe offensive line had its share of good plays and bad plays Saturday. On running plays, the line did not perform well. Holes for the running backs were hard to be found and ultimately led to the disappointing day on the ground. It did a better job in pass protection, giving up one sack of quarterback Ryan Willis. Overall, the

offensive line needs to improve, especially in run blocking. The Hokies have some dynamic running backs, but they can not show their full potential if the offensive line doesn’t step up in the coming weeks.

Defense

Defensive Line: BThe defensive line struggled at the beginning of the game getting pushed back on almost every rush attempt. It solidified later in the game, but giving up 202 rushing yards to Old Dominion is never great. On the other hand, the defense was able to dial up a pass rush that was mostly nonexistent a week ago, racking up six sacks on the day. This was thanks in large part to a Cover 0 scheme by Bud Foster that allowed the defense to have an extra blitzer on almost every snap.

Linebackers: D The linebackers, which are the strength of this unit, uncharacteristically struggled against the Monarchs on Saturday, with both Dax Hollifield and Rayshard Ashby struggling to fill their gaps. Both were consistently pushed out of the play throughout the game. To compound, Ashby, who won ACC Defensive Player of the Week this week, struggled badly in coverage, getting beat on routes by tight ends, running backs and slot receivers.

Defensive Backs: A Though they were not challenged much on the day, the Hokie secondary had a standout performance. Jermaine Waller and Chamarri Conner were outstanding.

Waller played blanket coverage no matter who the matchup was, and Conner made play after play from the slot, whether bringing pressure or in coverage. Virginia Tech will need this to be the norm for this group if the Hokies are to have a respectable season this fall.

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES Phil Patterson (8) soars into the air to complete a pass, scoring a touchdown for the Hokies, Sept. 7, 2019.

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September 10, 2019 PAGE 5

Women’s soccer team starts season undefeated Tech improved to 6–0 for just the fifth time in school history Sunday afternoon after its thrilling comeback over Yale.

DAVIS CARBAUGH sports editor

The Virginia Tech women’s soccer team improved to 6–0 after a come-frombehind victory against the Yale Bulldogs on Sunday. The Hokies trailed 1–0 at halftime but came back to win 2–1 behind Nicole Kozlova’s two second-half goals.

The Hokies start the season 6–0 for the fifth time in program history.

Aerial Chavarin scored the opening goal for Yale in the 32nd minute. Despite trailing at halftime, the Hokies outshot the Bulldogs eight to three in the first half.

The second half was much of the same as Tech held Yale to zero shots and the Hokies tallied eight. This led directly to Virginia Tech’s comeback win as Kozlova found the back of the net twice in the second half.

Kozlova, a redshirt freshman from Canada, tied the game in the 65th minute with a goal assisted by sophomore Emily Gray. With under 10 minutes remaining

in a 1–1 game, Kozlova sealed the deal with her 83rd minute-goal assisted by Emmalee McCarter and Molly Feighan.

Kozlova now has four goals on the season,

to North Carolina for two matches in the “Battle by the Beach” in Wilmington.

Tech faces Charleston on Sept. 13 and UNC Wilmington on Sept. 15. Following

“Mandy McGlynn has been the an-

chor in net for the Hokies this season, allowing only two goals through the first six games of the year. the most by any player on the squad.

The Hokies were able to run the clock out on a 2–1 home victory against Yale to secure a perfect 6–0 start to the season.

This is only the fifth time in program history that the Hokies have started 6–0.

For the 23rd-ranked Hokies, the expectations are high on the remainder of the season. After defeating three straight SEC opponents, Tech secured a win against Yale in the program’s first ever matchup with an Ivy League school.

Looking forward, the Hokies will travel

six games of the year.

With a solid combination of young talent and veteran leadership, this year’s Virginia Tech women’s team is poised for an exciting season. Head coach Charles Adair’s squad is hoping to make noise in the ACC and elevate the program with a quality season.

”

these favorable matchups, the Hokies will return home on Sept. 21 to begin ACC action against Miami. Conference play will be a huge test for this team as just about every ACC team on Tech’s schedule is ranked in the top-25.

Kozlova has emerged as the offensive leader of this year’s team as the redshirtfreshman now leads the squad with four goals and eight points. In addition, senior goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn has been the anchor in net for the Hokies this season, allowing only two goals through the first

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PAGE 6 September 10, 2019

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ENGINEERING EXPO

editor@collegiatetimes.com

Student Engineers’ Council brings 350 companies to meet with Hokies at annual Engineering Expo Some of the major companies that will be attending the career fair include Boeing, Google and General Electric.

TAHREEM ALAM news editor

The Student Engineers’ Council at Virginia Tech is hosting the annual Engineering Expo, the largest career fair at the university, this week from Sept. 10 to the 12th in Squires Student Center.

The Student Engineers’ Council (SEC) is an umbrella engineering organization for the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech.

The organizer for the 2019 Engineering Expo is Matt Genberg, a junior majoring in eletr engineering, and the chair of the SEC Engineering Expo.

Boeing is the Expo’s biggest sponsor.

Other companies that will be present this year include Google, ExxonMobile, RollsRoyce and General Electric.

The SEC has been holding the Engineering Expo for 40 years, and the number of attendees has grown, according to Student Engineers’ Council President Chris Brassel, a senior majoring in industrial systems and engineering.

“Last year was 327 (companies), and

that was absolutely capped for space, while we had around 400 companies that were showing interest in coming to the career fair,” Brassel said. “We did expand with the three-day career fair this year. With that, we’re at 350 companies and that’s expected to grow in the future.”

There are two goals for having the Engineering Expo according to Brassel. The first mission is to get students to connect with engineering businesses and companies for finding internships, full-time jobs and co-ops. The second reason is to bring in revenue for the SEC, so the organization can fund different endowments and other programs for the College of Engineering.

Brassel said the Expo funds go primarily to two places: the Design Team Endowment (DTE) and the Engineering Organization Fund (EOF). The DTE funds materials, entry fees and other tools to help design teams in the College of Engineering complete projects or compete in various competitions. The latter fund is broader and funds students attending conferences, developing projects and participating in

lifestyles

the College of Engineering’s community outreach programs.

In addition, there are a couple of things students can do to ensure they’re prepared for the Expo.

With the help of a third-party app vendor, the SEC made a schedule on the Career Fair Plus app where students can see where specific booth locations for companies, a filtering feature to see what companies are looking for, interactive maps and ads for different companies.

Brassel also suggests students do their research on the companies before coming to the fair. Students can go on the Engineering Expo website and see what skills companies are looking for as well as the types of opportunities they’re offering.

Moreover, instead of going to their top-choice company first, students should “get their jitterbugs” out with trial runs at different companies. These company recruiters might even give feedback on students’ elevator pitches and resumes.

One reason the Expo was extended to a three-day event was to increase the number

of companies attending to help connect students with as many companies as possible. Thus, different companies will be present on different days.

Cory Smith, a sophomore majoring in ocean engineering, said he is looking forward to giving his pitch to different companies at the fair. “(The Engineering Expo) gives us the opportunity to talk to lots of big companies that we otherwise might not have had the chance to interact with,” Smith said. “I’m currently researching the companies that are coming in order to prioritize.”

Additionally, Smith will be updating his resume and buying a brand new suit for the event.

“I hope that I can come out with an internship close to home for the summer,” Smith said. “I’m really just hoping to gain experience and practice talking to future employers.”

@Tahreem_Alam

collegiatetimes.com/lifestyles

Never waste a moment: Making the most of waiting in line You never know who you are standing near or how valuable a few extra minutes of research can be.

BRANDON ALIMANESTIANO lifestyles staff writer

I once scored a huge summer internship simply because I was waiting in line at a job fair.

Seriously, I really did get an internship.

I was waiting in line to speak to one of the big, intimidating corporations and perhaps slip my nearly blank resume to its recruiters. The line was basically out

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech Business Horizons, Sept.

5, 2019. of the door, and it passed, rather over-

shadowed, a dozen other companies. After about a half hour of little to no progress made in line, I started a conversation with someone at one of these companies. We had a good interaction, and I graciously gave him one of my resumes before I moved up in line.

Well, it turned out that he was the vice president of the company and I was hired in a matter of days.

Now I’m not saying that you should get in line at a job fair and expect a job from one of the surrounding companies –– I probably got lucky. However, I do think there is a lot more to standing in line than one might think.

As job fair season begins, there may be a few skills to work on before speaking to your dream company. Some of these skills include warming up before the big

question barrage, using normal body language and figuring out how to walk around comfortably in dress clothes.

Luckily, if you are a huge procrastinator like me, you can accomplish all of this while you’re waiting in line. Here are a few activities you can do while you wait for your incredibly nervous shot at a first impression.

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Practice your act In my opinion, talking to a company at a job fair is similar to acting out a scene in a play. There are cues to speak, and there are lines to practice; it is almost all scripted word for word. When talking to a recruiter or representative, they will ask you highly expected questions such as “What is your background?” and “Why do you want to work here?”

While waiting in line, you can tailor your answers to these questions like an actor polishing their dialogue. By imagining the future conversation, you can practice exactly how to speak, act and smile, which will make you look less nervous.

Research your future employers If you haven’t already done this, you shouldn’t even be looking to speak with them. Luckily, their line is very long, and you have plenty of time to pull your phone out and look at their statistics. Recruiters and representatives would rather talk to people who at least know what they do for a living — especially if you expect them to listen to who you are in return. It’s

common courtesy.

Look into the company a little deeper, too. Don’t go to the NASA booth and say, “Wow, so you’re the dudes who went to the moon? Here’s my resume!”

Maybe talk about their company dynamics a little, or why you would make a good fit.

Look nice Job fairs can be very stressful, especially if you have to wait in a suspenseful line. Take the time to fix your hair. You can straighten out your tie or dress a little.

With all of the people in the room, it may get hot wearing business clothes. Bring a handkerchief or a towel to wipe the sweat off your forehead.

You can also follow what I did. Try your hand at talking to one of the companies blocked by the huge line you are waiting in. Maybe do a little more research than I did, but I would try it. These are companies that look for people to talk to, not the other way around. They are much more approachable, even if they may be less known. Who knows, you might even get a career out of it.

So next time you find yourself in line at a job fair, consider some of this advice

September 10, 2019 PAGE 7

because it might even make the difference between a job and sitting on the couch all summer. I encourage you to make the most out of your time at a job fair in every moment, whether that be conversing with a company directly or waiting in line for your shot at a job.

@CollegiateTimes

Spark a conversation It’s a no-brainer. If you are in line, you can only check your phone for so long.

Start chatting with the other hopefuls in line while waiting. After all, they all likely have the same interests as you if you’re waiting in the same line. You might even make a few friends, even if you are essentially competing against one another.

satire

How to slay your first job fair from a seasoned professional

Wear your game day garb, avoid long lines and leave your resume at home to ensure a job offer.

EMILY CARTER lifestyles editor

The Engineering Expo is upon Virginia Tech once again. Whether you’ve been waiting for this event all year, have dreaded this event or are a liberal arts major and have no idea what the Engineering Expo is, Squires and Cassel will be a suit-clad jungle Sept. 10–12.

For some underclassmen who are unsure of what to do at their first expo, fear not. We are here to help, providing you with information to crush your Engineering Expos for as long as you’re at Virginia Tech.

Dress for success Nothing screams “I will be the best employee you will ever have” when businesses see you strut into Squires in your game day attire. Showing your loyalty to your college shows that you have no problem being loyal to the company you will work at in the future. Ladies, wear a

bleached VT shirt with triangle cut out in the front or if it’s still scorching outside wear that cute tube top with just enough fabric to show that you go to Tech. This will let employers know that you’re able to dress for success no matter the weather.

Fellas, cover your body with as much maroon and orange as possible. Showing your school spirit at a job fair is the number one thing that employers look for. So, don’t stop at the body paint, add a maroon or orange wig if you can find one. This will totally put you over the edge and will have potential employers fighting over you the second you arrive.

Don’t wait in line Any job that has a long line is not worth the wait. If a line is long that means that the employers are making really long spiels trying to convince students to come work for them, so you probably don’t want to work there. Good employers and companies should know that they have a limited window of time to talk to college

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech Business Horizons, Sept. 5, 2019.

students before we fall asleep, so they have to have their elevator pitches down-pat before talking to hordes of us this week.

Also, if a booth has a long line you’ll be competing with hundreds of fellow Hokies for a job and we all know rejection is the worst. Protect your heart and your dignity and walk on by.

If a company has no line, that means they’re desperate and will hire you on the spot if you approach its booth at the expo.

Who cares if you’ve never heard of them?

They need you. All you have to do is walk up, shake their hand and you’ll have a job lined up nine months before you have even graduated school.

Come in empty-handed Anyone who comes to an event at Virginia Tech knows that there will be free stuff on every corner, and broke college students could use anything we get our hands on. Make room for the free

goodies you’ll be getting at the expo by leaving your portfolio at home. Everyone knows having a koozie in your hand is better than a resume.

If someone does ask to see your resume, text it to them. But don’t use iMessage, or whatever Android users have, transcribe your resume in the notes app, and send it to future employers that way. Texting them is tacky, but the notes app is classy. If celebrities can use it, then so can you.

Now you’re ready for your first Engineering Expo. If you follow these tips, you’ll be snatched up by companies and secure a job or internship in no time.

@Emilynic_12

PAGE 8 September 10, 2019

editor@collegiatetimes.com

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Tips and tricks: How to prepare for the annual Engineering Expo It is important to dress your best and have your elevator pitch down pat before talking to potential employers.

SAMEERA SUNKARA lifestyles staff writer

Walking into a job fair is like trying to find classes during the first week of school –– there are a million things going on, and more often than not, students feel lost and confused. Finding a career is stressful, and it takes a lot of work.

When talking to a potential employer, a good first impression means everything; therefore, it is absolutely crucial to do adequate research beforehand.

Prior to stepping into the room, know exactly which companies will be present, and most importantly, who is hiring within your major. There is no point wasting 10 minutes talking to a company that is not likely to hire you in the first place.

Typically, all job fairs that run through Virginia Tech can be found on Handshake, under the “Events” tab. The majority of these events provide an index of the companies that will be there, and each company lists the various majors that they are looking to hire.

Look at this information beforehand and make a list of companies to visit so you will be able to get in and out efficiently. It is important to be one step ahead; research the companies that interest you and figure out exactly what they are looking for in their future employees.

Plus, the recruiters are there to provide you with information, so be sure to ask questions. This will demonstrate a greater

level of interest; however, make sure that any question you ask has a purpose.

In addition, confidence is key, especially when talking to a potential employer. Practice your “elevator pitch” beforehand multiple times, perhaps recite it to your parents or roommates and have them provide feedback.

Also, dress to impress. Appearance is the first thing someone will notice, and you want to show these companies the best possible version of yourself.

Most events have a business casual or

formal dress code, so a pair of jeans is not going to make the cut. Be sure to invest in a nice pair of dress pants or skirt to make a good impression. It might cost you a pretty penny, but it’s definitely worth it in the long run.

Men should definitely wear a button down shirt with a blazer, and, while not always required, a tie is a nice touch.

Women can pair a nice blouse with dress pants or a skirt and a blazer. If they prefer to wear a dress, make sure it is knee length or longer. Short dresses often come

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech Business Horizons, Sept. 5, 2019.

across as unprofessional.

There are multiple options as far as female footwear goes, from heels to dress flats or even a nice pair of ankle boots. It does not matter what you wear as long as it is not something that you would wear to the gym or pool. Sneakers and other casual footwear are not acceptable, so be sure to wear a pair of dress shoes.

Finally, when going to a job fair, it is very important to bring as many copies of your resume as possible. The worst thing that can happen is for a company to ask for a resume when you are out of copies to give to them.

Carry your resumes in a nice leather folder if possible; the UniversityBookstore at Virginia Tech has several styles available for purchase if you do not have one. Not only does it look professional and elegant, but most of the folders also have notepads inside so you can take notes in style.

Overall, attending a job fair will probably be one of the most stressful experiences of your college career, so it is important to be organized and confident so that these companies see nothing but the best version of yourself.

CTTIMES

COLLEGIATE

Interest Meeting

SEPTEMBER 18 SQUIRES BRUSH MOUNTAIN A 7:00 P.M.

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