Students may get a glimpse of a silver lining amidst the dark, fiscal cloud hovering over the economy when potential employers arrive on campus next week.

Students can circle next Thursday on their calendars for the second annual Internship and Career Expo. The Career Expo will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Flour Fountain Walkway. It is open to all students free of charge.

With the economy taking a toll on the number of available jobs, the Career and Internship Expo may be more important now than ever for students about to graduate college.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers found in 2009 that just 19.7 percent of 2009 grads who applied for jobs were hired, compared with 51 percent in 2007.

Thursday’s event will provide an efficient way to connect with professionals across a wide variety of fields, with about 30 businesses and ministries attending. Some of these companies include Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Peace Corps, Southern California Youth for Christ, Target, U.S. Army Healthcare and U.S. Secret Services.

“The point is to bring in employers to campus with intentions of creating opportunities for students,” said Tiffany Lee, a career counselor with Career Development. “This is a big event for all Biola students.”

Lee also explained the importance of potential internships.

“We are pushing for internships because, across the board, jobs are hard to come by,” she said. “For our students to be more competitive now, they have to involve themselves in internships.”

In addition to the Career Expo, students can attend a resume workshop (March 22 at 12 p.m. in the AS Conference Room, and 7 p.m. in the Mosaic Conference Room), a Resume Review Clinic (March 23 at 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Fluor Fountain Walkway), and the Expo Prep 101 Class March 24 at 12 p.m. in the AS Conference Room) earlier that same week.

Senior Ryan O’Farrell was optimistic as the day of the expo draws near.

“This is a nice way to start with a personal interaction, rather than the company just reading your resume,” he said.

O’Farrell , who is set to graduate in May with a psychology degree, will be on the lookout for jobs at the Career Expo.

“After graduation, I’m looking to pursue an occupation for the time between the Career Expo and graduate school,” O’Farrell said. “I will be working to save up for graduate school.”

Senior Cynthia Pimentel, a commuter senator, shared her optimism regarding the Internship and Career Expo.

“The Career Expo is a great source for students to explore career options and begin [to] network,” she said.

“Networking is huge when you are preparing to graduate and enter the real world. I encourage everyone to go and remember to dress for success.”

Senior Travis Rasmussen was excited about possibilities that may arise at the Career Expo.

“The Career Expo is a great opportunity for all college students,” he said. “This will help me find a job with a less strenuous way of searching. The employers are looking for me as opposed to me looking for an employer.”

In addition to the orange signs posted around campus promoting the expo, AS and the Center of Career Development partnered to host a fashion show last week demonstrating how students should dress for interviews.

The tallest participant in the show, Peter Heald, explained the reasoning behind this unique style of promoting the Career Expo.

“The Center of Career Development wanted to put on a fashion show to inform students on how to dress in an interview setting,” Heald said. “Some faculty noticed the lack of proper attire during past interviews with Biola students, and with the Career Expo in the near future, this was the most efficient way to have fun and sport suitable garments in the professional setting.”