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Interest in Environmental Job Fair Strong Despite Looming Changes in Federal Policy

Scott Willis
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WAER News

Dozens of government, non-profit and private sector companies and organizations will be on hand at SUNY ESF Wednesday to help connect students and others to careers in the environment. John Turbeville, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Director of Career Services at ESF, said the 16th annual networking event is their only career fair.

“This is our Super Bowl, it’s something we look forward to every single year.”

He said about 90 potential employers have signed up, with nearly one-third of them there for the first time.  Turbeville expects a strong interest despite likely changes in environmental priorities on the federal level.

“I think so much of it is up in the air right now. I’m really pleased again that we haven’t seen any measurable negative impact to what has certainly been a lot of concern, rightfully so,” said Turbeville. “The real opportunity here is for students to get some of those questions first hand by the people who are living it day in and day out.”

Turbeville said, in fact, the looming changes might have strengthened the resolve of those interested in the field.

Credit Scott Willis / WAER News
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WAER News
John Turbeville is Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Director of Career Services at ESF.

 “With every kind of flip of the coin there’s an opportunity. We have a very engaged and passionate group to begin with,” said Turbeville. “You know, we’ve seen our students really bear down to say, ‘You know what, this is not okay with me,’ or ‘I want to understand this.’ And so I do think that we’ve seen some more of that excitement from our students just because it has become a global conversation.”

He says the career fair is a perfect opportunity for all students to reach out, network, and form relationships with employers.  It runs Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in ESF’s Gateway Center Conference Room.    

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.