College of Design and CAFE Host UK’s Largest-Ever Design Career Fair

On February 17 from 9-3 p.m., The University of Kentucky College of Design and the Department of Landscape Architecture at UK’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) hosted their first collaborative design-centered career fair in UK’s Gatton Student Center.  

This year, the College of Design and the Department of Landscape Architecture welcomed around 50 firms from a total of 10 states. Among them were Gray AE, JRA Architects, K. Norman Berry Associates Architects, Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects, HDR (Philadelphia, Pa.) Hollander Design Landscape Architects (New York, N.Y.) STG Design (Austin, Texas) and VIKA (St. Augustine, Fla.) 

Ned Crankshaw, Acting Dean of the College of Design, remarked that he was “pleased to have all of the design disciplines join forces and be represented at the career fair. There was a high level of energy in the Gatton Student Center and our students clearly prepared themselves for their interactions with the design professionals who traveled to UK.”  

Firms conducted on-the-spot interviews and networked with students, faculty, and college leaders. Preliminary research was done to learn the areas and/or professions in which each firm is hiring to match students with the best opportunities. College of Design students were encouraged to participate in both a resume and a portfolio workshop in preparation for the career fair. They were also able to upload their portfolios online for firms to access.

The event was well-attended and successful and helped to further our mission of preparing students for design careers. Said event organizer and Dean’s Executive Assistant Charlotte Leedy, “It’s satisfying when we hold events like this and see how it aids the students’ success. At the end of day, that is truly why we are here.”