Face to face with their future: Inaugural nursing career fair puts students in front of hiring managers
If you’re a graduating nursing student gearing up to enter the workforce, what’s one
thing that can really give you a leg up in finding your first position?
If you said face time with hiring managers from organizations and hospitals looking for nursing talent, then you’re thinking like a nursing professor or career counselor familiar with the job landscape. Because that’s exactly what the College of Nursing and Career Readiness Center gave nursing students at the Inaugural Nursing Career Fair at UNT Health Fort Worth on March 4.
With CON set to graduate its first Bachelor of Science in Nursing cohort this summer, they partnered with CRC to bring together eight employing organizations and approximately 60 nursing students.
“I will be graduating this August, so this was a great exposure,” said Daniel Lee Munoz, a term-four nursing student. “There were many residency programs and tracks to ask questions specifically for student nurses in my position.”
Organizations in attendance included employers like Children’s Health, HCA North Texas, the U.S. Air Force and Parkland Health, plus the Texas Nurses Association, the largest professional association for registered nurses in Texas. Students had the chance to meet with recruiters, share their resumes, gain real career insights, and obtain job-hunting experience in a supportive environment.
“I am a big networking person, so this event really prepared me for when I reach out to potential employers and organizations that I am interested in,” said Breanna Mendieta, a term-four nursing student.
Before the event, CRC and CON prepared students with guidance and resources on professionalism, attire and questions to ask, which students reported was helpful for them during their conversations with employers.
“Watching students step into conversations with confidence, ask thoughtful questions, and begin building professional relationships is exactly what this work is about,” said Cassie Ardry, director of the Career Readiness Center in the Division of Student Affairs. “By bringing students and healthcare organizations together, this event strengthened the workforce pipeline and created meaningful career connections for the community's future nurses.”
The career fair marked a “defining moment” for the college and its first graduating cohort, according to Founding dean and professor Cindy Weston, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CHSE, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN.
“It brings together the remarkable preparation of our UNT Health nursing students with the urgent workforce needs of our region, creating a powerful bridge from education to practice,” Weston said. “We are proud to celebrate our students as they take this important step into the nursing profession and begin serving our communities.”
The Career Readiness Center, part of the Division of Student Affairs, offers lifelong career services to all UNT Health students and alumni. UNT Health’s College of Nursing opened in 2024 in response to the growing shortage of nurses in the region.