Molly Nurczyk, president of the Florida Gulf Coast University Florida Public Relations Association, is organizing the award-winning PR, Marketing, and Advertising Internship Fair.
The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 1 in the Cohen Center Ballroom at FGCU.
“We have meetings leading up to this internship that are going to help prepare students,” Nurczyk said. “We had our Career and Development Services come to our first meeting to talk about how to professionally network, so they can talk to professionals at the internship fair in particular.”
Students will be able to talk to representatives from local businesses that are seeking FGCU students for internships. Students can have professional headshots taken at the event at no charge. Nurczyk said that students are welcome to make a donation, unlike last year. Additionally, businesses are now required to submit registration forms that FGCU Campus Recreation initiated for this event.
“It’s kind of making it a little more difficult,” she said.
Nurczyk is focusing on having new businesses come, but did not share what businesses are coming.
“I’d rather not share the list of businesses because we had a few cancellations the day of last year,” she said. However, Nurczyk confirms that the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce is coming again.  She is aiming to get a minimum of 30 new businesses with a goal of 50 compared to 25 businesses last year.
Pamela Nulman, RSO adviser, agrees in the participation growth.
“We had very strong participation and very favorable feedback from the businesses that participated and students who went, so we know there is opportunity to continue to grow the fair both for the businesses and students,” Nulman said.
Lumary Velazquez, membership and marketing director of FGCU FPRA, said she encourages students to attend even if they are not looking for internships because it’s a good way to network.
“A lot of students don’t think networking is a big thing, but really, when you come to these events and to the meetings, you really network with the professionals and essentially they are people who can get you jobs,” Velazquez said. “They know the market. They know where you fit.”
Nurczyk advises students to dress professionally and says students should bring resumes, portfolios and even business cards if possible to increase the chance of securing an internship.
Last year, Nurczyk herself got an internship from this event. She says other students did as well but does not have a record of who got an internship.
Not all students seeking internships in those disciplines know about the event. Mallory Steel is one of them.
“I honestly don’t even know what it is,” said Steel, a junior studying communication. Steel didn’t plan to attend the event but says she does plan to get an internship this upcoming summer.