09/15/16
By Diane Gasper-O'Brien
University Relations and Marketing
HAYS, Kan. -- Although it might seem like it to some, Cody Scheck isn't making a career out of attending Career-Internship Days at Fort Hays State University.

But Scheck will be the first to say that networking at a lot of those events led directly to career opportunities for him.

Scheck, who grew up in nearby Victoria and stayed close to home to attend college, attended many a career fair during his college days at FHSU, where he earned a bachelor's of business administration in accounting in 2015.

He is now an accountant at Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball CPA firm in Hays and was attending Wednesday's fall career fair in a different capacity for the first time.

Scheck was one of several Fort Hays State grads who work for ABBB who were greeting interested students as they made their way around the circle of booths in Gross Memorial Coliseum.

"This is my sixth career fair," Scheck said with a smile. "This is where I found my three internships."

One of those internships was with ABBB, where he stayed on as a student worker, then went full time upon graduation.

"Being here (at the fair) is such a good contact base," Scheck added.

Nearly 75 businesses and organizations from employers representing numerous occupations were present at the fair.

Several students were decked out in business attire, handing out their resumes and visiting with various representatives at the tables. Others wore more traditional college clothing and sported backpacks while picking up brochures and business cards.

Wyatt Sharp hung around the Kansas Highway Patrol table for some time, visiting with Trooper Cory Beard from Topeka, who was manning the KHP table.

Sharp, a senior from Goddard majoring in criminal justice, will graduate in May and said he is strongly considering a career in law enforcement because "it's a right and just field. They do a lot of good for people."

Beard said he attended similar job fairs while in college at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

"it just gives you an opportunity to see what's all out there," Beard said.

Scheck agreed.

"The networking chain I've developed being at all those fairs is amazing," said Scheck, currently a graduate teaching assistant at FHSU working on his master's of business administration in accounting. "There are so many employers I know on a first-name basis now. I enjoy being here a lot."

Cutline: Fort Hays State University graduate student and local accountant Cory Scheck, center, visits with FHSU students at the Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball CPA firm's table at Wednesday's fall Career-Internship Day on campus.