Campus Community
Posted: Thursday, May 7, 2009‘GEAR UP’ Carries On through Student- and Faculty-Run Career Fairs
By Tony Astran
Buffalo State began participating in GEAR UP, a federally funded grant program designed to increase the number of economically disadvantaged middle and high school students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education, in 2000. When the federal funding stopped last year, however, the efforts of students and faculty in the career and technical education (CTE) program only strengthened.
GEAR UP—which stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs—provides funds to colleges and universities to help middle and high school students with academic mentoring. Buffalo State partnered with D’Youville College to help local schools with career awareness, planning, and mentoring.
Under the guidance of John Popovich, associate professor of educational foundations, CTE students and faculty organized career fairs to help students gain exposure to different types of occupations and think about attending college—preferably Buffalo State. Students and faculty have run more than 200 such fairs in schools throughout Buffalo and its suburbs.
Although GEAR UP funding has ended, the career fairs have become so popular that schools provide contracts to Buffalo State to continue running them. Popovich said they have already had eight this academic year.
The fairs are generally held in the evening. Booths are typically set up in the school’s gymnasium and offer interactive, hands-on activities. Buffalo State students and faculty demonstrate practical skills such as cooking, small-engine repair, building small machines, basic auto care, cosmetology services, and nursing skills. The activities are designed to give middle and high school students a taste of the working world and help guide them on career paths. Popovich estimates that more than 200 students and parents usually attend. Food and music add to the fun and excitement of the event.
“When middle school students go to the fairs, they see more reasons to stay in school,” he said. “The fairs are fun and build camaraderie among the CTE students and faculty. Our students also come back to the schools in the weeks following the fairs for two or three small-group sessions to provide mentoring and to discuss how current studies tie in to future careers.”
About 40 students and five to 10 faculty members participate in each fair. Students can earn course credit through CTE 311, Career Mentoring Internship; CTE 350, School and Community Relationship Field Experience; or CTE 605, Occupational Guidance for Career Exploration.
Popovich said his students gain valuable experience by working in the local schools and by applying New York State learning standards in their demonstrations.
He hopes attendees become inspired to think about career possibilities and work hard in school. Ideally, they will become interested in joining the CTE program at Buffalo State and make a career of teaching technical skills to others.
