2025 Communications Career and Resource Fair Bridges the Gap Between Employers and Students

On Nov. 3, 2025, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC), Department of Communication Arts and SuccessWorks hosted the annual Communications Career and Resource Fair. With agencies, organizations and firms from a wide range of industries, the event gave students valuable opportunities to network with professionals and explore potential career paths.

The SJMC’s Board of Visitors graciously donated to and sponsored the 2025 Communications Career and Resource Fair to help support the event’s mission.

“[The donation] helps what the Board of Visitors wants to do. It helps what the faculty want to do. And it certainly helps employers,” said Herman Baumann, a member of the SJMC’s Board of Visitors.

As a former employer himself, Baumann understands the importance of a career fair such as this one. His contribution with the Board of Visitors helped the Communications Career and Resource Fair bring together more than 35 employers with UW-Madison students.

KennedyC, a full-service marketing firm based in Madison, was one of the many employers in attendance. Two SJMC alums, Creative Director Carly Vogel (BA’15) and Content Specialist Megan Bauer (BA’16) were the KennedyC representatives for the night and expressed how important the Communications Career and Resource Fair is for finding talented, qualified employees.

“Our agency just really believes in hiring alumni,” said Vogel, “It’s a world-class university and one of our core values, I would say, is curiosity and collaboration. I feel like the School of Journalism and Mass Communication does a really great job fostering both of those as core skills in so many of their classes.”

Another employer, American Family Insurance, also attended the fair to connect with students interested in their communications intern positions. Communications Director Kelly Kick said they look for students who are willing and able to benefit the company. Doing your research, taking initiative and being inquisitive, she added, are qualities that stand out.

With 127 students in attendance, the fair served not only as a recruiting opportunity for employers, but also as a professional development experience for students. Sophomore Yazmin Pagan said she was encouraged by her coworkers to attend the career fair.

“I’m trying to expand my network and hopefully land an internship or find something I’m truly interested in for Summer 2026,” said Pagan.

Another faculty member behind the event’s success was Career and Internship Specialist Darby Winchel. She said the goal of the fair was to open students’ eyes to the world of professional opportunities around them.

“Part of [the fair] is exposure in that I think some students have a very specific sense of what they want to do and might not even know that certain jobs exist,” said Winchel, “And getting students used to chatting with people and learning from them more than anything.”

Ahead of the event, students were encouraged to prepare polished résumés and a pitch to give for themselves. Teresa Alpert, SJMC’s Strategic Communications Professional in Residence and Co-Founder of brand strategy consultancy Crimea River, also attended the fair. As a world-renowned brand strategy expert, Alpert shared why she believed it was vital for students to attend. It was not only a great place for employers to scout for potential employees, but also a great way for students to put themselves out there and make a brand for themselves.

“It gives students an opportunity to rehearse a bit about what people are looking for,” said Alpert, “What is my brand? What do I want them to see? What kind of a question will bring them closer to who I really am?”

The Communications Career and Resource Fair not only connected students and employers but also offered a platform for students to build professional confidence, refine their personal brand and take the next step toward their future careers.