Fall 2024 Career Expo is Oct. 1 at Lyon College
BATESVILLE, Arkansas – The Lyon College Center for Career and Professional Development will sponsor its fall 2024 Career Expo for current students, alumni and the community from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 1, in the Becknell Gymnasium on the Lyon College campus, 2300 Highland Rd., Batesville.
Recruiters from business and industry, as well as university graduate programs, will be on hand for the event designed to introduce both Lyon College students and other interested persons to potential future employers, internships and graduate studies.
“We’re thrilled to welcome employer representatives back to campus to connect with our students, faculty and community,” said Patrick Lynch, director of the Center for Career and Professional Development. “The demand for talent is at an all-time high, and employers are eager to be here and engage with the Lyon College community.”
Attendees are encouraged to update their resumes and LinkedIn profiles, wear professional business attire, create a list of target companies, research the companies, prepare insightful questions and practice a 30-second elevator speech.
More than 30 companies and organizations are scheduled to participate in this year’s event.
The Center for Career and Professional Development works year-round to help students land full-time jobs and internships, offering programs for both students and companies. Students are offered one-on-one training in essential skills such as resume preparation, interviewing skills and career search.
Companies interested in being a part of the Career Expo can contact Patrick Lynch at Patrick.Lynch@Lyon.edu or call (870) 307-7227.
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current membership chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.