by Christina Jordan and Lorna Hartman
For the Easterner
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Most students know what they do not want for a career—some of them have just not wired down a career that they do want.

That is why graduate studies, Eastern Advantage and career services held “Portal to Your Future” on Tuesday, Oct. 30.

This event was planned and directed by Julie Marr, the graduate studies adviser and recruiter. Marr’s job description includes helping graduate students work through their time at Eastern and helping organize committees for thesis presentations.

The purpose of “Portal to Your Future” is to help Eastern students find the best fit for their future, according to Marr.

“If there is a program that would better fit a student than the one we offer at Eastern, we want to connect them and help them succeed,” said Marr.

Marr made laps around the Walter and Myrtle Powers Reading Room on the second floor of Hargreaves Hall, where the event was held. Each table was staffed by one or two representatives. Colorful table covers, flyers and buckets full of candy brightened the room.

The event was packed with students. There was hardly room to walk in the aisles because of all the students who had stopped and were leading conversations at tables.

Senior psychology major Chelsea Joynes came to the fair looking for information about health programs to help her accomplish her dream of getting a master’s and becoming a health psychologist.

“[You’re] getting a lot of schools in Washington, so you get schools [that are] in-state. It gives you foot-in-the-door knowledge,” said Joynes.

Joynes enjoyed meeting people in person at the fair because now she will know someone by face when she goes to pursue her master’s degree.

Taylor Matthew, and aspiring forensic psychologist, attended the fair in search of information about post-graduate psychology programs.

Two of her relatives are psychologists working with criminals and the emotionally disturbed, which has inspired her own interest in the field.

For this event, Marr sent out invitations to graduate programs from Oregon, Idaho, Washington and even California.

Representatives from well-known Universities, such as Gonzaga, University of Idaho, Whitworth University, Washington State University and University of Washington, guided potential graduate students through program options and information.

Less well-known schools, such as Life Chiropractic College, Heritage University and Bastyr University, also sent recruiters.

Representatives staffed tables from many of Eastern’s own graduate and undergraduate programs at the fair, including psychology, women’s and gender studies, education, social and behavioral sciences and many more. Career Services had a table, as well as Army ROTC and the TRiO McNair Scholarship.

“This event is a great way to learn about all the options out there,” said Marr.

Logan Greene, chairwoman of the English department, staffed her department’s table at the fair.

“The English degree makes people promotable because it is flexible and useful,” said Greene.

Greene explained that their goal at the fair was to target undergraduates who have not chosen a major and to let them know the versatility of the English major.

One side of the reading room was for undergraduates who were looking for majors. The other side was dedicated to those interested in pursuing a master’s degree.

Marr made sure that juniors and seniors were personally invited to the fair by email, while it was mandatory for freshmen in certain career-oriented classes.

“We get great feedback [about our fair] from the recruiters,” said Marr. “I occasionally hear that a student decided on a major because of this fair. That makes us happy.”

*Staff Writer Lorna Hartman also contributed to this story