On Oct. 15, the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Advising hosted its Major and Minor Fair for the third year in a row. Faculty from each department were present to answer questions about their majors and minors and discuss opportunities to engage and get involved themselves on campus.

Kirsten Boutorwick, one of the academic advisers for CAS, spoke about the event.

“The purpose of this event is really to help connect students with faculty from all of our different majors here in the College of Arts and Sciences,” Boutorwick said. “So, we have faculty who can answer questions, such as what to do with the major, what the requirements are like, and if it’s a good fit for a student.”

This event was held in the Oakland Center, and many CAS advisers were presented to check students in and give them directions to wherever they needed to go.

“It’s open to all students. So, even students in School of Business or Engineering, etc., can come and meet with somebody if they are considering adding a minor,” Boutorwick said. “We also have Student Services tables — Career Services, Pre-Professional Advising, The Tutoring Center and International Education — to also answer questions that help make sure that students are successful and know everything available to them.”

Although the event is hosted by CAS, Career Services played a vital role in planning this event, according to Boutorwick.

Carol Anne Ketelsen, career consultant for CAS and the School of Nursing, collaborated with CAS advising in many different areas. The role of Career Services was to promote the event through Handshake and during appointments, to host a table at the event, and to have career ambassadors from the office help with registration and check-in, according to Ketelsen.

She mentioned this event annually provides students with various opportunities to meet and speak with faculty from all of the CAS major and minor areas.

“I enjoy seeing the table displays from the different departments,” Ketelsen said. “Faculty are actively involved and some highly competitive trying to win the two awards for “Most Interactive” and “Best Overall Display.”

Career Services has collaborated with CAS advising on this event for the second time, and both CAS and Career Services have made changes by adding more of the student service departments to better understand and answer students’ concerns and questions throughout the event.

“Having an opportunity to informally connect with a faculty, in my mind, is a huge piece, especially in developing research or studies,” Boutorwick said.

Comprised of 16 departments and more than 100 majors devoted to teaching liberal arts, CAS provides its students the opportunity to discover new capacities within oneself and build a foundation of skills.

For more information on further events hosted by CAS, visit the college’s website.