The Oakland Community Health Network hosted a Behavioral Health Job and Resource Fair on Tuesday afternoon, March 24, connecting Oakland University students with employers, career resources and same‑day interview opportunities in the behavioral health field.
The fair was held from 2-6 p.m. in the Founders Ballrooms at the Oakland Center and was hosted by the Social Work and Counseling departments at Oakland University in collaboration with the Career and Life Design Center.
Students were offered professional headshots, resume advice, networking opportunities and direct access to behavioral health organizations seeking interns and full‑time employees through employers.
Events like the job fair offer students a personal way to explore career options, ask questions, build professional connections and gain insight into the behavioral health field beyond what online job postings provide.
Kelly Dorner, director of the Career and Life Design Center, said the event was designed to help students better understand the wide range of career pathways available within community mental health and behavioral health fields.
“The main goal of this event is to connect students to opportunities and to help educate them about what’s available in community health,” Dorner said. “There are partners here offering full‑time jobs, internships and even on‑site interviews, so students can walk away with real opportunities.”
Dorner said connecting with employers face‑to‑face allows students to learn more about potential career paths while building professional relationships that may benefit them after graduation.
Anna Jessup, manager of substance use disorder services at Oakland Community Health Network, said the fair also aimed to address workforce needs within the behavioral health field while introducing students to nonprofit and community‑based career options.
“In behavioral health, there are staff shortages, so this is about increasing awareness of job opportunities and the value of working in community mental health,” Jessup said. “We want students to see the different pathways available to them and hopefully walk away with an interview or a job opportunity.”
Students who attended the fair said its targeted focus helped them gain a clearer understanding of potential careers within behavioral health.
Juan Goudy, a psychology major at Oakland University, said he chose to attend because the fair was geared specifically toward students interested in behavioral health rather than a general job market.
“I decided to come to this fair because it’s more specific to certain majors,” Goudy said. “It gives you a broader look at what kinds of jobs are available once you graduate.”
Graduate students also found value in the networking opportunities the event provided.
Ta’Niyah Harris, a Master of Social Work student, said attending allowed her to connect with organizations she may work with professionally in the future.
“It’s a way to put yourself out there,” Harris said. “Even if you’re not interested in working somewhere, it can still be a good resource for the future, especially in behavioral health and social work.”
The event encouraged students to continue using campus career resources and attending similar events to explore career options, gain industry insight and build professional connections before graduation.
