As Missouri Southern students prepare for the transition from students to alumni status, the Graduation Expo ensures this crossing will occur.

E-mails and posters around campus advertise the March 8 Graduation Expo.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 to 6:30 p.m., seniors are able to check off several checkboxes for their graduation list.

“The Grad Expo is an event that happens twice a year,” said Liz Scheurich, bookstore coordinator. “We do it in May and we do it in October. This time it will be for May and July grads. Once you know your graduating, you can come to this event.”

The Graduation Expo provides services to graduating seniors that would otherwise send seniors traveling across campus.

“It’s like a one-stop shop for grads,” she said. “They can pick up their cap and gown and visit with the business office so they don’t have any late fees, so they can graduate. You can order announcements. There is also special on diploma frames.”

Several venders will be present to ease the confusion around graduation.

Scheurich said several on-campus and off-campus organizations will be present.

“The bookstore, the registrars office – they are the popular ones,” she said.

Career services, the financial aid office, Jostens, CB Announcements, Framing Success diploma framing company, alumni and other organizations will be present as well.

“[The Graduation Expo] saves time and aggravation,” Scheurich said.

Refreshments will be available as well.

“We have free cake, free popcorn, free candy and free drinks,” she said. “Two minutes is literally all it takes.”

There are some changes for the Expo this year.

“This year is going to be a little different,” Scheurich said. “We are going to put it with the Spring Job Expo.”

Career services will also be hosting this event on March 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the third floor of the Billingsly Student Center.

“All students of all majors are invited,” said Lynsey Schwabrow, career services coordinator. “Employers who come to Spring Expo have all kinds of jobs. It’s not just for students who are graduating.”

Around 70 employers are usually present. Employers are looking to fill full-time jobs, summer jobs, internships and part-time jobs.

“At Spring Job Expo, we want the graduating seniors to start networking with employers,” she said. “It’s also for students who want to find out what students recruit here on campus and what companies hire Missouri Southern students and alumni so that they have an idea for the future.”

Students are encouraged to bring their résumés or seek the résumé service provided by career services. Some employers will hold interviews.

“We also have on campus interviewing,” Schwabrow said. “We invite the employers who are coming to the job fair to conduct interviews. Students can actually come back in the afternoon from 2 to 5 p.m. to conduct interviews. So it is one-stop shopping for the interviews.”

Spring Job Expo is an opportunity for any students to look into future jobs or to seek a job right after graduation. Combined with Graduation Expo, the event will be comprehensive for seniors.