West Virginia University recently hosted approximately 80 organizations from diverse industries and locations at the Third Annual WVU Employer Summit. The event brings to light the importance of partnering with the corporate world so that organizations may interact with faculty leaders and recruiting specialists, as well as develop opportunities for student internships and job placement. 
The Employer Summit is organized by the West Virginia University Career Services Center, in collaboration with the College of Business and Economics, Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, and Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design.

The yearly event, which was held on June 27 at the Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place, covered topics ranging from how to drive innovation within your organization, creating effective internship and experiential learning programs, strategies for retaining millennial talent and empowering your talent acquisition team with data-driven recruitment. Participants interacted directly with students and faculty during two-panel sessions that provided insight into the best ways to recruit today’s students.

“The Employer Summit is a unique example of how WVU collaborates with employers to network with faculty leaders as well as share best practices in college recruiting,” said Sarah Rotruck Glenn, Associate Director of Employer Relations, WVU Career Services Center. “The University provides employers with seamless campus experiences from recruiting students and alumni, as well as meeting with faculty to allow for the development of deeper research and academic partnerships.” 
The event was made possible through sponsorships by the WVU Corporate Relations Office, Stanley Black & Decker, Oshkosh/JLG Industries, Pittsburgh Technology Council, Electro Chemical Finishing and The Leadership Bridge.

“As Stanley Black & Decker continues to expand our Innovation Ecosystem, having strong and collaborative external resources like West Virginia University will be key to unlocking the full potential of our brands and our corporate purpose,” said Bob Welsh, vice president of Global Tools & Storage at Stanley Black & Decker.

“The Employer Summit was a great way for me to understand the goals and initiatives WVU has to help their students prepare for future careers,” said Dawn Brown, campus relations manager at Oshkosh Corporation. “It also allowed me to meet and interact with fellow colleagues to learn how other internship programs are successful. This event was a great way to build relationships both on and off campus.”

“After meeting with the WVU faculty and staff, we look forward to growing our partnership and increasing our recruitment efforts on campus. The students’ values align well with Stanley Black & Decker — they are hardworking, dedicated individuals, and their passion for excellence is evident,” said Lisa Gavron, national recruitment and program manager at Stanley Black & Decker. “We are thankful for the opportunity to partner with WVU moving forward and are excited to see what the future holds.”

For further information about the Employer Summit or plans for next year’s event, contact Sarah Rotruck Glenn at sarah.glenn@mail.wvu.edu