Saint Mary’s College held its third annual academic majors and minors fair Monday at the Angela Fieldhouse. Co-sponsored by Career Crossings and the academic advising office, the fair allowed students to explore various majors and minors offered at the College. The event was designed to support sophomores preparing to declare their majors and freshmen completing their intended major forms.
The fair featured academic departments representing all majors, including art, theatre and speech-language pathology. Faculty members and department heads were present to discuss how a particular major or minor could be applied to various career fields.
Stacie Jeffirs, director of Career Crossings, emphasized the significance of the event in helping students make informed decisions about their academic future.
“It’s helping students explore and get more information to guide their decision-making process. First-year students and sophomores will soon receive their major declaration forms, and this fair helps them prepare for that,” Jeffirs said.
As part of the Avenue 101 (AVE 101) course, first-year students completed PathwayU assessments before the fair. These assessments analyzed students’ interests, values and workplace preferences, offering insight into majors that could align with their personal strengths. Career Crossings also offers informal assessments through one-on-one sessions to further assist students in understanding their potential academic paths.
“And that’s something students can do on their own, but we recommend they come see us. We help them unpack the information, ask questions, and make an informed choice about a major or minor,” Jeffirs added.
Students were given guided worksheets with nine key questions, covering topics such as class preferences, career goals and post-graduation plans. These helped attendees delve deeper into academic fields and ask more focused questions during the event.
Freshman Andrea Mendoza, who plans to major in religious studies, noted the usefulness of the fair in connecting majors with other academic interests.
“I asked about the classes and also about studying abroad because I’m interested in that. I wanted to see how it would relate to my major,” Mendoza said.
Eleni Fefles, a freshman aiming for the speech-language pathology four-plus-one program, expressed how the fair reaffirmed her academic goals.
“The fair pushed me more towards speech-language pathology. It solidified that it’s definitely what I want to do,” Fefles said.
Upperclassmen also played an active role at the fair, offering advice and answering questions about their respective majors. Senior Katie Theriault, majoring in speech-language pathology, recommended that students take an introductory class to discern if a major is the right choice for them.
“In the intro class, you get to observe in the clinic. That’s where you see if it’s really for you,” Theriault said.
Hannah Phillips, a senior art major, has attended the fair twice and encouraged students to embrace their passion.
“Try it out and don’t hesitate to pursue your passion,” Phillips said.
Faculty members also highlighted the fair’s role in exposing students to various academic options.
Professor Houser, a specialist in the department of chemistry and physics, said the fair “opens students up to different options and reminds them that there’s no one ‘right’ major.”
For students still weighing their options, the Office of Student Success will host a follow-up workshop, “How to Choose a Major: Breaking the Linear Path Myth,” on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at the Vander Vennet Theatre.
