The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences hosted its Career Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday at Lied Recreation Athletic Center.

Career Day provided students with the opportunity to meet with businesses from around the Midwest and network for possible internships or full time job positions following graduation.

Over 300 booths were listed on the Career Day hand out. Many large businesses provided representation, including Post Holdings Inc., John Deere, Hormel Foods, Bayer and Cargill, Inc.

Several government agencies were also present, such as the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Food and Drug Administration.

Many of the attending students arrived in full business attire. Nearly all attendees were carrying a folder of resumes and a notebook.

Lauren Parker, junior in agricultural business, said she is planning to graduate in May and has attended Career Day in search of a full time job after receiving her degree. Parker has worked two previous internships with Archer Daniels Midland.

“As of right now I am looking into either pork production or grain management,” Parker said.

Parker said pork production and working with livestock have always been an interest of hers; however, her previous experience with Archer Daniels Midland has given her skills to also work in grain management.

Rylie Meier, senior in agricultural and life sciences education, also attended Career Day to scout potential jobs following graduation.

Meier worked with Ag Leader Technology for a marketing communications internship and currently works part time for Kent Nutrition Group, an animal nutrition company.

“I’m still looking to pursue a job with Kent [Nutrition Group],” Meier said. “Otherwise, I would like a job in the animal sector of the [agriculture] industry, particularly with an emphasis on communications and marketing or graphic design.”

Meier said her interest in graphic design originated from her internship with Ag Leader Technology.

“I did a lot of graphic design work for [Ag Leader Technology] and before that I had no previous experience, so it really opened my eyes to that form of communication,” Meier said. “I just wanted to keep pursuing that.”

Both Ag Leader Technology and Kent Corp., the parent company of Kent Nutrition Group and Kent Feeds, were represented at Career Day.

Meier networked at the fair with fellow student Tristen Johnson, senior in animal science.

Johnson said she is searching for a job with cattle or swine following graduation to add to her experience from working for the Iowa State Swine Teaching farm, where she worked on taking care of pigs, particularly during gestation.

Jack Henry, sophomore in agricultural business, attended Career Day for his third time and said last year he was able to secure an internship at Key Cooperative as an agronomy sales intern through the Career Day event.

“I’m going to do something different,” Henry said. “It was a great experience for me last year but I’m going to try and broaden my horizons.”

Henry said he was interested in working in feed or livestock nutrition and noticed companies such as Kent Feeds or Land O’Lakes, Inc. at Career Day as possible opportunities.

Macy Halverson, sophomore in animal science, also attended the career fair for a second time. Halverson said the previous summer she managed to find work near her home at Farmers Union Cooperative in their feed department.

“I was basically their full time secretary,” Halverson said. “I got to generate feed orders, feed bills,[…] ride around with [Nestlé Purina PetCare Company] nutritionists, know more about [Nestlé Purina PetCare Company] products — kind of a little bit of everything with that internship.”

Halverson said she wishes to continue work in animal nutrition or animal pharmaceuticals and was looking at business such as Zoetis Inc. and Trans Ova Genetics LC.

Abby McSkimming, junior in food science, said she transferred to Iowa State from Elgin Community College in Illinois last fall and is looking for a summer internship to gain some experience.