The Iowa State Memorial Union will be full of job-seeking students Tuesday as more than 160 companies from across the nation participate in Agriculture Career Day.

The Ag Career Day, sponsored by the Ag Career Services Office and the Ag Business Club, is probably the largest agricultural career fair in the country, said Roger Bruene, career services director.

The number of companies attending has expanded from 145 last year to 169 this year.

This year there will be a wider variety of organizations involved with animal ecology, horticulture, equipment and animal science, Bruene said. One of the new organizations is an urban forestry firm from New York.

“It is our goal to get a greater cross-section of careers in the college,” Bruene said.

The career fair is a trade show format in which companies set up booths and representatives are available to speak about their companies.

The fair will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Great Hall, South Ballroom, Oak Room, Sun Room and the Campanile Room of the MU.

Chandra Herrstrom, general co-chair of Ag Career Day and a senior in ag business, encouraged students from all colleges to attend and meet with as many companies as they can.

“It’s a great opportunity to see what is available,” Herrstrom said. “The career day has a great reputation.”

Along with ISU students, community college students are invited to attend the fair. Bruene said some alumni interested in making career changes will also attend the event.

Students are encouraged to attend even if they are not currently seeking a career, because 130 companies are offering summer internships, Bruene said.

He recommended students take advantage of the opportunity to interact and network with the company representatives. Students should ask potential employers what they predict for the future of their businesses, he said.

The career day is also an opportunity to meet ISU graduates, Bruene said. The main reason ISU has such a successful career day is the quality of students from the college, he said.

“We graduate good quality students who go out in the work force, and employers recognize this and come back to hire more of our graduates,” Bruene said.

Along with meeting future employers, career day gives students an opportunity to interact with their peers in agriculture, Bruene said. Students work together throughout the year to plan the event. They volunteer their time to host the representatives and attendees on the day of the event.

A hospitality room for the company representatives will be provided by the ISU chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences.

This will be the last career day Bruene will help coordinate before he retires in July.

“It’s a very rewarding but stressful event,” Bruene said. “This is the number one event for the career office in terms of the payoff in terms of students.”

Herrstrom said this year’s career day will be special to honor Bruene.

“For all that Roger has done for the event, we want to make this the best one and let him go out with a bang,” Herrstrom said.