The end of a college career can be confusing. Students worry about finding a job, attending graduate school and finishing their current course work.

The Alumni Association uses a graduation fair to recruit students who are graduating and have a lot on their minds.

This year’s fair, Imagine Graduation, is a “one-stop shopping” opportunity for students to take care of business and tie up any loose ends before graduating, said Lori Randorf, associate director of marketing for the Alumni Association. For example, students can order their caps and gowns for graduation at the fair.

The departments at the fair include the Alumni Association, Career Services, the Registrar’s Office and the Bursar’s Office to name a few, said Nicole DiSalvo, assistant director of marking for the Alumni Association.

May graduates will be able to stop by the second floor of the Student Center today, tomorrow and Saturday to ask questions and learn what Kent State has to offer them in the future.

The Alumni Association’s goal with the fair is to try and get students to become members after graduation. This is a change because in previous years, the association just had a table with information, DiSalvo said.

This year it plans to have something more relevant and fun to which students can relate. The theme is similar to the hit television show “The Apprentice.” It’s called the You’re Hired Sweepstakes.

May graduates can enter to win the billionaire or the millionaire sweepstakes. The billionaire sweepstakes offers prizes of $500 and an Apple iPod Mini. The millionaire sweepstakes offers $100 and items such as a Palm Zire 21 handheld personal digital assistant and an American Tourister Padfolio.

At the fair, the graduating class is an important market to capture, DiSalvo said.

“The Alumni Association helps new grads make valuable connections with our career assistance programs, relocation contacts and professional networking,” she said.

Randorf helped coordinate the overall event.

“The goal is to create awareness among graduates about what the university can offer them once they graduate,” she said.

There are roughly 170,000 Kent State alumni worldwide, and about 100,000 of those live in Ohio, said Lindsey Loftus, executive director of the Alumni Association.

Contact alumni affairs and career services reporter Joe McKenzie at [email protected].