Students network with nearly 50 agencies during Law Enforcement and Government Career Fair

Liberty University Career Services hosted its first Law Enforcement & Government Career Fair on Wednesday in DeMoss Hall and Montview Student Union, giving students of all majors the chance to connect with employers for valuable internships and full-time employment opportunities at major law enforcement and government entities.

The CIA, U.S. Border Patrol, National Security Agency (NSA), NCIS, and National Ground Intelligence Agency (NGIC) were among the close to 50 employers represented at the fair. Local agencies included Lynchburg Police Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Services, and sheriffs departments of nearby counties. Several law enforcement, government policy, and federal agencies across Virginia and neighboring states were also represented.

Although many Helms School of Government students attended, Sarah Fendrich, Assistant Director of Career Coaching at Liberty, said the fair allows students of all degree concentrations to find opportunities in law enforcement fields, such as those studying marketing, public relations, and the sciences.

“All of these employers are not just looking for criminal justice or government majors,” Fendrich said. “These organizations are always looking for students with wide ranges of backgrounds and expertise.”

Not only does this career fair help the students find prospective employment, but Fendrich said the employers themselves are often excited to attend Liberty career fairs because they are seeking students who will have an easier time navigating employment background checks. That sentiment was echoed by several employers at the fair.

“The students are always receptive here, and they’re generally very supportive of law enforcement,” said Andy Muncy, a recruiter with the Albemarle (Va.) County Police Department. “We don’t find many issues here with background checks, and with the Christian affiliation of the university, we seem to find very quality students and people when we come here.”

Sgt. Anissa Calzada, a recruiter with the Texas Department of Public Safety, said her table saw more people than she expected, and she similarly noted that the quality of Liberty’s students stands out amongst other career fairs they attend.

“We love to see people with great moral character, especially getting into this field and what we do,” Calzada said. “We need people who have stayed out of trouble, and being a Christian university, we know most Liberty students hold those Christian values in them and are people who have good integrity as well.”

With several national agencies on hand, several students remarked about how they learned new things about each of the large employers. Freshman Bryce Johnson said he found an interesting potential career path with the NSA.

“With the wide range of employers, you get a little bit of everything,” Johnson said. “The NSA representative was telling me about their police arm and how they do a lot of executive security for senators and congressmen, which is a really cool position, and I had never heard of it until talking with their representative.”

The career fair presented students the opportunity to chat face-to-face with professionals, a welcome change for senior Elizabeth Berrens, who was particularly impressed by the CIA’s booth.

“I think it’s awesome that Liberty can bring these groups in, because when you’re applying online to these jobs and internships, you’re not sure if you’re getting through to someone. But the face-to-face interaction gives you a chance to ask questions and find out what they’re looking for in candidates,” Berrens said.

Wednesday’s career fair was the seventh career fair hosted by Career Services this fall, with three more scheduled before the end of the semester: a ministry career fair on Oct. 31; an ACSI career fair on Nov. 7; and a virtual career fair on Nov. 14.