Held on November 13th, 2025, the Texas A&M Department of Poultry Science hosted its highly anticipated Reverse Career Fair, an innovative networking event designed to elevate how students engage with the poultry and allied industries.

Students talk with company representatives at the POSC Reverse Career Fair

An Innovative Approach to Career Networking

Unlike conventional fairs where companies sit at tables and students circulate, student participants were stationed at individual tables while representatives from participating organizations moved through the space, fostering direct, intentional conversations and authentic networking opportunities. This year’s event brought together 74 undergraduate and graduate students and 18 participating companies, represented by 46 industry professionals, all eager to connect, share insights, and explore career paths.

The Reverse Career Fair serves multiple purposes: it gives underclassmen an early opportunity to practice professional conversations and receive feedback on their experiences and goals, while upperclassmen focus on securing summer internships or full-time positions aligned with their career aspirations. In doing so, the event builds confidence, expands professional networks, and strengthens student preparedness for the competitive job market.

Lesley Gleason, Program Manager, coordinated this event. "We have a super supportive industry who are eager to hire, so I thought this fresh approach to the career search process might be a fun twist for our students", she said. "This event provides our students with an immediate way to learn about career opportunities and learn how to articulate their experiences in an environment that is not an interview."

"Company representatives consistently express how impressed they are with the preparedness and professionalism of our students," says Audrey McElroy, Head. She also shares her enjoyment in reviewing students' resumes, noting their diverse involvement, unique professional experiences, and varied backgrounds that reflect the strength and potential of the program.

Students talk with company representatives at the POSC Reverse Career Fair

Preparing Students for Career Success

Events like the Reverse Career Fair provide our students with the opportunity to forge valuable connections with potential employers while securing summer internships or post-graduation employment. Historically, the Department of Poultry Science consistently maintains 100% job or professional school placement after graduation, with the average student receiving two to three offers. Lesley says that "networking opens doors to build relationships that may not be rewarded immediately, but could result in an opportunity 2 years, 5 years, or 10 years from now.  The network they are actively building as a student will have a lifelong payoff if they pursue a career in the poultry or allied industry."

Poultry science freshman student Madeleine Costley expressed her appreciation for the event, saying, “The Reverse Career Fair was a unique and meaningful experience that allowed me to grow both professionally and personally. I left the evening feeling more confident in presenting myself in a professional setting and excited to explore potential career paths through the connections I made.”

By design, the Reverse Career Fair integrates with the department’s professional development curriculum, reinforcing skills cultivated through courses such as POSC 381: Investigation of Professional Development in Poultry Science and POSC 481: Poultry Science Systems. These experiences help prepare students for life after graduation while deepening relationships between the department, its students, and industry stakeholders.

Building Lasting Industry Partnerships

For Lesley seeing her students connect with industry professionals is often a full-circle moment. "The night of the event, my favorite part is watching our students in action, applying all the professional development techniques we practiced and discussed in class. It’s a chance for them to put their networking skills to work and see the results firsthand," Lesley shares.

While the primary goal of this event is to help students find summer internships or full-time positions, it also continues to build relationships between students, stakeholders, and the poultry science department. McElroy says "Despite the enormity of the poultry industry, it is a tight network of many good people, and ensuring a stage is set to allow our students to meet some of these individuals is essential. Interactions that happen at the Reverse Career Fair could lead to many opportunities down the road for a student. This event is all about showcasing our students seeking careers or internships and allowing industry stakeholders the opportunity to match positions with students. "

Poultry Science Reverse Career Fair held at the MSC

We would like to extend our appreciation to all the companies that participated this year:

Photos from the event can be found our Facebook page