Jazmin Villa hit the gym floor moments after approaching the D1 Training table inside Anderson Hall for the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education’s annual job and internship fair.
She took a plank position. Three flat, circle-shaped lights lay in front of her.
Her task? Tap whichever of the lights turned green while the others remained red, with no crossing of hands. Right for right. Left for left. Either for center. Meanwhile, the stopwatch-enabled device tauntingly ticked the seconds away while it tabulated her score.
Of course, each time Villa lifted one hand to touch a light, she needed to support her weight with the other.
And she rocked it.
Turns out Villa was familiar with this activity; the junior Kinesiology major from Aurora has previous experience with the folks from D1 Fox Valley.
“I worked in physical therapy, and did an internship at D1 already, assisting the coach with different groups – youth groups, the middle school-high school group, the adult group – running them through their exercises,” says Villa, who is motivated by “the study of the body. Just having that experience made me want to pursue it more.”
Villa appreciated her opportunity to attend the career fair, one organized by her Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KNPE) faculty with employers specifically seeking students in her major and in Sport Management.
“We get to know what careers we have available in the community and are able to connect with people, instead of just applying and hoping for the best,” she says. “Hearing from the people themselves about the schooling they went through and their career path, and hearing that they had reassurances for us that we will succeed, made me feel good.”
Launched in February 2023 and still held in the convenient location of KNPE’s home building, the event attracts businesses that include minor league sport teams, hospitals, park districts, fitness trainers, the Kishwaukee Family YMCA and more.
Farah Ishaq, assistant professor and program coordinator of Sport Management, refers to those employers as “partners” who appreciate their opportunity to hold conversations and build networks with future members of the workforce.
“We have a really great relationship with these organizations, and many come every year. A lot of that has to do with the students who are a part of our program and the great work they’re doing,” Ishaq says.
“Their experience with past NIU students also makes them want to come back and recruit,” he adds. “During our exit interviews, the employers really stress not only the opportunity to meet a wide variety of students but also to meet students who are excelling at what they do.”
Students heard about the career fair in their classes, receiving constructive feedback on their résumés, tips on how to dress and encouragement to visit NIU Career Services for advice.
“Even if they’re not looking for a position at the moment, our event gives them the opportunity to enhance their oral communication skills and meet with employers,” Ishaq says.
“I was just talking to a student – this was his first career fair – and he thanked me and the program for putting it together because he doesn’t know if he would have had any other opportunities to meet employers otherwise,” he adds. “That’s the biggest thing: getting the organizations out in front of students and providing for opportunities for students.”
John Novak, a talent acquisition professional for Northwestern Medicine, enjoyed “getting the word out” about the hospital and its thousands of job openings in clinical and non-clinical work.
Novak had internships to offer for sophomores and juniors and was able to tell Kinesiology majors about their career potential and “opportunities they can see themselves grow into.”
“The nice thing about our organization is that we have a 90-day policy of having to stay in your role, which is fantastic. A lot of organizations will do a minimum of a year,” Novak says. “The way you can look at Northwestern itself is really that you can broaden your career. You can really find your place. Even though you’re already in a position, you can find that sweet spot that you want to be in for the long-term goal. It’s just a conversation with your manager.”
He found promise in the Anderson Hall gym.
“I love the old-school aspect of the résumé,” he says, “and the students doing their research, knowing what it is that they want to ask us – the questions where they’re looking for answers that maybe they couldn’t find on the internet.”
Alex Vail, ticket sales manager for the Beloit Sky Carp baseball team, was similarly impressed.
“Everyone’s professionally dressed. They’ve got résumés ready. They caught me off guard trying to get my LinkedIn,” Vail says with a laugh. “That was kind of funny for me and a moment for me to look at myself and say, ‘Hey, I should have had that ready.’ ”
Vail returned to Anderson Hall based on last year’s positive results as well as the continued need “to build our team” while also giving students “an opportunity to build their skills.”
“It’s about coachability and just being able to learn on the fly,” he says, “especially in the industry they’re looking at that’s so fast-paced with so much going on.”
Josue Pizano-Onofre, a junior Sport Management major with a minor in Sport Sales, wanted to market himself while the employers promoted themselves.
“You’re investing in yourself,” says Pizano-Onofre, a Rock Valley College transfer who grew up in Belvidere and believes that his KNPE faculty are living up to the NIU’s motto of “Your Future. Our Focus.”
“The biggest thing, from my experience, is to get involved – to get active – and one of the best things you can do is come out and meet people in the industry. It’s just about getting to know them for them, why they do it and building those connections,” he says.
“I’ve shown them I’ve got a lot of versatility,” he adds, “from working in education with an internship as a teacher’s assistant, to my internship doing sales for the Rockford Rivets, to coaching wrestling for three years, to refereeing and working at NIU Athletics.”
Pizano-Onofre can’t wait to launch himself even further, knowing that proving his worth in sales will propel him “a long way” up the corporate ladder.
Sales? Corporate partnerships? Sponsorships? Hospitality? Fan experience? Facility management?
Bring it, he says.
“You get to sell an experience. You get to sell a reason. You get to sell the first time to a ballpark. You get to be a part of something bigger than yourself, and within sports, we always have a wanting to be a part of something more,” Pizano-Onofre says.
“I’m not an athlete on the field, but if I’m able to bring a community together to watch a game, win or lose, they’re going to have fun,” he adds. “Seriously, you get to work in sports. What’s better?”
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