Chronicles of an Intern: Graduation Fair

By: Robert King

The Wednesday before Spring Break (March 14), I attended Cameron University's annual Graduation Fair to get some college senior business done. Some photos are at the end of this post.

At the fair there were several booths, graduates can just walk from booth to booth to do all the necessary things required in order to graduate.

The first booth is where you fill out a graduation form, which basically allows you to choose how you want your name on your degree to appear. The next booth is financial aid, and they basically walk you through the process of letting FAFSA know that you're done, and that soon you can start paying back your loans.

Next up is CU's Alumni Association, where you can become a lifetime member. I opted out of this for now. Sometime in the future I'll reconsider joining the association.

The next two stations are announcements and the bookstore. Announcements are like invitations, where you send cards in the mail and formally let family and friends know that you're graduating. The next booth over is where you get your cap, gown and tassle. My tassle is red, the color chosen for JRMP, my major.

Jostens, a company that helps you immortalize your high school & college expirience, is there. The caps & gowns come from Jostens, and their booth is where you can buy a senior ring or dog tag. I thought that the dog tag option was unique and peculiar, and I'm considering going to their website and having one made.

There was a booth that had lots of information about CU's graduate programs. At this point, I'm not interested in graduate school, I'd rather go into the workforce. Maybe if I develop a more specific career plan that requires graduate school, then maybe I'd pursue that.

And finally is a Photo Booth opportunity to have your picture taken in your cap and gown. I didn't have that done, because they take cap and gown pics after you walk and get your diploma.

Overall, I got my cap and gown, and I'm all set to graduate. All I have to do is get my capstone requirements completed so that I can actually walk this semester.