Amid COVID-19, ICR Future Career & College Fair Goes Online March 28

HIAWATHA, IOWA (March 23, 2021) — The ICR Future Virtual Career and College Fair is being held Sunday, March 28 from 1-3 pm, featuring more than 70 colleges, universities, and career resources from across Iowa and the nation, enabling high school students to engage with experts and explore future opportunities.

Originally scheduled to take place in Cedar Rapids, the fair is being held in a virtual platform to meet social gathering guidelines and provide a safe environment for students and parents to interact with fair exhibitors. To engage the virtual platform, students must register to attend at www.icansucceed.org/icrfuture-student.

“The fair experience is such an important part of the planning process. Attending a fair enables students to explore different schools and training options, and talk to a variety of experts to learn about future opportunities.” Stated Brittania Morey, Director of Communications for ICAN.

As schools continue hybrid and return to in-person learning, large gatherings are still a concern to COVID-19 and all traditional in-person college fairs have been cancelled in the state of Iowa. The ICR Future Virtual Fair is the only spring fair available to students and parents looking to continue the process of planning for life after high school.

“The college fair is an important exploration tool for students to understand post-high school options and ICAN is determined that Iowa students have the opportunity to explore their future. Many things are different during a pandemic, but the future is still coming, and students need to be prepared,” explained Morey. “ICAN has worked hard over the past year to continue offering planning resources and services to Iowa students, parents, and schools. The virtual fair offers the same face-to-face connection our in-person event would have, just through a screen, from the comfort of home.”

The virtual format will be different, but will offer many of the same opportunities an in-person event would. Each exhibitor will have a virtual booth complete with webcam and audio features and students and parents can have the same conversation with representatives, ask the same questions and really dig into the opportunities available to them.

The fair is divided into segments – Student Services, Career Exploration, and Education and Training. Student Services offers exhibitors who provide support services or planning information to students while in high school to help prepare for the transition.

Career Exploration exhibitors represent business and industry and align with career assessment results students have received that match them to careers based on personality and interests.

Education and Training exhibitors represent colleges and universities from across the country, representing 12 states.

These three segments help bridge the gap between career exploration and college/training selection, to help students make informed decisions that align career interests with education and training. The fair is free and open to the public.

A career and college fair is the ideal place to learn more about schools and programs students might consider too far away to visit, too expensive or exclusive, or otherwise unattainable. Presented by ICAN and ICR Future, and sponsored by Kirkwood Community College, Community Promise by MEDCO, and Iowa Farm Bureau, the fair runs from 1 – 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 28.

Students of all ages and at all stages of the planning process are encouraged to attend and talk one-on-one with school and business representatives about making college and career choices.

“In today’s ever-changing job market it’s important for students to not only plan for education or training after high school, but to have a career path in mind when they are making those  decisions, and to understand the expectations employers will have once they graduate,” stated Morey.

Iowa schools will be joined by colleges from 12 different states including Kansas, Indiana, Florida, Oregon, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, among others. To see the complete list of exhibitors, visit ICANsucceed.org/icrfuture.

Students can also find suggestions for preparing for college fairs, making the most of their visits and what to do after a fair online. For more information about the ICR Future Virtual Career and College Fair, or to register visit: ICANsucceed.org/icrfuture.

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About ICAN

ICAN is a nonprofit, educational organization. ICAN is the College Access Network for Iowa, and a member of the National College Access Network (NCAN). ICAN has ten locations in Ankeny, Cedar Rapids, Coralville, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Orange City, Sioux City and Waterloo, which provide programming and advising support to students and their families as they plan for education and training after high school. All ICAN programs and services are provided without charge. For more information about ICAN, call (877) 272-4692 or visit www.ICANsucceed.org.