York College Hosts First-Ever Fall Career Expo, Connecting Students with Employers

The line stretched out the door of the M&T Bank Field House on September 24, buzzing with anticipation. Students dressed in sharp suits and polished shoes clutched résumés and portfolios, ready to introduce themselves to more than 130 employers who had come to York College’s first-ever Fall Career Expo. The air was charged with possibility: internships, full-time jobs, and connections that could shape the next chapter of their lives.

For Business Administration major Devin Hartlaub ‘25, that energy was exactly what he came for. The Hanover native and U.S. Army veteran spent two years stationed in South Korea before enrolling at York College. He is now preparing to graduate in December 2025 and is eager to land a leadership role.

“When I was in the military, I was a platoon guy in basic training, and that leadership just kind of carried on from there,” Hartlaub said. “I just like the idea of leading others and creating a good organization and culture.”

At the Expo, Hartlaub made it his mission to connect with as many recruiters as possible. “I like to use this opportunity for self-branding,” he explained. “I want to get out, meet employers, make a good first impression, hand out my résumé, and hopefully it leads to a job interview or even landing a job. That would be crazy!”

He noted that the layout of the event made it easy to have meaningful conversations. 

“They did a nice job with the layout. Everything is easy to find and follow. It’s spaced out enough that I’m able to have a good conversation with an employer without hearing the people next to me,” he said.

Hartlaub wasn’t alone in seeing the value. Kendal Gerber, a senior Accounting major, said the Expo opened doors she hadn’t considered.

“The Career Expo has personally helped me to connect with local and state employers as well as help me understand a variety of opportunities that are available for me once I graduate,” Gerber said. “It’s also a great way to network with those in your industry as well as meet some fellow YCP alumni!”

That alumni presence was strong on the employer side, too. Phil See ’13 (MBA) is an Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Manager at Harley-Davidson. He said his company has relied on York College students for years.

“We’ve had a good relationship with York College for several years,” See said. “We fill a lot of our co-op positions at the York manufacturing facility with York College students, and they’ve always done very well.”

Harley-Davidson was among the companies looking for engineering and manufacturing-facing roles, along with opportunities in quality and supply chain operations. See said presentation and teamwork skills stood out the most.

“Initially, we are looking at how they present themselves. A big part of what we see for co-ops being successful at Harley is how well someone can work in a group or lead a group,” he said.

For Harrisburg-based WebFX, the event was an important chance to meet students early in their job searches.

“We have hired quite a few York alums in the past, and we want to continue to spread brand awareness and hopefully hire more York students,” said Julie Gardner, WebFX Talent Acquisition Coordinator. “We’ve participated in the Career Expo in the Spring, so we were really excited to hear there was a Career Expo in the Fall.”

She added that the timing benefits seniors most. “As a company, we hire up to a year in advance from graduation,” Gardner explained. “So this gives those seniors an early career opportunity, and they could possibly go into their final semester already knowing they have a job lined up.”

This year’s Expo also highlighted the strong ties between York College and the regional business community. Nearly 30% of the companies represented at the event are also corporate donors to the College. That connection underscores just how much local employers value YCP students, not only seeking them out as future employees but also supporting the College to ensure it can continue preparing stellar graduates.

Back on the Expo floor, Hartlaub left with a stack of business cards and fresh enthusiasm for the job search ahead.

“I had the opportunity to learn a lot about management and sales roles that interest me, especially with the Management Training program currently underway at Enterprise,” he said. “I was able to make great connections that I think will stand out in the future when these employers see my name coming through on applications.”

For Hartlaub, and for the hundreds of other students who crowded into the Field House that day, the first Fall Career Expo wasn’t just another event on campus. It was a glimpse into the future.