Take a Student out to Eat helps students get career ready

Fresno State’s biannual Take a Student out to Eat (TASTE) event is scheduled for November 18th. It aims to get Media, Communications and Journalism (MCJ) and Art and Design students career-ready. This year will be the first time the event is held virtually.

TASTE brings industry professionals and students together based on their interests and allows students to ask questions to get a better understanding of the career they might want to pursue.

“We do our best to match MCJ and graphic design students with professionals that work in the industry that they’re most interested in,” said Fresno State Public Relations student Samantha Mejia.

Unlike past years TASTE will be completely virtual due to the ongoing pandemic. While the event is meant to be a person-to-person luncheon where students and industry professionals can talk, Public Relations student and organizer Valeria Murguia said going virtual is a great opportunity for mentors and students.

“In other years we were kind of stuck with mentors in the Central Valley, which is not a bad thing, but now with them being virtual we have the opportunity to reach our to mentors from all over the world,” said Murguia.

Being online also allows students that otherwise couldn’t attend the in-person event the opportunity to connect with a mentor.

“I had a job here in Kerman and I couldn’t attend. Now I feel like I can squeeze it in before class or before work and it’s much better that way, it’s more accessible to everyone,” said TASTE attendee Nalitza Ival.

Students can prepare before the event by researching their mentor on LinkedIn, making sure they have a stable internet connection and figuring out questions they want to ask.

For more information you can contact Haley Walker, Haleywalkerrrr@mail.fresnostate.edu, and Victoria Ponce, Victoriaponce21@mail.fresnostate.edu.