The change of atmosphere on campus was evident to junior Joe Mazza on Tuesday afternoon.

Students in the cafeteria and the Mahogany room were dressed in suits and business attire, rather than their usual jeans and a sweatshirt.

It was Spring 2008 Career Fair that had more than 450 Sacred Heart students and alumni at the William H. Pitt Center on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Upon entering the main gym there were representatives from 119 companies, all of them ready to speak with students, accept resumes and consider candidates for internships or positions at their company.

"I wasn't expecting so many students to be here," said Mazza who was surprised by the turnout.

Mazza, a media studies major, was in search of an internship opportunity or summer job.

"I thought the representatives would be picky and selective about whom they spoke with, but they were willing to listen to my questions and seemed like they were trying to sell the company to me," said Mazza.

Along with other students, senior Jamie Paulsen was content with her experience at the fair, but felt let down with the number of recruiting companies present. Although some of these agencies were also offering marketing internships or job positions, most were advertising their own services at the same time.

"I feel like it's wasting a table for advertisement," said Paulsen.

GoliathJobs.com was one of those companies promoting their own services at the fair. The representative present for GoliathJobs.com, Kate Mezzapelle, said that her company was offering a marketing internship, where the student's job would be "to create a buzz on campus" about the company.

She also provided information about the company's Web site, which is similar to Monster.com except that the Stamford, Conn. based company is free and attracts smaller business as well as non-profit companies.

Nicole Davison, assistant director of Career Development was optimistic about the response both students and employers attending fair. There were a record number of employers as well as a sizeable student turnout.

"Students are excited to be here-it's a great experience for them to see what a career fair is all about," said Davison. "They get to talk directly to employers and are learning first hand how to network."

Rick DelVecchio, director of Career Placement, and Heather Marchand, assistant director of Career Placement shared the same sentiment.

Marchand was pleased with the steady flow of students throughout the afternoon, compared to previous years' "ebb and flow."

She was also impressed with the broad range of companies represented at the fair:

"It's good for students to see that the fair is not just for business majors; there are opportunities for students in all majors here."

Davison, Marchand and DelVecchio also emphasized the importance of students following through after the fair. The Career Development office can assist students in sending out resumes and preparing for interviews, as well as providing information about on campus interviews.

DelVecchio said a number of companies commented on the appearances of Sacred Heart students.

"Everybody is nicely dressed and well-prepared. The students are showing employers they are good quality candidates, which really compliments the school," said DelVecchio.

Vincent Ruocco, of Anquillare, Ruocco, Traster and Company, was one of those employers. A Certified Public Accountant, Ruocco was looking for students interested in consulting and accounting and he was impressed by how seriously the students took the fair.

"I expected more of a laid back, informational session," said Ruocco. "I have met more than one student who I will seriously consider for a position at my company. I'm surprised how the students have proven that they are more than a name on a resume."