The first college fair of the year was held on Tuesday during A.I. in the LGI. The event created an opportunity for students to explore colleges throughout Kansas, Missouri and Iowa. Students had the chance to meet with various college representatives and discuss post-high school education. 

Representatives from Wichita State University, Pittsburg State University, Iowa State University, Fort Scott Community College, University of Missouri, University of Missouri-Kansas City and Pitt State/Wichita State ROTC were in attendance to answer questions about tuition, scholarships and academic offerings. 

This was the first of four planned college fairs for the fall semester. The college fairs are all organized by the college advisor, Rachel Rafferty.

“They [colleges] love doing this. They love when more students are able to come and talk to them,” said Rafferty.

Each college has their own booths that offer brochures, pins, beads and many other fun accessories. 

“[Students] will come in through one side and then they can cycle through the different reps and they can do a little u-turn if they want to,” Raffery said. “They can skip around if they want to, just asking them [representatives] any basic questions students may have.” 

Students were able to dig deeper into some colleges they may not have known or knew about but did not know any specific information regarding that college.  

“I got to see a college I was kinda looking at and got to see what it was like and got to learn some more information on different majors and minors that I’m interested in,” senior Thatcher Ahlers said. 

Various students came to the college fair, from students who have post-high school plans and students who had no clue what their next step was. Students such as senior Tristan Lewis got to learn new information that he wouldn’t have known had he not attended the fair. 

“The Fort Scott Community College said that they recently got a better music education program,” Lewis said. 

Students such as Ahlers took advantage of the college fair to find more information from the college booths they attended.

“It was [benefical] for me and I think it would be for other people,” Ahlers said.