The University of Virginia Career Services Office is sponsoring a conference primarily for fourth-year students still in career-planning mode.

“Leaving the Lawn” will be held March 21 from 2 to 5 p.m. in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium. Enrollment is restricted to about 150 students.

“This is an event designed to give students an opportunity to connect with potential employers, nonprofits, nongovernmental organizations and their peers,” said Laura Craig, assistant director of career transitions at the University Career Services office.

The keynote speaker for the March 21 career fair will be Steve Matuszak, adjunct faculty and a Ph.D. student at the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech. He is also an independent consultant who has worked with hundreds of corporations around the country.

“He is a very good speaker and he is good with students,” Craig said. “He helps his clients face a challenging market by getting a better understanding of themselves, defining their goals and networking better.”

Following Matuszak’s talk, participants will divide into breakout sessions, including:

• “Next Stop: Graduate School?,” with Molly Angevine and Briana Reid, admission specialists with the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.
• “Stepping Out to Serve: Choose Your Own Adventure,” with Dana Cronyn of Teach for America, Alexandria Johnston from the Virginia College Advising Corps and UnoBlessed Coons of CityYear.
• “Telling Your Story,” with Everette Fortner, special assistant to the Vice President & Chief Student Affairs Officer and leader of the career services enhancement efforts.
• “Using Data to Succeed on LinkedIn,” with Heather Rudd Palmer, a career counselor at U.Va.’s Center for Engineering Career Development, and William Chichester, sourcing strategy lead for campus recruiting at Capital One, a financial services firm.
• “Career Pit Stop,” with University Career Services staff and career peer educators.
• “Impress Employers in Interviews,” with U.Va. alumna Shannon Marsh Leistra, a senior brand manager for Marlboro.
• “Becoming A Quality Applicant,” with Matuszak, the keynote speaker.

There is no charge for students to participate; for information and to register, click here. Call University Career Services at 434-924-8900 or email emd5w@virginia.edu with questions.