On Feb. 20, the University of Oregon’s Portland campus was filled with students, onlookers and local companies ready to mingle for the night. Among the many companies present, the Oregonian Media Group, Portland Timbers and Populous, the architecture design firm behind the Las Vegas sphere, stood out.

From 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., students had the opportunity to sit with representatives from their preferred companies for a 10-minute one-on-one chat where they could share projects, resumes and portfolios. First-year Strategic Communications student Aurora Gonzalez was grateful for the opportunity to speak directly with potential connections.

“Honestly, as someone that’s very shy, very introverted, it’s been super nice getting to connect with students and people in the industry,” Gonzalez said.

Elliot Njus, the Oregonian’s Director of Content, shared that even if students were not interested in being journalists, they booked time to speak with him.

“I’ve had some great conversations with people,” Njus said. “It’s a good opportunity to get some pointers, start building your network, and ask some of the questions that are in some ways easier when the stakes are low.”

Gonzalez echoed the sentiment, sharing that she is very thankful to the UO PDX student council for hosting. Natalie Turman, the current student council president and second-year strategic communications major, was thrilled that the night went so well.

“I just want people to feel really confident in what they’re putting out there,” Turman said. “I’m hoping people feel a little bit more at ease and inspired about what their next steps could look like.”

The night ended with students being able to converse with any of the employers present with no time limit, allowing for deeper connections to form.