NDSU Business Fair highlights opportunities beyond business majors

North Dakota State University's College of Business hosted its Explore Business Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 13, offering students an opportunity to learn how business education can complement a variety of majors and career paths.

The event was scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Memorial Union's Prairie Rose Room and was open to all NDSU students and staff. The fair provided information about business majors, minors, certificates and graduate programs, as well as opportunities to connect with faculty and academic advisers.

The College of Business organized the event in response to growing interest from students outside the college who want to incorporate business education into their degrees.

While business is often associated with careers in finance, accounting and management, the college emphasized how business skills can complement fields such as engineering, agriculture, communications, computer science and health care.

Kathryn Birkeland, the Ronald and Kaye Olson dean of the College of Business, said the event was intended to help students recognize opportunities beyond their primary areas of study.

“The Explore Business Fair is about helping students see possibilities,” Birkeland said in a statement provided by the college. “Your major gives you a strong foundation in a discipline, but adding a business program can give you another way to look at problems, opportunities and careers.”

Birkeland emphasized that business knowledge is applicable across industries, even for students who do not intend to pursue traditional business careers.

“No matter what field you go into, you’re going to work with people, make decisions, deal with budgets, and think about how ideas create value,” Birkeland said.

For students majoring outside the College of Business, a business minor or certificate provides an opportunity to develop additional skills without necessarily changing their primary field of study.

NDSU offers business-related academic programs in areas including accounting, management, marketing, business analytics and global business. These areas introduce students to different aspects of organizational operations, financial decision-making and professional development.

For example, business coursework may be relevant to students interested in managing projects, understanding organizational finances or pursuing entrepreneurship alongside another profession.

The fair also provided an opportunity for current College of Business students to explore additional academic programs and consider how different areas of business education could fit their career goals.

Students interested in adding or changing an academic program could connect with faculty and advisers to learn about degree requirements and available options.

In addition to undergraduate programs, the event highlighted graduate education opportunities within the College of Business, including the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Accountancy (MAcc).

These programs offer students opportunities to continue their education beyond an undergraduate degree and pursue more specialized business knowledge.

Information about academic programs was available through College of Business materials, which outlined undergraduate and graduate options and directed students to university resources for additional information.

The event was also designed to make academic planning more accessible by bringing information about multiple programs and advising opportunities into one location.

According to the college's event announcement, attendees were eligible to enter a giveaway for prizes including a JBL speaker, a College of Business blanket and an Owala water bottle.

Beyond providing information about specific degrees, the Explore Business Fair reflected the college's emphasis on the role of business education across academic disciplines.

For students considering how to broaden their education or prepare for careers that involve multiple areas of expertise, the fair offered information about ways to incorporate business coursework into their academic plans.

Students interested in exploring the available programs can find additional information through the NDSU College of Business website or by contacting the college's academic advisers.