By Benjamin Pola

As Black History Month got underway, the USC Black Student Assembly (BSA) broke ground with the launch of the university's very first Black Career Fair. A diverse range of top-tier companies, from the entertainment, law, finance, and technology industries, came together to showcase their organizations and promote diversity and inclusion in the workforce.

Big names like Disney, Sony Playstation, Paramount Global, the National Football League, Boeing, McKinsey & Co., Deloitte, Guess, HOK Group, KPMG, and Riot Games came out in full force to make this event a resounding success.

Candice House, a junior in the Business of Cinematic Arts program, and Ire Omitowoju, a student in the Iovine and Young Academy, co-chaired the USC Black Career Fair initiative. With aspirations of entering the entertainment business after graduation, they made sure to have a great lineup of entertainment companies in the mix. 

House, who also serves as Co-Executive Director of BSA this year, along with Omitowoju and their executive board members had a clear vision of creating a space for Black-identifying students to connect with Black professionals from their dream companies. And they succeeded, providing a unique opportunity for students to engage in intimate conversations with representatives from major companies, something that is not available at traditional career fairs.

“We felt like we didn't have our own space to connect with the bigger name companies we all want to intern and work for someday,” House recalls. So they decided to create that for themselves. The fair aimed to offer students more than just a one-day event and to achieve that, the BSA made sure that representatives from these companies would be willing to act as mentors to students who reached out to them long after the fair. 

With over 300 attendees and 17 major companies represented, the student-led career fair was a major success for its first go around. House shared her excitement, saying, "I'm glad that this event was a success as the first, and that it was put on by students because I would like it to keep being put on by students! I think in regards to career fairs, students know what companies they want to be hired by, so we should be leading those conversations."

The fair proved that representation and diversity are critical components in the workforce, and it set a perfect example of what can be accomplished when students come together to make a real difference. The BSA's inaugural USC Black Career Fair was a game-changer that won't be forgotten anytime soon. 

Special shoutout to the student leaders who made it possible: Candance House, Ire Omitowoju, Kameron Villafana, Radiya Ajibade, Melie Haile, Ayomide Ajayi, Khalil Daniels, Laylah Fairley, Muchiri MacHaria, Evan Steele, and Dylan Williams.