WINONA LAKE, Ind. – A mock interview event for Grace College juniors and seniors was hosted last week by the Center for Career Connections at Grace College. On Wednesday, April 16, more than 50 Kosciusko County employers gathered at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center to give students an opportunity to practice their interview skills.

Pictured is Grace College student, Miles Barber.

Set up in “speed dating” style, mock interviews were conducted in two shifts with a networking session and dinner in between sessions. Freshmen and sophomores from the Millennial Scholar Academy and the Orthopaedic Scholar Institute were also privileged to attend.

“The feedback we received from employers and students was exceptional,” said Denise Terry, director of the Center for Career Connections at Grace. “Everyone was impressed with how well the event flowed and how valuable this experience was for both our students and the employers.  Several employers are pursuing the students they met with for actual employment opportunities within their companies.”

Jeremy Mullins, commercial manager at Louis Dreyfus said, “This event was a great opportunity for different business owners to see what kind of talent we have in our own back yard. It also gave students the opportunity to see the businesses that are in their community. No matter what industry you are in, it pays to have those personal connections.”

Participating employers included: 1^st Source Bank, ABC Industries, Best Schotz Productions, Big Brother/Big Sister, Biomet, Brandpoet, Cardinal Services, Center Street Partners, Kosciusko/Warsaw Chamber of Commerce, the City of Warsaw, Crowe Horwath, DePuy, Egg Innovations, EnPak, Grace College, Grace Village Retirement Community, Hand Industries, Harrison Elementary, Helvey and Associates, Jefferson Elementary, Lake City Bank, Leesburg Elementary, Louis Dreyfus, Maple Leaf Farms, Pierceton Elementary, Royal Blue, Smith Academy for Excellence, Silveus Insurance, Spherion Staffing Services, Star Bank, SYM Financial, Tree of Life Bookstore, uLead, United States Army, Warsaw Community Schools, Winona Lake Police Department, Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church, Zimmer, and Zing! Recruiting.

Tim Minear, chief operating officer at Silveus Insurance, said, “As an employer in our community, this event was a great opportunity for us to team up and support the local college and students. The college is vital for our community, and the mock interviews event gave us the chance to jump in there and help.”