CSU and regional partners host 3rd annual College Fest
More than 900 students from 30 different regional institutions networked with around 80 employers at the 3rd annual College Fest, held at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Sept. 9, 2026.
Cleveland State University joined the Greater Cleveland Partnership and Cleveland Talent Alliance to host the event, which ran all day, giving students a chance to network with potential employers and explore the iconic venue after hours.
With companies across Greater Cleveland searching for talent, College Fest helps match up students with potential employers, and also helps students see the entire range of jobs and opportunities on offer in the region.
Baiju Shah, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, said the event is crucial to keeping the regional workforce growing.
“A finance student may think they can only work in a bank,” Shah said, “but there are positions for them at all kinds of companies, even ones such as Smucker’s.”
College students of all years and majors from across Cleveland attended the event, meeting with different prospective companies and grateful that they could compare offers and opportunities all in one place.
“I have talked to Progressive and the Cleveland Browns, and I’m really interested in working for them," said a data science student from John Carroll University. "I didn’t realize that so many places would have a job that I could do."
Despite the multiple opportunities on offer, some students found the event difficult to navigate.
“No, I haven’t found anyone I have wanted to talk to,” a CSU alumna said. “I can’t find anything in this place, and the directions they give are confusing. Some escalators don’t have the opposite direction, and then I get lost.”
For students looking for an immediate next step, the Greater Cleveland Partnership and Cleveland Talent Alliance have a digital talent platform that lets students search employers and opportunities.
The alliance partners will also host the Winter Career Expo to connect with students from different colleges, Dec. 16, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Huntington Convention Center, with admission free.
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