OSU Institute of Technology will welcome more than a thousand visitors to campus for the annual one-day Career Encounters event that showcases the institution’s wide range of technical and applied science programs.

The event is Tuesday, Oct. 11 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with check-in outside the Student Union beginning at 8:30 a.m.

High school seniors, CareerTech students and adult learners are encouraged to attend Career Encounters to get an up-close, first-hand look at the is wide range of programs OSUIT has to offer.

Every school will offer several one-hour sessions on different aspects of its programs, and attendees can choose two sessions to attend during the day as well as an open house.

Following the last session at 12:45 p.m., students can enjoy lunch at one of four Tulsa food trucks that will be on site— Andolini’s Pizza, The Meltdown, Local Table and Taqueria El Jarocho— as well as from the Cowboy Café in the Student Union. OSU mascot Pistol Pete will also be on hand for photos during the afternoon.

With more than 50 sessions to choose from, a variety of programs from all OSUIT schools will be showcased through activities that include a high voltage pole climbing contest, prosthetics workshop, food sensory experiments and 3D software demonstrations, just to name a few

Students can choose to attend two sessions offered by the same school, or they can attend completely different sessions, said Sable Vasquez, OSUIT’s special events coordinator.

“They get to see and do everything. The scheduled activities are designed to help answer all of their questions and provide a level of expectation of what OSUIT can offer,” Vasquez said.“Some students have a preconceived notion about technical education that just isn’t true. Career Encounters shows them first-hand the high-demand, high-paying options available to them in these areas.”

The sessions give participants an opportunity to meet program faculty and staff, interact and talk with current students and possibly meet prospective employers. It’s also a chance for prospective students to see what classes are like in the programs offered at OSUIT.

“Applied technology and hands-on education is what we do at OSUIT. Attendees can actively participate and work with the same equipment that is used in our classrooms and in the real world,” Vasquez said.

There will be information booths throughout campus to assist anyone with directions, as well staff from the admissions and financial aid offices on hand to answer any questions.

Registration is required for Career Encounters, and those interested in attending should sign up soon because of limited seating in each session.

To see the brochure with session descriptions or to register online, visit osuit.edu/careerencounters. You can also contact Sable Vasquez at 918-293-5220 or email sablew@okstate.edu.