JCC Open House and Career Expo Draws Hundreds of Students and Families

Jefferson Community College (JCC) held its annual Open House and Career Expo (OHCE) on April 11, 2025, giving students a unique opportunity to explore academic programs while making valuable career connections. Nearly 300 prospective students and family members attended the event. 

“We’re proud to host an event that gives students a head start on building their futures,” said Chelsea Marra, Director of Admissions at Jefferson. “It’s important they don’t have to wait until after college to begin forming professional connections. By bringing together industry professionals and prospective students, we helped spark meaningful conversations and informed choices about college and career paths.” 

Jefferson’s OHCE featured a networking fair with nearly 70 representatives from 50 local organizations, designed to help students align their career goals with JCC’s academic programs while learning about in-demand skills. The event also included a  keynote presentation by entrepreneur, author, and hypnotist Eric Mina; a student services fair; opportunities to meet JCC faculty; campus tours; and breakout sessions on a variety of topics. Local radio station, The Border, was on sight broadcasting live throughout the day.  

Hailing from Belleville, Ontario, Marcus Forbes plans to pursue a degree in sports management at Jefferson and join the college’s hockey team. He says, “What I like about JCC is everyone treats you like family. Coming from Canada, I didn’t know anyone, but the guys—my future teammates—and the wonderful coaching staff on the hockey team made me feel at home.”

Marcus attended the event with his mother, Tracey Forbes, who added, “Jefferson has a great atmosphere and a good learning environment. It gives you that small hometown feeling, with everything so close by, and they treat everyone like family regardless of where you’ve come from. It’s so nice to find staff who genuinely care about the students’ well-being—and it shows.”

The Open House and Career Expo is one of Jefferson’s most comprehensive outreach events, connecting prospective students not only with academic and support services, but also with real-world career insight that helps shape confident, informed decisions about their future.