Representatives from more than 35 companies and 11 law firms will be on hand on the University of the Virgin Islands' St. Croix campus for the 2008 Career Exploration Week scheduled for March 31 through April 4.

Sponsored by UVI's Student Affairs and Counseling and Placement offices, the week's activities are designed to help "open the eyes of students to the world of work and the opportunities that are available," said Doris Farrington-Hepburn, UVI's supervisor of counseling and placement on St. Croix.

The week begins with the second annual Caribbean Law Fair, scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, March 31, in the North West Wing's Great Hall. Representatives from 11 U.S. law schools and the V.I. Bar Association will be on hand to speak with students interested in pursuing careers in law. The law fair is targeted at UVI students, the general public and invited high school students.

Participating law schools include those from the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota), the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, the University of Richmond (Virginia), Florida Coastal University, Texas Southern University (Thurgood Marshall School of Law), Tulane University, the University of Memphis, Touro College (New York), Widener University (Delaware), South Texas University and the New York Law School.

More general career exploration activities begin on Tuesday, April 1, with the week's keynote address given by Ruby Fleming of Fleming's Transport. Fleming's address - titled "Broadening Your Horizons" - will be given at 11:30 a.m. in the Cafetorium.

Wednesday, April 2, is the week's career fair day. Representatives from businesses will be available from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Melvin Evans Center and on the surrounding grounds. Prize drawings are scheduled hourly throughout the day for participating students.

Farrington-Hepburn noted that participation by businesses has been growing each year. "Last year we had 37 businesses," she said. "This year we're expecting between 35 and 40." Some of the expected participants include HOVENSA, Divi Carina Bay Resort, the Juan Luis Hospital and Medical Center, Marshall and Sterling, the Bank of Nova Scotia, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Department of Homeland Security, Kmart, Proctor & Gamble and several Economic Development Commission companies.

"I find the cooperation of the companies excellent," Farrington-Hepburn said. For students who are not sure about what career they want to pursue, "these business people will sit and speak with them and let them know what they have to offer," she said.

Farrington-Hepburn said it is important for students to consider what careers will be in existence in the next five to 10 years. "Changes are coming," she said. "By 2011 we will have over 80 million seniors in the (U.S.) community. What are people doing to create markets for that population? This fair is designed to help students train in the right fields and to learn how to think about creating businesses that meet the market demands."

Thursday, April 3, has been designated as "Dress 4 Success Day." Sessions on interviewing techniques and a workshop on resume writing will be offered from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Cafetorium. The presenter will be Cyndee Frontal, owner of the St. Croix modeling agency Cyndee's Models in the ISLE.

The week will conclude on Friday, April 4, with a public speaking workshop featuring Abdul Ali from the V.I. Department of Labor. The workshop is slated for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Cafetorium.

For more information contact Doris Farrington-Hepburn at dfarrin@uvi.edu or by phone at 692-4187.