HSJ Expo offers opportunities for internships, employment
Thursday, February 5, 2026
Employers seeking Penn College human services & restorative justice students and graduates line the hallway in the Hager Lifelong Education Center. Twice a year, the academic program hosts a Human Services & Restorative Justice Internship and Job Expo to bring employers in contact with its students.
Sixteen employers participated in the January Human Services & Restorative Justice Internship and Job Expo. The event, which takes place every fall and spring, aims to bring employers to Penn College who are specifically interested in human services & restorative justice students and graduates.
Vendor booths ran the length of the hallway outside of the program's classroom space, offering a mix of part- and full-time job opportunities for students nearing graduation and looking for employment.
"Our bachelor's degree program has three hands-on experiences, which require students to get field experience – the associate degree has two required field experiences,” said Sarah S. Moore, assistant professor of human services and restorative justice. “The expo allows students to begin to network with employers who may be able to provide them with those opportunities.”
Many of the students, she added, are enrolled in the dual degree and, upon completing the associate degree, will look for employment in the field while they complete their bachelor’s.
The students’ field experience takes place during the first semester of classes. Students learn quickly what types of environments they want – or don’t want – to explore further.
“They can make informed decisions on elective course offerings to best educate themselves in their degree, so they are best prepared upon entering their first job,” Moore said. “The hands-on experience they gain in the field experiences in our program are unique, and the expo allows them to meet a diverse group of employers. The expo also exposes them to programs and services they may use as a professional later, such as making referrals for their clients, or advocating for services needed in their communities.”
The HSJ staff was impressed with the vendor turnout.
“Human services and restorative justice careers span a broad range of career options, so it is helpful to the students to provide a variety of employers so each student can connect with a few places they find meaningful or hope to learn more about,” Moore said.
Participating employers were:
- BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 and Educational Staffing Solutions
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- Community Services Group
- County of Lycoming
- Diversified Treatment Alternative Centers
- Federal Correctional Complex, Allenwood
- Hope Enterprises Inc.
- Juvenile Uplifting Mentoring Program
- Little Lambs Preschool & Childcare
- Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services
- Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
- Pennsylvania State Police – Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement
- STEP Inc.
- UPMC Pathways to Work
- White Deer Run/Acadia Healthcare
- YWCA Northcentral PA
Students converse with a representative of the Pennsylvania State Police’s Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement.
Students gather valuable information.
Community Services Group is among employers connecting with students.
December Penn College graduate Hayden D. Lester returns to campus to help recruit future employees for the BLaST Intermediate Unit, which serves school districts in Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan and Tioga counties. She is assistant to the personnel specialist for BLaST.