Nancy Davis, Cindy Hall, and Pamela Abuka put their heads together and came up with a thousand points of brilliance as the theme for this fall's Career Expo.

They started with a mirror, into which students could peer and visualize themselves in the career they wanted. But no two students, in a diverse college campus community, were likely to share the exact same image.

The result: provide them not one mirror, but a thousand. "Reflections" became the Expo's theme, and a disco ball its logo. Hundreds of students danced in the points of light provided by 115 exhibitors and more than 100 sponsoring businesses of the Oct. 15-17 event in the Main Quad. "Once a few students visited the expo," said Davis, "they spread the word around and crowds of students began to visit the expo." A giant tent protected the event from predicted rain.

"One employer said they were treated like royalty," said Hall. "They were excited and happy about the turnout." High school students at the event were escorted on a campus tour by Abuka, to let the students see ways that Grossmont might fit into their career futures. On Oct. 15, Davis, Hall and Abuka presided over a Career Clinic that presented workshops on "Interview Dynamics/Dress for Success," "Resume and Cover Letters," and "Tapping America's Potential – Success After 50."

Sponsors participated at levels ranging from $50 to $1,000. A raffle offered opportunities to win iPods, a Nano, gift certificates and movie passes.

More than 300 Grossmont College students explored their educational futures at Transfer Day on Oct. 10 in the Main Quad.

There to help guide their decisions were representatives from 40 educational institutions, from San Diego State to Mexico's University of Xochicalco.

"A number of University of California and California State Universities attended the event," said event coordinator Mary Rider. "Schools that drew large crowds included UCLA, Berkeley, and CSU Long Beach. The campus that elicited the most interest was San Diego State, which also had the most representatives available to talk to students.

Many private colleges and universities participated, including large and small campuses, designed to meet the needs and interests of adult learners, religious affiliations, and students interested in specialized programs and majors.

"Students were provided with a handout that summarized questions they might want to ask the college and university representatives," said Rider. "The college representatives indicated they were kept busy answering the specific and sometimes probing questions of the 300-plus students who took advantage of the opportunity to meet with them."

Rider also promoted campus spirit by encouraging faculty, staff and administrators to wear their own college’s logo t-shirts to the event.