Miami Start-Up Brings a New Approach to the Traditional College Fair
CORAL GABLES, Fla., Sept. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A new expo started by showcasing higher education options for students of all ages and interests will take place on October 7 and 8 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The fair is called HigherEdEXPO and is slated to be the only public event of this type in the region where students can visit with "Ivy League" schools, local universities, graduate programs as well as colleges from the US and abroad.
Hundreds of schools of all types have jumped at the chance to participate. With registered exhibitors ranging - literally - from Harvard and Yale to local vocational schools, this event has more than exceeded the founders' goals of offering options for every potential student, including associate, bachelor, master, doctoral and technical degrees.
Gerardo Alvarado - Executive Director of HigherEdEXPO - developed the initial concept for the fair while working as Director of Marketing and Enrollment at Florida International University (FIU). After several years in the industry, Alvarado became dissatisfied with the results of the national college fair circuits, which cater exclusively to high school students while completely ignoring adult learners and non-traditional students – key demographics in today's higher education market. Conversely, "graduate" fairs, designed for university graduates, are generally held in college gyms and cafeterias, and do not reach non-traditional students. It was then that Alvarado partnered with Enrique Triay, a graduate of Cornell and Stanford. Together, the two developed the Expo, which would cater to both traditional and non-traditional students seeking post-secondary educational options.
States Alvarado, "the idea comes down to extending the concept of the traditional college and graduate fairs to include new options for the traditional students, as well as expanding the audience by catering to the non-traditional student population. When you add to this mix a world class venue and state-of-the-art features, our events should provide a more valuable experience for attendees and exhibitors alike."
The Miami HigherEdEXPO has been endorsed by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Board, and is sponsored by The Miami Herald, Power 96 radio, NextStep Magazine, FIU's Graduate School of Business, DeVry University, Miami Dade College, Chamberlain College of Nursing, College of Business and Technology (CBT), Liberty University, and several other colleges and universities from across the country. "Based on the number and quality of schools registered and the size local market, we expect to see as many as 15-20,000 attendees," states Enrique Triay, CEO of HigherEdEXPO.
About HigherEdEXPO:
HigherEdEXPO is a national circuit of higher education events designed to be a true display of the many options available in higher education – from local colleges and universities to private "Ivy League" schools, graduate programs and online learning providers. HigherEdEXPO seeks to promote diversity and educational access among under-served groups of the population by expanding the fair circuit to major markets with significant minority populations. The corporate offices are located in Coral Gables, FL. For information, tickets and a list of exhibitors, please visit www.higheredexpo.com. Tel: (305)705-6803.
Contact:
Gerardo Alvarado, MBA
Higher Ed EXPO
(305)705-6793
[email protected]
SOURCE HigherEdEXPO
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