Speed Networking at Beacom

The Beacom Institute of Technology’s Collaboration Room buzzed with anticipation on Wednesday, March 11th, as DSU students filtered in ahead of the 5:00 PM start time for the latest installment of the Adulting 101 Series: a Speed Networking Event. Organizers had encouraged attendees to arrive ten to fifteen minutes early, and many took that advice to heart, giving the room time to fill and the evening’s eight small groups to take shape before the first conversations began. The setup was intentional and personal: students who wanted to share a group with friends had only to say so at the door, a small but thoughtful touch that helped ease first-time nerves.

The event ran until 6:30 PM, with a relaxed but purposeful energy from the very first rotation. Business casual was the suggested dress, and a number of students arrived with printed resumes tucked under their arms, though neither was required. What mattered most was showing up and being willing to talk. For those unsure of how to break the ice, conversation prompts were laid out at each table, ready to spark discussion about career paths, internship opportunities, and the kind of questions students don’t always know they’re allowed to ask.

Representing a strong cross-section of the professional world were sponsors and participating employers including Pinnacle Productions, Eide Bailly, KBR, Century Business Products, Amazon, Sioux Falls Development Foundation, Viaflex, and Omnitech. The lineup gave students meaningful exposure to industries ranging from accounting and engineering to technology and business services. The small-group format meant that conversations stayed genuine rather than transactional, with students able to dig deeper than a typical career fair handshake might allow.

Refreshments were on hand throughout the evening, with vegan and vegetarian options available alongside beverages. And when the structured portion of the event wrapped up, the night wasn’t over. Students and employers were encouraged to linger for another thirty minutes, giving everyone the chance to revisit a conversation that had ended too soon or follow up on a moment of genuine connection.

The Speed Networking Event was, in every sense, a room full of beginnings. Students left with new contacts, a clearer sense of what professionals are actually looking for, and the kind of confidence that only comes from having done the thing you were nervous about. DSU continues to show that when the right people are put in the same room with the right structure around them, something real tends to happen.