The Elon Network, a student-led networking event launched last year by Class of 2011 alumnus Mike Nowak, returns this month with a twist. This year, student presenters will be joined by professionals and each of Elon’s schools will be represented.

At last year’s event, which attracted more than 600 students, the primary representation came from the Schools of Communications and Business, said Scott Bishopric, assistant director of the event. This year, representation ranges from the Department of Defense to Teach for America to the Bank of America.

The primary idea of The Elon Network is founded in a skill that college students typically excel at — social networking.

[box]Fast Facts

Who: students and professionals What: The Elon Network When: 6-8 p.m., March 28 Where: Alumni Gym Why: to network with fellow students and professionals working in the industry  [/box]

“By taking advantage of each student’s personal network, we enable what would normally be extraordinary connections to occur regularly by creating a forum for network leveraging,” Bishopric said.

He described the event as a career fair, complete with professionals and students who have worked in the various fields they are representing.

“Take away the suits and the awkward introductions — greeters will introduce you to professionals and student presenters with experience relevant to your career path,” he said. “Add free food and tons of great career advice and connections, and then you have The Elon Network.”

While confirmation is still pending, 55 students and about 40 professionals are expected to present at the event. While the deadline for signing up as a student presenter has passed, Bishopric said interested students are still encouraged to reach out to him via email at wbishopric@elon.edu and he will attempt to work them in. Junior Christine Mavraganis became involved with The Elon Network last year and said the purpose of the event is for students to leave feeling like they’ve learned something.

“Being a committee member is very empowering, knowing that we are assisting a large number of students by providing them with outlets to all sorts of internship and post-college opportunities,” she said. “Students talking to students is way less intimidating than students talking to professionals, so I feel they get more out of it.”

Mavraganis’ main role is training the greeters at the event, who welcome students and direct them to presenters within their field.

“Greeters are there to help the student who knows exactly where their career path is headed, but also the student who does not have a clue,” she said. “There is such a variety of presenters that it will be hard not to find someone that sparks an interest.”

Bishopric said students running the entire  event takes on different meanings for the organizers of the Elon Network, which include events with majors ranging from strategic communications to education.

“It means that everything about the event is designed from the perspective of the user,” Bishopric said. “We all want jobs and career advice, so it’s easy for us to imagine what other students need and want.”

He also said it allows the event to grow in line with both the size and needs of the Elon student body.

“They will have the opportunity to network and learn about the best way to get into their career of choice in a unique and effective way,” he said.