The Hall of Honors bustles with excited students dressed in suits, their résumés and business cards in hand as they stop by blue booths to speak with business recruiters. 

The Hispanic Business Student Association hosted their 42nd annual Company Night on Tuesday in the McCombs Atrium and the Hall of Honors. Taking place the night before the McCombs Career Expo, this event offered students the opportunity to practice talking to company recruiters about internships and career opportunities. 

With over 180 members according to their website, the Hispanic Business Student Association remains one of the top student organizations at UT, and accounting junior Anthony Romero said HBSA gives students the opportunity to develop professional skills that will aid them in their career search, giving students the tools they need to be successful in the world of business. 

“Our purpose is to help students professionally develop and find a sense of community,” Romero said. “We do workshops with different companies, learn about interview tips and overall help new students … better (transition) to (life in) Austin.”

Romero — one of the organization’s officers —  took on the responsibility of organizing the event, which included reaching out to companies through email, phone calls and LinkedIn. Romero said that he and other HBSA officers began planning this event over the summer. With the help of eight other council members and three chairs, Romero said he was able to successfully draw over 60 companies and 350 students to the event,

“We’ve been working on Company Night since June, … figuring out all the logistics and everything,” Romero said. “It was the first time in person since 2019, so we had to adjust what we can and can’t do.” 

Lesly Muñoz, sophomore business major and marketing intern for Company Night, said the large scale of the event makes it a unique opportunity for students looking to network.

“Company Night is the largest student-run career fair that anybody can go to, and it provides a more holistic view of other companies,” Muñoz said. “It’s a more casual setting for students to talk to recruiters more in-depth and establish personal connections. Freshmen and sophomores use it as practice for recruitment and (getting) their name out there.” 

Sophomore business major Kaline Martinez said Company Night provides an inclusive environment for Hispanic and first-generation students to see themselves in places of success in the business world. 

“As numbers are growing in admitting first-generation students, representation is becoming more important — not just for Hispanic students, but for all POC students,” Martinez said. “We need encouragement to go out there and look for opportunities.”

Martinez expressed her gratitude for the Hispanic Business Student Association because of the resources they provide like Company Night.

“I know I can always ask anyone in HBSA for help and (they will) give me resources to help me succeed,” Martinez said. “Because of HBSA, I know what I want in a company, and they helped me grow.” 

Muñoz also said that Company Night inspired her as a Hispanic student in McCombs and encouraged her to more confidently pursue a career in business.

“You think that the corporate world is white-dominated, but it’s empowering to see your community uplifting each other and other HBSA alumni as recruiters,” Muñoz said. “Seeing other people accomplish what you want to do is motivating; (it) encourages you to do more.”