More than 20 Austin-area professionals visited T. A. Brown Elementary School to speak with students about college and careers. 

The speakers shared stories May 18 about their professions and how they used their skills and personal interests to prepare for a fulfilling career. 

Brown Elementary counselor Stephanie Garland said that when she asks her students about their future careers, she often gets limited responses "such as retail, fast food, sports, or construction, with no thought to how their interests or abilities match with that type of work."

“Career and College Day serves to expand our students awareness of what is available to them, and helps them see other options as real, tangible possibilities,” she said.

Garland said the event expanded students’ awareness of different career paths and inspired them to want to learn more about becomin engineers, city council members or nurses.