It made a huge difference. It gave me new experiences. I didn’t know how to find an internship, and this helped me. It made me very aware of how I could become a better version of myself and be successful.
As a first-generation college student, Diamond Hunter, ’26, is forging a new path for her family as she pursues a college degree.
Knowing she needed guidance in securing an internship, Diamond participated in BSU’s first-ever Junior Career Launch program. Knowing she needed guidance and support from experts, Diamond participated in BSU’s first Junior Career Launch program. Run by the Career Services and Internships office, the initiative offered hands-on workshops, guest speakers and resources to prepare students to seek internships.
“It made a huge difference,” said Diamond, a psychology major from the Dorchester section of Boston. “It gave me new experiences. I didn’t know how to find an internship, and this helped me. It made me very aware of how I could become a better version of myself and be successful.”
Diamond completed an internship with Central Boston Elder Services. She participated in community outreach to elderly residents to make sure their basic needs, including the medications they need, were met.
“It was very rewarding because I was able to make a difference in someone else's life,” she said.
Diamond is one of 16 students who participated in the career launch. Eleven of those students landed an internship this past summer, with several more securing positions in the fall. Students wrote and revised their resumes, participated in mock interviews and even attended an etiquette dinner that reinforced manners for dining at professional conferences and formal occasions.
Juniors are ideal for this program because they have begun taking advanced courses within their major and bring other experience such as undergraduate research or relevant part-time work to the table, said Katie Vagen, associate director of internships and career development.
“By junior year, they have a little more clarity on their career interests,” she said. “They’re more competitive in the internship search process.”
Waleed Jabak, ’26, used skills from Junior Career Launch to become an intern at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, where the photonics major assisted with laser alignment and other technical processes that contributed to the facility’s cutting-edge research.
“I wanted to land an internship during the summer, and I knew this was a great opportunity that would help me achieve that goal,” he said.
The internship helped him hone skills within his major and positioned him well for the real world, post-graduation.
“The experience was very important,” he said. “It’s really the first step (toward securing employment after graduation).”
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