María Bruzon Dreams Big After JCFP Experience

María Bruzon realized her non-profit dreams after interning at The National Urban League as a Talent Management Intern through the Jaggar Community Fellows Program.

Participating in JCFP gave her a new outlook on non-profit organizations. “I had never in my life considered working for a non-profit organization,” Bruzon says. “I never really understood them and I was never curious about how [they] worked either. After my internship this summer I honestly cannot see myself working for an organization that is not a non-profit.”

Working with a non-profit also gave her a new goal to strive towards. “It inspired me to dream big,” she says. “My ultimate goal in life is to go back to [El Salvador] where I was born and raised...and start my own non-profit.” She also looks forward to giving back to the Long Island community in the future.

Bruzon gained a new way of looking at her life and what she can do for others. “I have always been aware that I am a very privileged girl,” she says. “However, [JCFP] gave me that one push I needed to understand that I need to apply the amazing education I have received and all the love and empathy in my heart to give back to people that need it the most.”

Her advice for aspiring students is to maintain a positive attitude and realize the potential of each new day. She stresses the importance of focusing on building up as many skills as you possibly can.

Junior Lani Chau Shoots for the Stars as a Jaggar Community Fellow

Sometimes interning is all it takes to reaffirm your goals and dreams. Lani Chau interned at the Cradle of Aviation Museum as part of the Jaggar Community Fellows Program (JCFP). She worked as a planetarium presenter.

While there, she gained confidence in her choices to fuse her passion for arts and sciences. Chau was doubting her recent decision to start a minor in graphic design on top of a physics major when a conversation with her supervisor opened her eyes to opportunities she didn’t even know existed. After she talked to her supervisor about technicians at NASA who colorized black and white images from space, she felt more confident about her choice. “It was conversations and experiences from moments like the above that decreased my insecurity and pushed me forward confidently in my journey,” she says.

Chau says that “in gaining more confidence with the choices I made, I also gained more motivation.” This drove her to find more opportunities for hard and innovative work.

The advice she has for students considering applying to JCFP is to keep an open mind. Although the Cradle of Aviation Museum was not her first choice of internship, she “ended up having fun and would not want to trade this experience with anything else.” Although at first being hesitant about taking an internship at an aerospace center, Chau learned the importance of being honest and open about any questions someone may have at a new job.

“If we cannot succeed at first then we can learn,” she says.

Never Too Late! ‘16 Graduate Amanda Kim Shares her JCFP Experience

It’s never too late to start paving the path to your career. Amanda Kim became a Jaggar Community Fellow the summer that she graduated from Adelphi. She interned at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, which led to the Research Technician position she currently holds at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Kim says that the Jaggar Community Fellows Program (JCFP) was unique in providing her, and other graduate students like her, with internship opportunities. Interning helped Kim “further gain professionalism and confidence to enter the working field.”

Her unique position as a graduate intern also had unique advantages. “My undergraduate and graduate experience in research at Adelphi University helped me walk into the internship confident in my abilities to grasp and learn new techniques,” she says. “ I was able to bring...a certain level of experience.”

JCFP was also able to provide Kim with new insights to her future career. “After my internship opportunity at the Feinstein Institute, I realized that medical research was something I wanted to pursue,” she says. Her experience at The Feinstein Institute also “made me a great candidate for various research positions, which led me to my current position.”

Kim also shared some of her advice for students considering to apply for JCFP. “Try everything,” she says. “The more you put yourself out there and the more opportunities you expose yourself to, the more successful you will be. JCFP offered me a crucial experience that ultimately helped get me where I am today.”

Career New Year's Resolutions

2017 is fast approaching and with it, the pressure to come up with New Year’s resolutions. Many people make them, but can seldom keep them. This year, make a list of resolutions related to starting down your career path and making the most of the opportunities you have. Here’s a few to get you started.

1. Apply for an internship

It’s best to put this one at the top of your list so you can get it done first. Most internships that take place during the summer or the spring have an early application date. Working at an internship gives you experience, varied skills and networking opportunities. Sometimes people even end up working for the company they interned for.

How to follow through: Look through the internships on Handshake or intern at a nonprofit through the Jaggar Community Fellows Program.

2. Gather references

References are an essential part of any professional resume. Your references add credibility to your resume and shows your employer that s/he doesn’t have to take your word that you’re fabulous - you have proof!

How to follow through: Evaluate the professional relationships you have. These can include professors, higher-ups and organization leaders. Find the people in your life that have a good understanding of how you work and like working with you. Always ask these people if you can use them as your references before you list them as such.

3. Attend a job fair

Job fairs are great for finding new opportunities within companies that you might never have looked into otherwise. It also puts you in direct contact with company representatives and even the opportunity to distribute your resume and get your name out there. Sometimes there are even job fairs that cater specifically to a certain field.

How to follow through: Find out how to prepare for a career fair through Adelphi University’s blog or Associate Director of Alumni and Graduate Student Career Services Maria Casey’s workshop.

4. Start networking

Business magazine Forbes says to start networking before you need it. Before you have any professional motivation that might make you nervous or overeager, network with people in your field. Instead of focusing on getting a particular job, you can concentrate on building relationships and your reputation.

How to follow through: Attend a networking event in your area.

5. Update your resume/CV

Reflect on all the experience and exposure you got in your field this year. Did you gain any new skills? Did you participate in any internships, volunteer events or fellowships? Make sure to include all of these in your resume/CV.

How to follow through: Throughout the year, add to your resume as you accomplish different things. This will keep you organized and constantly up-to-date.

Remember to space these tasks out accordingly. Some of these should take priority, but many resolutions can be part of a year-long process that contributes to your growing career path.