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.

The Benefits of Working for a Nonprofit

Working for a nonprofit organization used to be viewed as a negative way to fill your time. But in recent years, the attitude around nonprofits has changed and employment in one looks good on any resume. The perceptions have changed because the work has changed and become more valuable to everyone.

Here are nine reasons to work for a nonprofit.

1. Growth Opportunities

Because of the informal setting, the potential to elevate your position at a nonprofit is much easier. The jobs you can have fall in a much wider range than most for-profit companies. By working on many projects at once, more opportunities for job development are available to nonprofit employees.

2. Supersize your skill set

Nonprofits are always understaffed. While this is a disadvantage for the company, it’s a benefit for you. You won’t only learn your role, but you’ll be able to learn about what your boss and coworkers do. Taking on a few projects at a time is common at nonprofits. You’ll learn new and varied skills that you’ll be able to add to your resume and employ in other professions.

3. Perks make up for the low paycheck

Nonprofits are called nonprofits for that very reason: they are a company that provides services for no profitable gain. This means that your salary might not be as much as one would earn at a for-profit company. However, you’re compensated with non-monetary perks, such as flexible schedules, a relaxed dress code and other benefits.

4. Network expander

Working for a nonprofit is an excellent way to get your foot in the door of your field. You get to meet people and work on projects that are directly related to your area. It’s also a great way to network. You get to work with a multitude of people in your field who can provide you with recommendations, referrals and advice.

5. They value the work/life balance

Nonprofits have a more people-oriented approach to staff management. They recognize your personal needs and can work with you to give you a more flexible schedule or set other accommodations you might need.

6. You can cross over into the corporate world

For-profit companies and corporate professionals often like to hire members of nonprofit organizations to integrate a more compassionate voice into their decision making process and business strategies.

7. You’ll get to flex your creative muscles

Nonprofits have little money and high stakes, so they need creative solutions and ideas in order to achieve what they want in effective ways.

8. Plenty of job variety

The variety of jobs you can take are endless. There’s a bigger range of fields in a nonprofit. Want to work with animals? Children? There are jobs that can get you involved in almost anything.

9. Engage your heart/passion

With this variety of job opportunities, you are more able to engage yourself in your passions at your job. It’s easy to follow your heart into a field you truly love and can do your best work in.

If you are interested in working for a nonprofit, apply for the Jaggar Community Fellows Program today! All applications are due March 1, 2017.

Being a Leader in Your Community

George Bernard Shaw said, “Progress is impossible without change.” And change is impossible without a spark to start the fire. Here are six ways to initiate effective change and become a leader in your community.

1. Find a cause that you believe in.

This cause should be something that you are passionate about supporting, or even part of already. It should be something that you are willing to dedicate a lot of time and effort to and truly believe in the work you are doing. A lack of passion will only detriment your activism process.

2. Set an objective.

One way to do this is to examine your intentions within this cause. Are you advocating for it? Repairing it? Revising it? It’s important to explore why you are becoming involved with this cause.

Within this objective, set long and short term goals.

3. Form a team.

Surround yourself and collaborate with people who also believe in your cause.

Examine everyone’s strengths and interests - some people may be interested in canvassing while others may want to be more involved in designing logos and slogans. Every person has something unique and important to contribute.

4. Listen to people.

Listen to those who have more experience with your cause and people who may be impacted differently by your cause or your objectives. Include these people in your cause. The initial team your formed may need training. You may need assistance creating program and policy proposals. You may need someone who knows how state and federal bills are proposed and passed. These people also may know the core issues or intersectional issues of a community that you are trying to represent.

Also listen to people who oppose your cause. You can learn how to strengthen and revise your cause by talking to as many sides of the story as possible. Be eager to learn and to adapt your movement.

5. Learn how to effectively disseminate information.

If people don’t know what your cause is about, they can’t support or become involved in it.  Hold informational meetings, give out pamphlets, canvass door-to-door, start a digital campaign and maintain an online presence through social media, hang fliers up at schools, campuses, and community centers.

6. Teach others how to be leaders and carry on your vision.

Don’t lead from above. Just because you formed the group does not mean you can rule over them with an iron fist. Work with your group; get down in the trenches with them. Teach them how they can spread the message to their respective communities.

Choosing a Career Path

Choosing a career is not just choosing any other job. It is choosing what kind of life you want to live. Picking a career path is a momentous decision and should be approached with thoughtful consideration.

It all starts with examining your skills. Is there a certain talent you have or something you love to do? It’s important to look at your abilities and see what you can develop and utilize. Try to be creative and flexible with your talents as well. See where seemingly frivolous interests can lead you in the job market.

Consider your past experiences. Did you hate your job as a camp counselor? Did you love your job as a shift manager? Use your previous experiences to gauge what kind of field you’d enjoy being in and which ones you’d be miserable in.

You should also look at your work style and where and how you work best. Do you work better in an office? Do you like hands-on, physical tasks or do you excel with computers and information systems? It’s important to see where you’re most comfortable working. This is hopefully where you’ll be working for the majority of your life.

In addition to your comfort, you should also assess your social needs. If you like interacting with people, sales might be a field you want to explore. If you’re more independent, you may want to look into jobs in which you are able to work from home or jobs that have limited social interaction.

Maintain an organized list of all these elements. You can document your interests, disinterests, and personal strengths. You can note things you want to learn more about or things that sound interesting to you. This will help shape your career path aims. Choosing a career should not be an overnight decision, but something you steadily explore.

Set short term goals that will help pave the way to a long term goal. Pushing yourself to achieve a series of smaller tasks rather than one, large task will help you break up the process and actually accomplish what you want to.

It is also essential for you to intern or volunteer in the field you want to enter. You may think you like this career option, but until you experience it in its purest form, you will never truly know. You may love teaching children, but hate the classroom environment. This can lead you to consider other career options or deviations from your initial choice.

A career path is something you want to seriously consider. Reviewing all your options and exploring your talents and interests are crucial in this process.