‘Career Development’ Articles at Heller Admissions Blog

Tag: Career Development (page 1 of 4)

Meet The Heller Career Development Center: Nijimbere Lahayiloyi

Ronunique Clark, MPP’23

First, I graced you all with the presence of my current classmates in my mini blog series: Meet My Cohort. Today…. well, let’s just say I’m introducing a slight spin off. In this blog post, we will be chatting with a graduate assistant in the Heller Career Development Center. Let’s welcome Nijimbere Lahayiloyi to the Heller Admissions Blog room!

Nijimbere Lahayiloyi is 27 years old, born in Burundi, East Africa, and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. In undergrad, he majored in Political Science, Global Politics, and International Affairs. He is currently in the dual-degree MA inSustainable International Development/MA inConflict Resolution and Coexistence program. He is one of three Graduate Assistants in the Heller Career Development Center.

What is your role at the Career Development Center? And why did you decide to work at the center?

I work as the Career Center Graduate Employer Relation Assistant here at Heller. I chose to work for the Career Development Center because I had prior professional and personal experiences that aligned with specific skills, knowledge, and qualifications the center was seeking. On a personal level, I was very interested in learning more about career opportunities that emerge from the center and how these opportunities are shared with students in different programs.

What is the Career Development Center at Heller?

In general, the center is a team of highly talented individuals who work to educate, advise, and connect students with employers, alumni, and other professionals with an aim to unlock high-impact career opportunities for all Heller students. Within the center, we have programing such as Information Sessions, International Career Clinics (Help with Resume, Cover letter, Networking, all for international students), and many more. The office is managed by Dr. Jasmine Waddell, who also in charge of the programing for MPP, MBA, and PhD students. Bryan Kanney, our Assistant Director, works mostly with programing for the Global Programs: MA in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence, MA in Sustainable International Development, and MS in Global Health Policy and Management. We currently have three Graduate Assistants: Fabiola Mejia, Meghan Gragg, and myself.

What do you think are the most common myths of The Heller Career Development Center?

I think some people might think that some of the platforms we embrace are difficult to navigate, but I disagree with the sentiment. Platforms such as Handshake and B-Connect are not difficult to navigate, I believe that once you familiarize yourself with it, it becomes second nature and very useful for job searchs and connection to opportunities.

Why is it important for students to connect with their career development center?

It’s very important because eventually most students, if not all, seek to put their education to a good use after graduation. It’s very imperative, in my opinion, that students connect with a career center early in their first year of their program as they plan for internship or practicum opportunities. The center has so many tools and resources to assist any student attending Heller. The problem I often see is students waiting to contact the Career Center in their last semester or just a few weeks before graduation; while it is never too late to seek assistance, there is extra strength that lies in strategic planning and connecting with available resources as early as possible. Most students that succeed are capturing and obtaining their desired position after completing their program tend to those who have connected with the center from the very beginning of their academic journey at Heller.

What should we expect from the Career Development Center this year?

We recently renewed our website to better reflect the needs of students from all programs. We used to post job opportunities on Handshake, but we have changed this, going forward all jobs will be posted on B-Connect. We plan to continue using Handshake to schedule appointments with students who are interested in crafting resume, Cover Letters, and learn more about the art of networking. This year we will also continue to have alumni, employers information sessions, career fairs, career conversations workshops, international career clinics, and more programing.

Thank you, Nijimbere, for stepping into the Heller Admissions Blog and educating us on the importance of connecting the Career Development Center here at Heller. I can also vouch that I have utilized most of the resources offered by the center, such as setting up a 1:1 meeting with Dr. Jasmine Waddell and even attending a resume/cover letter workshop! So if you hate cover letters (like myself), are stressed about the job search, or just want to learn how to navigate the platforms such as Handshake and B-Connect as mentioned by Nijimbere then do not hesitate to set up a time to meet with the Career Development Center they will be waiting :). To learn more about the Career Development Center, please visit the Career Development Center’s website.

The Ultimate Balancing Act: School and Work

March 7, 2023 / cmcquarters / 0 Comments

Calah McQuarters, MBA’23

The most common question I have been asked during panel discussions, prospective student visits, and interviews is “Is it possible to work and go to school at the same time”? Well, I am here to answer this question once and for all for everyone: it depends. I know, I know. That is likely not the answer you were anticipating or wanting to hear, but it’s the truth! Every person is different. Every person’s capacity is different. Every person’s needs are different. Because of this, there is no one answer to this question. However, today, I will tell you about my experience balancing work and school.

This semester, in addition to taking 6 classes (20 credits), I also have two part time jobs. (I got exhausted just typing that out!) I am a Graduate Assistant for Heller’s Admissions department, hence the beautifully written blog posts you all receive from me regularly ;). I also work as a Program Manager for a local non-profit organization dedicated to healthy aging. I started both jobs in the same week and about a month after classes started (it was a very busy September). Combined, my jobs take up about 20-25 hours of my week outside of class and each requires something very different of me. As a GA, I spend the majority of my time talking to you all through emails, visits, and interviews. As a Program Manager, I am responsible for making sure programs run smoothly, grant reporting, meeting with local stakeholders, and whatever else is needed (such as being a website designer…). My GA role is in person while my other role is remote. As a GA I have a structured weekly schedule, but as a program manager I set my own hours. (Side note: flexible, remote jobs can be equally amazing and tricky. While you can work when you want and in whatever attire you want, the battle between napping and productivity is real and difficult every day. If I am transparent, napping has won more daily battles than productivity…) These two jobs are very different in so many ways. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and each is teaching me something new almost daily! I share this information for two reasons: to show it is possible to work and be a full-time student and to also show the range of jobs accessible at Heller and the greater Boston area.

Now, before you run to start submitting job applications, let’s all take a step back and remember what I said in the beginning. Everyone is different. It has taken much trial and error to learn how to semi successfully balance school and work (not to mention extracurriculars). I have three different calendars and alarms galore to help me manage my time, and even with all of that, some days I still get behind. So why do I do it? Two reasons: capacity and need. As a person that loves being on the go, I tend to be energized by doing. I love being a busy bee and I haven’t run out of capacity (yet… we’re coming close). Also, life in the Boston area can be expensive (especially for a girl coming from Oklahoma!). As I said, everyone’s needs are different and right now, mine require a little extra money for monthly movie outings to keep me from going crazy :).

So there ya go! Is it possible? Yes. Is it necessary? That’s up to you, your capacity, and your needs. Either way, make sure what you’re committing your time to is serving you just as much as you are serving it.

A Day in the Life of a MS GHPM/MA SID student

February 28, 2023 / bruscitti / 0 Comments

Brielle Ruscitti, MS GHPM/MA SID’24

This semester, alongside my coursework, I am interning at the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and working in their education portfolio. I am currently working on projects related to program evaluation and outcomes. Today, I will be taking you through what a typical day looks like for me.

8am – I’ve had my morning coffee and packed up for the day so head out to campus, and start my day with my applied econometrics class at 9am.

10:30am – After my class ends, I start a bit of work on my internship. My work varies from day to day, but recently, I have been doing some analytics on survey data from the Global Schools program, which helps teachers implement education for sustainable development curriculum for schools across the world. I am investigating the relationship between the sustainable development goals and values that teachers think are most important. I am also working on some paper editing and communications with teachers involved in the Global Schools program.

12pm – I wrap up my internship work and head up to the Admissions desks where I start work. Somedays I work on blog posts, like this one, or meet with prospective students, and complete other tasks in the office.

2pm – My shift ends at 2pm, and I have a short break before my afternoon class starts, so I eat my lunch, take a mental break and go outside if the weather is nice. Then I head over to my introduction to demography class, which is only 7 weeks long, and I will have a new class starting in the middle of March. I have really enjoyed this class so far, but am excited to start another new topic in just a few weeks.

5pm- Shortly after 5, my class wraps up and I head home for the day. I usually make dinner and relax before heading to sleep after a busy day.

This day is definitely one of my busiest days but not all my days look like this. I have some days where I do not have any class and some days where I do not work, for my internship or at the Admissions office. I hope this gives some insight into what my days looks life and what you can do in your time as a Heller student.

A Day In The Life of a 2nd Year MPP Student

February 21, 2023 / rclark / 0 Comments

Ronunique Clark, MPP’23

Most students would probably like to spend their weekends either resting, catching up on their favorite hobbies, or hang out with friends. I, on the other hand, find myself trying to balance all of the above… and a little extra. Come along with me as I take you through my typical Saturday as a 2nd year MPP student, working as a part-time Support Staff member at Father Bill’s and Mainspring House in Quincy:

9:00am: After a very busy week of classes and extracurriculars, I wake up in the morning and start my house chores that I wasn’t able to get to during the week. A clean house is a clean mind!

11:00am: I finish up house chores, and then take time to go through any assignments that have an upcoming due date. When I’m planning out my weekend work, I attempt to prioritize my assignments by the day of class and deadline of assignment. I get started on some of the assignments.

1:00pm: I note whatever assignments I could not get to, in the hope that I can complete them during my scheduled shift (this is a hard hope), and then start to get ready for my upcoming shift.

2:00pm: I am all dressed and ready for my shift at the shelter. I spend time catching up with my roommates who (lucky them!) spend most of their day working from home.

3:30pm: I head out for work, as the shelter is about a thirty minute drive away from my home in Dorchester.

4:00pm: Arriving at the shelter, I greet the guests who are in line, waiting for check-in. The majority of the guests have same bed status in our shelter, but some are coming to receive a first-come, first-serve bed. I enter the shelter and say hello to my co-workers who were working the 8am-4pm shift, before clocking in for the day.

4:10pm: The people working on the 8am-4pm shift gives us, the 4pm-12am shift, a report of the day: do we have any guests who have received a warning or suspension? Are we out of any materials? Is the house laundry done for the day? Any major updates from management?

4:15pm: I check the bedsheet for any guests who may be entering the shelter late, have an approved night out, or suspension, and I make sure to mark this on the spreadsheet. After checking the spreadsheet, I go outside and begin checking guests in. Since most guests have same bed, they will tell me their bed numbers. For guests who are waiting for a bed, I ask if they are able to climb to a top bunk so I can allocate the proper accommodation. I write them in on the bedsheet by first and last name.

4:30pm: Official check in has begun. It should be four people on shift, but today there are only three of us. Another staff member and I start letting guest in pairs or groups of three. We check their bags, and ask them if they have any open food or water, any harmful items, or if they have any medication they will need to lock up. If they pass the full check in, they are allowed to enter the dorms, grab a blanket and sheet, and set all their items on the bed. For guest who have medication, it will need to be locked away in their med box.

5:00pm: Dinner time for guests.

6:00pm: First fresh air break for guests.

6:30pm: Guests are allowed to watch TV in the dining room, or they choose to get a head start on sleep. Staff spends this time in our office space, also known as the bubble, and cater to any guest needs: if they need any hygiene products or clothes, collect any mail, and guests who need to take medication, takes it.

7:30: Second fresh air break for guests.

8:00pm: Final medicine call for guests who would like to take their medications before lights out.

8:30pm: Begin filling out guest folders, taking notes if guests are in the shelter or not.

9:00pm: Third fresh air break for guests.

9:30pm: Guests assist staff with cleaning up dining room so that guests who were not able to receive a bed can sleep.

10:00pm: Lights out for all guests in the shelter

10:30pm: Final fresh air break for guests

11:00pm: We made it to the final hour! My co-workers and I normally spend time doing dorm checks and retracing the day spent.

12:00am: Overnight shift 12am-8am relief arrives, and my co-workers and I brief them on the status of day: do we have any guests who have received a warning or suspension? Are we out of any materials? Is the house laundry done for the day? Any major updates from management? After, I clock out for the night and head home.

WHEW isn’t that a shift? I bet you’re exhausted from reading all of that. For most, this may not seem like the ideal job to have as a graduate student and some may way want to know what made me agree to a job like this in the first place. As a public policy student ,I believe the only way I can make a direct impact and provide my support is when I am on the ground doing the work. Often times, shelter support staff are overlooked and most certainly can be overworked, and there is currently a shortage on these kind of workers. If a government is going to fund something, then people will have to be there to work it. These types of workers are should be thought about when implementing new structures, policies, and procedures, because we are the ones bridging the gap between the rules and the individual it was put in place to serve. With that being said, I will continue to place myself in positions that do and will make direct client to support services, because those are that is the kind of work that makes our world of social impact go around.

Heller 2023 Winter Highlights

February 9, 2023 / amandamiller / 0 Comments

Every quarter, my colleagues in Heller Communications put out a new issue of the Heller magazine, and at the risk of sounding like a bit of a dweeb, I always read it cover to cover. Although I would say that Heller is better than a lot of workplaces at fostering community, there’s always so much going on that it’s hard to keep up with what everyone else in the building is up to. The Heller Magazine always does a great job highlighting interesting stories from students, alumni, faculty, and even giving a bit of Heller history. Some of my favorite articles from issues past include Beyond “Do no harm”, The Best Lessons I Learned at Heller: Alumni share stories about their favorite professors, and 2020 asks us: If not now, when?.

When I came into the office on Tuesday, I was so excited to see the Winter 2023 issue in my mailbox, and have spent the last few days reading it cover to cover. You can find the full accessible PDF here, but I wanted to highlight some of my favorite articles from this issue.

Championing Social Justice – Although all of this article, which focuses on the initiatives that Interim Dean Maria Madison has implemented since stepping into the role last summer, I though the section that focuses on Heller graduates’ career outcomes was particularly interesting. Of Heller graduating class this year, an impressive 98% were employed, pursuing graduate studies, or had received competitive fellowships within six months of collecting their Heller diplomas. Our Interim Assistant Dean of Career Development, Jasmine Waddell, attributes this in part to the connections students forge while at Heller, ““The entire community is dedicated to advancing the professional development and employment outcomes for our extraordinary students. It’s not just our office — faculty in all seven programs bring in employers as guest speakers to connect the academic content to career opportunities.” In my role in admissions, I often find that many students are interested in taking classes and even whole programs online, but I think that really ignores a crucial aspect of graduate school: the ability to forge connections. As someone who earned a Master’s degree through an in-person program and is currently enrolled in an online program: an online program simply cannot compare to an in-person program when it comes to expanding your network, and I think this article really underscores something I knew but hadn’t articulated to myself: how crucial forming real world connections is to getting ahead.

Stand-out quote: “Waddell’s team runs a wealth of programs, both virtual and in person, designed to connect students with potential employers. There’s an annual career fair, now offered virtually, and a Career Trek to Washington, D.C., among other initiatives. Through the MBA Board Fellows Program, MBA students are invited to serve as nonvoting members of nonprofit boards, giving them hands-on experience and a rare window into the inner workings of organizations.

The Power of Girls’ Education – This article immediately caught my eye as a graduate of a women’s college, and it didn’t disappoint. Learning about how Beatriz Pleités, MA SID’23, spent her practicum working as a development and communications intern at SEGA Girls’ Secondary School in Morogoro, Tanzania, was so interesting– and how amazing that she learned Swahili during an internship! This article gets a lot of points from me for the feel good factor, and also the adorable photos of the children at the school.

Stand-out quote: “I come from a developing country myself, but when one of the students sought my advice after her parents asked her to get married, I realized how different my adolescence was from theirs,” Beatriz says.

Yuqi Wang, MBA/MPP’20 : Fostering equity in Kendall Square’s business center – Kendall Square is one of my favorite areas in Boston, but I’ve never thought of all the work that goes into making the neighborhood so charming. Reading this article about the work that one of our recent MBA/MPP graduates does in her role for the Kendal Square Association was so interesting. Yuqi leads programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion, corporate responsibility and community impact, including the Inclusion Drives Innovation program, which focuses on helping participants develop the tools to improve intersectionality. It’s always so interesting to learn about the impactful and interesting work that students go on to do after the graduate, and Yuqi is certainly no exception!

Stand-out quote: ““It all comes down to power at the end of the day, and programming and policy are two sides of the same coin,” Wang says. “When you’re trying to think of how [you] can be a change agent on an individual level, there is a lot of potential in programs to push people and companies forward to change policies. I find that very fulfilling and very cool.”

Facing Your Capstone Presentation

January 12, 2023 / amandamiller / 0 Comments

Neh Meh, MA SID/COEX’24

Most graduate students are busy finishing their classes, dealing with projects, and preparing for graduation. Most importantly, many of our graduate students are preparing the requirement that essentially allows them to walk in the graduation ceremony and obtain their degree: their a capstone project. Many of the graduate programs at Heller also require students to do an internship, practicum, field research, or thesis paper. The good thing is that the Executive Director of the Global Programs at Heller is very flexible with whatever you choose, making our graduate life much easier. After completing the capstone project, students must present it in person or virtually.

However, before we jump to talking about presenting the capstone project, you should know that students must take many different steps before they’re ready to present their capstone project, and that those steps could vary for each student. As a dual degree student majoring in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence and Sustainable International Development, I will share my experiences and journey in how and why I chose to do what I did and what I learned from it. It was during my second semester in graduate school, around February 2022 that I started thinking about different internships for my practicum. An ideal timeline is like this: completing an internship or any project during the summer and writing a report about my internship experiences in the fall semester. So, I started thinking about different organizations, researching their missions and visions to see if they aligned with my interest, and began sorting through the opportunities. Then, I thought of the Jesuit Refugee Service, a non-profit organization in Thailand that serves refugees. I remember the organization’s involvement in refugee education, especially for the Karenni (if you have not heard about Karenni, it is an ethnic group from Myanmar). I contacted the organization’s director and shared my background and interest. He then asked for my resume, and after that, he agreed to let me work with the organization over the summer on Peace and Reconciliation’s peacebuilding project. The Jesuit Refugee Service’s peacebuilding essentially focuses on rebuilding relationships and building the capacity to face difficulties.

I spent three months in Thailand researching the peacebuilding project and organized a training centered on peacebuilding through education. I utilized education to build peace by educating the Karenni and Karenni refugees about ways to tackle conflicts and skills that enable them to create the right relationships between themselves. While interning with JRS, I completed my peacebuilding project called “Peacebuilding through Education”. After completing my three-month project, I returned to Heller to continue my Sustainable International Development degree. As a SIDCO, I had the option to present in May; however, since my project was funded by the peace award from Marice Kapf Hahn, I had to present my completed project before the year ended.

I’ll admit that this timeline was less than ideal and at times I felt rushed, or felt like did not have enough time to put everything together, since I was also working on writing the report/thesis paper. However, one very helpful thing for me was to have a daily schedule planned out every week. For example, I set aside 30 minutes on Sunday to plan for the week, including what I wanted to accomplish each day. As a result, I managed to finish both the thesis paper and presentation in two months! Looking back, it was a wild ride. I could not believe I had managed to complete a 40-page of report/thesis paper and 15 slides of the presentation within two months, but the experience was worth it. I also learned to manage my stress and time and prioritize what’s important and not important.

If you thought that was a lot, remember that I still had to present the presentation I had prepared. For the actual presentation, you only need to put together seven Powerpoint slides, present for ten minutes, and give ten minutes for a question and answer session. I was very nervous about my presentation, but a little practice before the actual presentation was very helpful, so my advice is to practice presenting the day before the actual presentation.

Now that I finished my capstone project, I feel like a heavy weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I am excited to finish up my last semester and graduate!

The Summer Internship, Part Two

December 8, 2022 / bruscitti / 0 Comments

Brielle Ruscitti, MS GHPM/MA SID’24

In my last post, I started talking about how I was starting my summer internship search, and now I will update on how the process is going and what other steps I have taken. I previously mentioned the importance of the Heller School’s resources, specifically career services. Over the past couple of weeks, I have met with career services to talk about how to strategize my internship search, resources available and had my resume and cover letter reviewed.

Having a reviewed and ready to go template resume and cover letter is extremely useful for when I find an internship that I would like to apply to. I can easily customize my materials to fit the job description and confidently submit my application. I have been using Handshake and LinkedIn most frequently to find positions applying to ones that I am most interested in. I have learned that using filters on Handshake can be really useful for searching for specific position types, durations and paid vs unpaid opportunities. LinkedIn is useful for looking at specific organizations you are interested in that are hiring and even tells you how many other applicants there are. Additionally, remember to keep your LinkedIn profile updated, this is not only a great way to keep track of your accomplishments but also LinkedIn is great for networking. One of the biggest takeaways that I have had so far is that every organization tends to have a different hiring timeline, so some agencies and organizations might be hiring spring intern and some might be looking for summer interns. Make sure to take your time and realize that some of the positions you might be looking for aren’t being hired for yet.

Another great resource that I have explored is information session and events that Heller is hosting. Information sessions, specifically about the practicum search is a great place to get your questions answered. I attended a session last week hosted by Mary Poor and learned so much about what previous students have done for their practicum, and what is required for the Heller school, such as forms, and visa information, if applicable. Additionally, there were a number of resources shared at this event that I am definitely going to be using going forward in my search. This event was also super helpful as there were current and previous students present to talk about their practicum experience, and share what finding and completing the practicum was like. If there are any other events that are like this in the future I will be sure to attend.

In my next post, I will be sharing some interview tips and reflections on some of my interview experiences, so stay tuned!

Career Center Resources

November 15, 2022 / amendez / 0 Comments

Andy Mendez, MBA/SID’23

On the first floor of the Heller School building, you’ll find a couple of things. This includes the Heller Admissions Office, the Dean’s Office, and the Career Development Center. The Career Center can be an excellent resource in your graduate journey – if you know what resources exist and how to use them. Here is my advice for how to make the most of resources at the Career Center.

Schedule Mock Interviews

At this point in the semester, my cohort members and I are fully in the job and fellowship search process. Many of my classmates are seeking consulting roles and these kinds of jobs have a very particular interview format, which usually involves completing and presenting a mock case. If you’ve never had this kind of interview before, it can be very intimidating and confusing. Scheduling a mock interview with the Career Center is a great way to practice and get comfortable with this format before you do the real thing. I’m currently in the running for the Presidential Management Fellows program and the interview for this focuses heavily on behavioral and situational interviewing. Having a mock interview with career staff helped me practice the STAR method response format. I generally struggle with deciding which experience is most compelling for which question. Career Center staff gave me solid feedback that helped me determine which of my anecdotes were best suited to answer the questions I’d likely be asked.

Attend Informational Sessions

The Career Center offers several information sessions a month, all with different focuses. The three types of sessions I’ve found most helpful are: talks with Heller alumni, overviews of fellowship programs, and webinars with employers or professionals in the sector I’m interested in. By attending sessions with Heller alumni, I’ve learned a lot about what resources exist on campus for students and how best to maximize my time as a student. Heller alumni also talk about how they positioned themselves for their next opportunity post-graduation. As a graduate student, there are a ton of fellowships that you may qualify for and that provide funding for language study, research, and professional development both in the US and abroad. Attending these situations is a great way to get a sense of which opportunities you may qualify for and to learn how to draft a competitive application. Lastly, employer sessions are a great way to network with professionals in your field of interest and learn about potential internship or full-time roles they might be recruiting for.

Read the Newsletter

The Career Development Center sends out a weekly email newsletter. This newsletter shares upcoming networking events as well as active job postings. Even if you are not actively job or internship searching, it’s a good idea to briefly glance at the opportunities listed. I like to scan the qualifications sector for postings that look relevant. This gives me a sense of what employers are looking for and has helped me tailor my jobs and extracurriculars to better develop these competencies. The newsletter includes both events happening at Heller and in Greater Boston. The Heller events are normally doing the lunch hour and over Zoom, which is very accessible. The events in Boston are usually in the evenings when most people don’t have classes. Attending these events is a great way to practice your networking skills and interact with your cohort outside of a classroom setting.

Evaluate Job Offers

Salary negotiation can feel scary even for students with a lot of full-time job experience. This can be even tougher if you are evaluating multiple job offers at once. Sitting down with a Career Advisor can help you think through the best ways to position yourself in the negotiation process and can also help you identify other types of benefits you may be able to negotiate either instead of, or in addition to, salary.

Overall, the Career Center is not a resource you want to put on the shelf until a few panicked weeks before graduation. The resources at the Career Development Center are designed to support students throughout all stages of their graduate school career.

Social Entrepreneurship at Heller

November 3, 2022 / amendez / 0 Comments

Andy Mendez, MBA/SID’23

Even if you are not in the Social Impact MBA program, Heller students can benefit from participation in social entrepreneurship initiatives both at the Heller School and the wider Brandeis community. Social entrepreneurship events are a great form of experiential learning. They offer the chance to network outside of your cohort and provide a real-world forum for applying course concepts. I’d like to highlight the social entrepreneurship opportunities I’ve enjoyed the most.

The Heller Social Impact Startup Challenge

This is an annual event in the fall semester planned almost entirely by current students. This three-day event brings together Heller students from all programs to form teams, develop their ideas with the help of mentors, and present their business concepts before a panel of judges – many of whom are Boston-area entrepreneurs. I joined this competition in my first semester, which allowed me to apply the concepts I was learning from Financial Accounting, as well as Leadership & Organizational Development. I was still very new to the Heller community, so this event also gave me the chance to meet new people and form connections. I originally came to Heller just for the MA in Sustainable International Development program but was encouraged by alumni to add the MBA. After completing the Startup Challenge, I knew I had made the right decision.

SPARK

The SPARK program is run by Brandeis Innovation. In the fall, SPARK accepts applications for its pitch competition, known as SPARKTank. First prize and People’s Choice Award winners in the Heller Startup Challenge receive streamlined entrance into the competition. The SPARK competition differs from the Heller Startup Challenge in that it is open to Brandeis faculty, staff, and students. Judges have innovation as a top criteria. The pitch time is much shorter than the Heller Startup Challenge, so my team really had to challenge ourselves to be focused, specific, and deliberate about how we communicated our idea. Winning teams from SPARK automatically join the SPARK startup incubator. The incubator happens over spring semester. Teams meet weekly for workshops that help them hone in on topics like competitive advantage, customer discovery, and revenue generation. My favorite thing about SPARK was the cohort aspect. Our cohort included teams from the International Business School, a professor in the Asian Studies Department, as well as first and second year Heller MBA students. I learned so much from being able to hear what other teams were working on and what challenges they were working through.

Courses in Social Entrepreneurship

In addition to events, Heller students can also engage in social entrepreneurship through coursework. Students have the option of two courses – Global Social Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation – both taught by the MBA Program Director, Carole Carlson. Professor Carlson has recently authored an entire textbook with case studies on mission-driven ventures. In the spring semester, she teaches the half-semester course on Global Social Entrepreneurship, which highlights examples of social impact businesses around the globe. I really appreciated how the class encouraged us to be skeptical and question if everything that is labeled a social venture is in fact truly mission-driven. The course also emphasizes that just because a social impact is taking place, mission-driven ventures still must have robust revenue models and solid business plans to be viable. In this class, I was introduced to essential business tools for lean startups, including the Business Model Canvas and the theory of change. In this course, students actually form teams, develop a business idea, and present on their business idea as their final project. My team presented on the idea of an eco-grocery store in Bhutan that would reduce waste and create jobs for urban youth. The fall semester course, Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation, dives even deeper into these concepts and presents students with more domestic case studies. Other topics covered include competitive advantage, scaling, and financing social ventures.

If you are even the slightest bit curious or interested in entrepreneurship, I encourage you to dip your toes in and take advantage of these opportunities!

The Summer Internship Part One

October 27, 2022 / bruscitti / 0 Comments

Brielle Ruscitti, MS GHPM/MA SID’24

We are about halfway through the semester and while spooky season is fun, the spookiest part is starting my search for a summer internship. As a student in the dual degree (Sustainable International Development and Global Health Policy and Management), students must complete a summer practicum, which essentially is an internship. Students in this program are responsible for findings their own summer employment. In this and future posts, I will take you through how I am beginning my search and how the application process goes throughout the semester. I hope that for future readers this makes the process easier to understand and maybe gives you a place to start your own plan and internship search.

Step One: Look into the resources available and get familiar with them. Heller has an incredible resource in its staff which help students not only search for their practicum but also help develop your application materials such as your resume and cover letter. I been using resources such as Handshake and LinkedIn which can help you begin to get an idea of types of internships, deadlines, and different companies and organizations to work with.

Step Two: Gather and update your application materials. I started this week by dusting my cover letter and updating it to use for an internship application and made sure my resume was up to date. This makes the application process much easier as your materials are ready to go, and I can easily add position specific information to my cover letter and resume to make sure my application is submitted on time. I also made sure to reach out to previous or current professors to see if they can write letters of recommendation. This is especially important because you want to make sure they have ample time for what they need to write.

Step Three: Begin the search. This is the most daunting part: there are so many to look through on a number of different websites and platforms, the whole thing becomes overwhelming almost instantly. So far I’m using a couple different strategies to make the searching less overwhelming. I started by checking both Handshake and LinkedIn for a set amount of time and used a specific set of filters or search terms to find positions that I would be interested in. I make sure to save the positions I am interested in so I can set time aside later to apply. I have also signed up for some newsletters, both from Heller and other organizations, that post internship openings. I read those carefully and look into the organization hiring to ensure I want to apply. This process has just started and I am sure I will have feedback for myself.

My search and applications have just begun, so stay tuned to read as my process continues.

Heller Admissions Blog

Tag: Career Development (page 1 of 4)

Meet The Heller Career Development Center: Nijimbere Lahayiloyi

The Ultimate Balancing Act: School and Work

A Day in the Life of a MS GHPM/MA SID student

A Day In The Life of a 2nd Year MPP Student

Heller 2023 Winter Highlights

Facing Your Capstone Presentation

The Summer Internship, Part Two

The Summer Internship Part One

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