The Career You Want, The Help You Need
Since March 2020, Rockefeller College’s Office of Career Development has had to get creative and reinvent the way it provides services to the students and alumni of Rockefeller College. Moving from in-person career counseling services, information sessions, and networking events into the virtual world, Director of Internships and Career Services Yalitza Negron-Rivera and Undergraduate Internship and Career Coordinator Joan Marso successfully adapted their resources, so students could access and interact with content remotely.
“The pandemic has had a huge impact on nearly all jobs and internships, from the number of positions available, where and how people work, and the interview process,” said Joan Marso. “We are so proud of the dedication and tenacity of our Rockefeller students in building their career skills, adjusting to remote and hybrid internships, and not giving up when their search process takes longer than normal right now.”
Virtual Career Series
In addition to career services such as one-on-one internship and job search assistance, resume reviews, and interview preparation, Rockefeller’s Office of Career Development also launched a Virtual Career Series. The series includes numerous timely topics, including “How to Maximize Your Career During a Global Health Crisis,” “How to Best Prepare & Perform in a Virtual Interview,” and “How to Network Online.” Students were invited to join the events via Zoom to interact and ask questions. They are also able to access the recordings in a playlist on Rockefeller College’s YouTube channel, which continues to grow with more and more educational resources.
Another highlight of the Virtual Career Series was a larger event hosted on February 10, 2021 spotlighting careers in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). During this virtual session, students heard advice from private and public sector professionals about the various career pathways within DEIB, the roles and responsibilities of their positions, what opportunities students should pursue academically and professionally, and gained insight into the challenges and rewards of a career within this area. The panel included Samuel Caldwell, University at Albany, Office of Diversity and Inclusion; Nancy Rivera-Hernandez, NYS Office of the State Comptroller; Sujata Chaudhry, Tangible Development, LLC.; and Nkiruka Ogbuchiekwe, Deloitte Consulting, LLC.
This summer, the College’s Office of Career Development is launching a Career Cornerstones series to help students with their job and internship searches. The series includes a weekly e-newsletter that features one Career Cornerstone. The Office will provide a link to related videos from the Virtual Career Series, links to articles with more tips and suggestions, and culminate with a live Zoom lunchtime Q&A where students can join a selected Rockefeller alumnus to ask follow-up questions and advice.
DC Virtual Career Week
Rethinking the annual career-networking trip, Rockefeller students were still able to connect and learn about opportunities in Washington, D.C. with career panels, alumni panels, and virtual site visits. During the week of February 22-26, Zoom sessions included “Federal Careers in DC,” “Moving to and Building a Career in DC,” “International Careers in DC,” “Analyst Careers,” “Public Service in the Private Sector,” and “Working on ‘The Hill’,” as well as virtual site visits to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Inter-American Development Bank, and POLITICO.
Rock Your Career
Successfully navigating the new career landscape with the guidance of Rockefeller College’s Office of Career Development, 2021 MPA graduates Scott Janke, Ryan DeNardo, and Anna Weiskopf secured positions in their desired fields. Click the links to learn more about their coursework, internships, and career goals.
While completing the MPA program, Scott Janke, MPA '21 worked as a Senior Associate for Government Relations at the New York State Association of Healthcare Providers (NYSHCP) and subsequently as the Director of Governmental Affairs at the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS).
Ryan DeNardo, MPA '21 will be joining Deloitte’s Risk and Financial Advisory practice in August as a Cyber Analyst focused on helping government and public sector clients implement security programs and capabilities so they can better manage cyber risk.
Anna Weiskopf, MPA '21
Anna Weiskopf, MPA '21 secured a position as a Research Coordinator at Columbia University upon graduation from Rockefeller College. Learn more about how her internship experiences and coursework prepared her for the next step in her career.
For more information on the comprehensive career counseling services offered by Rockefeller College’s Office of Career Development, visit https://www.albany.edu/rockefeller/career-services.