Gordon Career Center

Sometimes the best learning can happen outside of the classroom. In June 2022, Assistant Professor of African American Studies Garry Bertholf traveled to the Dominican Republic for two weeks with seven students involved in the Africana Research Collective, a group of first-generation low-income students of color who study the African diaspora. The Collective, founded by Yohely Comprés ’24 and Gissel Ramirez ’24, explores the effects of colonialism in the Americas and considers the repercussions of race beyond the United States, through on-campus research and international travel. Other student members include Ethan Barrett ’24, Ayer Richmond ’24, Edmund Jurado ’24, Finn…

Although Kati Koerner majored in government, she spent the majority of her career working in the theater arts. The Class of 1990 Wes alumna now teaches a graduate seminar on the pedagogy of drama at the Juilliard School and serves as director of education at Lincoln Center Theater. And she's more than happy to talk about her experience with other budding theater-makers. On Jan. 14, as part of the Gordon Career Center's WEShadow Externship Program, Koerner met with a dozen current Wesleyan students on Zoom to discuss her experience in arts education, applied theater, arts integration, and also grant-writing and budgeting. She's…

Below are comments made by Kail during the conversation: On working with others: "I work with my best friends. What's better than that? So I get to go and spend time—10 to 12 hours a day—with the people I respect the most, admire the most. . . . I like to keep a core of people that I have a relationship with in a shorthand and then add 10 new people to the fold to keep on growing. I love meeting new designers, working with new writers, and I've done primarily new stuff. I like being in rehearsal. I like…

This winter, the Gordon Career Center is hosting four "fireside chat" style Winter Alumni Career Conversation events between prominent alumni and current students. Guests include Kimberley Martin '03, NFL reporter for ESPN; Jon Turteltaub '85, film/TV director and producer; Jesse Greenspan '06, director of supply chain and logistics, Partners in Health; and Dana Peterson '98, chief economist, The Conference Board. (more…)

On Feb. 27, the Gordon Career Center hosted a Google Career Virtual Panel featuring Wesleyan alumni who offered insight on their roles in sales, business, product management, marketing, legal issues, and other roles at Google. The panel was assembled by Sherry Liang ’20, who completed a WEShadow at Google last winter, and Peer Career Advisor Esmye Lytle ’21. Speakers included: Aaron Stoertz '03: Stoertz graduated with a BA in English. Since then he worked in conservation biology, public health, and international health policy at the World Health Organization before landing in tech, where he's worked his way into a position…

Fifty-three Wesleyan students explored the workforce firsthand during the Gordon Career Center's Fall 2019 Career Treks. Through five experiential learning trips, students directly connected with Wesleyan alumni and engaged with employers across a wide range of industries. During the fall 2019 semester, the Gordon Career Center’s team of career advisors facilitated career treks to local, Connecticut-based employers: ESPN, Hartford Hospital’s Center for Education, Simulation and Innovation (CESI), LEGO Systems, Inc., and Pfizer. Additionally, the GCC hosted a day trip for students to Boston to attend the Reach(OUT) LGBTQA+ Career Conference at Northeastern University. Alumni hosts included Rob King ’84, senior…

More than 50 students attended an alumni conversation on "Careers in Public Policy and Criminal Justice Reform" Nov. 13 at the Gordon Career Center. Each of the panelists: Sarah Cassel '13, James Jeter (who earned his degree in 2016 while incarcerated through Wesleyan's Center for Prison Education), Lexi Jones '17, Aaron Stagoff-Belfort '18, and Nina Stender '16 are working in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York, analyzing and impacting policies dealing with inhumane jail conditions, policing, housing inequality, and issues around incarceration. Stagoff-Belfort and Jim Kubat, associate director for job and internship development at the Gordon Career Center teamed up to…

The Gordon Career Center invites alumni and parents to participate in WEShadow, the winter externship program. In today’s highly competitive employment environment, undergraduates start career planning early and you can make this happen. The WEShadow Program provides undergraduates with the opportunity to explore careers by “shadowing” a Wes alumna/us or parent during Winter Break. These job shadow opportunities range from observing a professional in a work environment to participating in a specific project within an organization or business. Last year, students benefited from shadow opportunities in various industries, including banking, theater, music, and medicine. This academic year, WEShadow opportunities will…

In this recurring feature in The Wesleyan Connection, we highlight some of the latest news stories about Wesleyan and our alumni. Recent Wesleyan News Forbes: "Three Questions to Ask Yourself at the Beginning of Your Career" Sharon Belden Castonguay, director of the Gordon Career Center, offers career advice for young people just starting out. 2. The Times Literary Supplement: "Multiple Lives" Hirsh Sawhney, assistant professor of English, coordinator of South Asian studies, explores the "complicated existence" of Mahatma Gandhi. 3. The Washington Post: "The Delight of Being Inconspicuous in a World That's Always Watching Us" President Michael Roth reviews a new book, How to Disappear:…

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Forty-six Wesleyan students interested in finance, journalism, public health, tech, theater, and music had the opportunity to participate in a three-day immersive career exploration program over winter break. Spearheaded by the Gordon Career Center's Winter on Wyllys programming, the inaugural New York City Career Trek, held Jan. 16-18, allowed students to travel to New York City and meet and network with Wesleyan alumni at their places of work. Industry sites included: Citi and Bloomberg for finance; The New York Times and Hearst Communications for journalism; Atlantic Records and BtOVEN MUSIC for music; Pfizer and the National Hemophilia Foundation for public health;…

All undergraduates are eligible to apply for a 2019 Wesleyan Summer Grant, which allows students to pursue no- or low-pay career-related summer experiences. Grant applications must be submitted before midnight on Feb. 28. Wesleyan Summer Grants are funding resources awarded through the Gordon Career Center. These resources include Wesleyan Summer Experience Grants, Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship Grants, named grants, and others. View all the grant opportunities online here. To be considered for funding, the summer opportunity should be full-time for a minimum (or the equivalent) of eight weeks. Grant awards typically range between $4,000 and $5,000. For more information…

Africana Research Collective Reflects on Summer Travel and Future Goals

Students, Alumni Make Career Connections through WEShadow Program

Theater Director Kail ’99 Leads Alumni Career Conversation

Students Connect with Alumni Leaders through Career Conversation Events

Students Engage with Google Employees through Career Virtual Panel

53 Students Participate in Career Trek 2019

Alumni Speak with Students about Careers in Public Policy, Criminal Justice Reform

Alumni, Parent Volunteers Sought to Host WEShadow 2020

Wesleyan in the News

Students Practice Personal Pitches with Alumni Mentors at Connect@Wes

Alumni Lead Students on 3-Day Career Trek

Applications for Wesleyan Summer Grants Due Feb. 28