Abbe Krieger ’89 and Carlos Mendez ’98 joined more than 60 alumni at a career networking  reception at Arpeggio Restaurant at Lincoln Center in New York.
Abbe Krieger ’89 and Carlos Mendez ’98 joined more than 60 alumni at a career networking reception at Arpeggio Restaurant at Lincoln Center in New York.

Association Gift Boosts Alumni Career Services

Career services for Brandeis alumni received a boost from the Alumni Association Board of Directors, which voted unanimously to make a gift to the Hiatt Career Center to expand and increase programs for graduates of all ages. Thanks to the funding, Hiatt will be able to bring services to alumni where they live by holding regional networking and skill-building events across the country.

Additionally, Hiatt will host monthly online career webinars featuring alumni panelists who will speak on topics that range from emerging fields to changing careers. Hiatt recently teamed with the Alumni Association to present “Higher Education Administrators and Student Personnel: Who Are They?” with alumni panelists Sharon Rosenberg ’00 and Sherri Avery ’95. Archived versions of all webinars are available online.

Hiatt has also introduced a mobile app, Hiatt’s Crib Sheet, which helps alumni learn about career programs and events, networking opportunities and campus news, and receive career tips and advice on housing and insurance. Alumni can download the app for free onto their mobile device or access it online.

According to Adam Rifkin ’97, president of the Alumni Association, the alumni board is continuously looking for ways to help Hiatt meet the growing demand for career services among alumni.

“With the challenging global economy and the tight job market, more of our alumni are using our career services than ever before,” Rifkin says. “All of our research indicates that career services rank near the top of the list of benefits that our alumni are looking to us to provide.”

In collaboration with Hiatt, the Alumni Association has taken several steps in recent years to help alumni connect with each other, potential employers and prospective employees. Last year, the association launched B Careers, part of the online community B Connect, which allows graduates to search for other Brandeis alumni by class year, geographic region or industry; find or become a career adviser; and post résumés and job opportunities. The Alumni Association and Hiatt professional networking groups on LinkedIn have also proven valuable to job seekers.

According to Joseph Du Pont, dean of the Hiatt Career Center, his staff is now meeting the needs of different age groups, from new graduates trying to land a first job to the midcareer professional exploring new fields.

“Alumni see the benefits of networking with fellow Brandeis graduates and counseling sessions with staff who truly understand their educational background and strengths,” Du Pont says. “We see graduates at all stages of life taking advantage of our services. This support from the Alumni Association will help us meet the needs of even more alumni.”

In the past two years, Hiatt has seen a 65 percent increase in the number of alumni making counseling appointments and a twofold jump in alumni workshop attendance. More than 1,000 alumni have joined the LinkedIn group to network and offer themselves as a resource to others.

“The Alumni Association exists to help Brandeis alumni in any way it can, and career services are invaluable right now,” says Rifkin, who explained that the association generates revenue through voluntary membership gifts and affinity programs. “This is really alumni helping alumni.”

For more information about career services for alumni, or to learn how you can volunteer or serve as a mentor, visit brandeis.edu/hiatt/alumni.

Jenn Seadia ’02
Jenn Seadia ’02

Tapping a Supportive Network

Jenn (Klein) Seadia ’02 considered herself fortunate to have landed a job soon after graduation, and working at a publishing company in New York was just what the American studies major needed to launch her career in journalism. Then came the dreaded layoff.

Seadia turned to the Hiatt Career Center, where staff members provided valuable advice and counsel that led to a new job.

“They helped me hone in on my transferable skills, taught me to educate myself about prospective employers prior to interviews, and assisted me with interviewing skills,” Seadia recalls. “I knew as an undergraduate that career services were available, but I had no idea how valuable they would be.”

Two years ago, in the midst of the economic downturn, she was laid off again. “This time, I went right to Hiatt,” Seadia says. “I attended a job fair, had a one-on-one career counseling session and tapped into the Brandeis network, which is huge.”

Working with Meridith Apfelbaum, assistant director for alumni career services, Seadia focused her job search on the health-care industry and did volunteer work to keep her résumé current. She used LinkedIn and B Connect (the alumni online community) to network with fellow alumni.

Within five months, Seadia accepted her current position as administrative coordinator for the Department of Endocrinology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Next month she will celebrate her two-year anniversary.

“It was great to network within the Brandeis community,” Seadia says. “The staff at the Hiatt Career Center and the alumni I met were all invested in helping me find what I was looking for. That relationship — that Brandeis connection — is really strong and supportive.”

Alumni Travel Program Heads to Chile, Argentina

The Brandeis Alumni Travel Program is preparing for another fascinating trip, this time to Chile and Argentina from Jan. 5–17, 2012.

Led by International Business School Dean Bruce Magid, the 13-day excursion will include stops in Buenos Aires, El Calafate and Ushuaia in Argentina, and Santiago and Punta Arenas in Chile. Both countries feature passionately energetic cities and breathtaking natural panoramas. In addition, travelers will enjoy a three-night “End of the Earth” cruise through the windswept wilderness of Patagonia.

Magid, the Martin ’72 and Ahuva Gross Chair in Financial Markets and Institutions at Brandeis, experienced both Argentina and Chile during his time in Latin America working for Bank of America.

The small-group tour is limited to 28 people, giving participants special access to behind-the-scenes experiences not available to larger groups. The small group also lends itself to developing friendships and building camaraderie among travelers.

An experienced travel director will take care of every detail, and the expert guides will lead the group on excursions that will provide an in-depth look at local culture and history. There will also be free time for independent exploration.

An alumni trip to India has already been scheduled for  January 2013, and other trips, including a ski outing in March 2012, are being planned. Past destinations have included Vietnam, Kenya, Tanzania, Guatemala, China, Tibet and the Yangtze River.

For more information and to request an itinerary, contact Merrill Swig.