Brandeis Magazine

Brandeis students are getting a closer look at professional life, thanks to a Hiatt Career Center initiative.

Last fall, Hiatt piloted a new program called Brandeis at Work: Job Shadowing, giving 19 undergraduates the chance to spend a day learning from alumni and employer partners.

“I truly enjoyed it — I felt welcome and engaged,” says Aurelio Gonzalez ’28, who spent time with an administrator at the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation, in Waltham. “The person I shadowed guided me through what it takes to make it in the industry.”

Also in the fall, a similar initiative at Hiatt, Career Treks, organized five trips to top employers, including HubSpot, AEW Capital Management and Wayfair. The visits let students get a sense of day-to-day work activities and office culture, and build connections with recruiters, employees and alumni.

“These experiences give students an early recruiting advantage by helping them make personal impressions before applying and by strengthening their understanding of current industry trends,” says Jon Schlesinger, Hiatt’s executive director.

Both programs are expanding in the spring semester, adding more business areas and shadowing opportunities.

“Career Treks and Brandeis at Work: Job Shadowing are two examples of how students gain early hands-on exposure to explore careers, grow professional networks and build their future,” Schlesinger says.