The 2020 Career Initiative

Three students smiling wearing graduation caps and gowns at a student-led March 2020 graduation ceremony

The Smith alumnae network is a powerful tool for helping Smithies advance in their professional lives. We have also seen it come to life to support alumnae in need. This was evident in March when students departed campus, leaving many in need of help. Alumnae rose to the occasion and offered generous resources. Now we hope to continue that wave of support to help the class of 2020.

A few weeks ago the resilient and remarkable class of 2020 graduated in a historic moment. Just a few months earlier the economy was thriving. The current instability means that many are uncertain about their future prospects. We know the alumnae network can be a powerful force to help our newest graduates navigate in these challenging times. The college has made a commitment to support the class of 2020 by identifying Praxis funding to enable them to participate in remote unpaid internships this summer. Our goal is to ensure they can engage in productive and meaningful work as they progress toward more permanent employment if they have not already done so. We are galvanizing the alumnae network to help us identify opportunities, especially in fields where we know there is great interest, such as the arts, education, nonprofits, STEM and health professions. Please join us by identifying opportunities at your organizations and sharing them with us. 

The staff of the Lazarus Center for Career Development will provide continuous communication to the class of 2020 to ensure that opportunities are made available to them.

Opportunities we’re looking for include:

  • Formal, professionally supervised and structured internships that can be conducted remotely
  • Full-time employment leads
  • Full-time entry-level opportunities
  • Opportunities in the arts, communications, nonprofits, education and STEM, which are areas where we know we have strong alumnae representation

SHARE YOUR OPPORTUNITIES


Praxis Funds

Praxis is a hallmark of Smith’s commitment to ensuring that students have access to professional development and experiential learning opportunities. Initiated 20 years ago, the program guarantees undergraduates funding for unpaid summer internships. Given the extraordinary circumstances we are in, Smith has extended this tremendous resource to the class of 2020 to ensure that they have access to a path forward in the midst of an uncertain economic climate. All graduated seniors will be eligible to apply for $3,000 to support a remote, unpaid internship this summer.



Class of 2020: Find Opportunities

Members of the class of 2020 who would like to learn more about opportunities should explore Handshake and search “Smithies for 2020s.” More details on Praxis funding are available on the Lazarus Center’s website.

FIND OPPORTUNITIES