barnard college, "career connections," november 2012 issue

A R E E R CWHAT TO DO WITH A MAJOR IN HUMAN RIGHTS? You’ve decided on a major and are not sure what career path to follow after college. To help you out, we asked three Barnard alumnae who majored in human rights to share their career experiences with you!

Joya Banerjee’04, Manager, GBCHealthAfter taking Peter Juviler’s introductory course to human rights, I knew right away I wanted to major in human rights because it built on my long-standing interest in social justice, gender equality, and post-colonial studies. I attended several of Jeffrey Sachs’ lectures at the Earth Institute, and he helped me start a student organization called Columbia Global Justice, a chapter of the Student Global AIDS Campaign. Through the speakers we brought to campus, I landed a job at the United Nations Population Fund after college. After that I started an international AIDS organization called the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS, earned a Masters in Global Health and Population at the Harvard School of Public Health, and worked in South Africa for the US Centers for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as PEPFAR's Gender Specialist. Currently I work at GBCHealth, a coalition of over 200 private sector companies working to address global health challenges.

Qudsiya Naqui’06, Program Associate, Vera Institute of JusticeI chose to major in political science and concentrate in human rights because I was committed to pursuing a career in international human rights law. Through my work at various organizations during and after my undergraduate years, I worked with an array of immigrant communities. These experiences made me realize that I was most passionate about working to improve the systems within which undocumented immigrants in the U.S. become ensnared, hoping to increase access to justice for these extremely vulnerable populations. This led me to the Vera Institute of Justice, where I currently work as a Program Associate in the Unaccompanied Children Program of Vera’s Center on Immigration and Justice. In this capacity, I have the opportunity to use my legal skills representing undocumented immigrants, providing technical assistance to a national network of legal services providers who work with unaccompanied children in immigration detention. This work has allowed me to have a national perspective on the structural and legal issues facing these children.

Tara Banani’10, Partners in Health, Harvard Program on Human Rights While I knew I had an interest in the health professions, I chose to focus my studies on the interwoven relations that human rights and psychology offer, rather than predominantly the physical and/or biological sciences. Such a curriculum led to unexpected but highly significant experiences that strengthened my resolve to work in public health in one or several of its many contexts. While at Barnard, I worked on research of mental health treatments and psychosocial services available to former child soldiers in northern Uganda, culminating in thesis work on the importance of forming relationships and capacity building between communities and professionals in post-conflict settings. Cont’d on pg. 6

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PHONE NUMBER: 212 854-2033EMAIL: ocd@barnard.edu

STAFF

Robert Earl, Jr.Director

Won Kang Senior Associate Director

Rachel TannenbaumAssociate Director / Student Programming

Valerie ChowAssociate Director / Civic Engagement & Experiential Learning

Karen WorthingAssociate Director / Employer Relations & Campus Recruitment

Victoria PassarellaAssociate Director / Student & Alumnae Career Education

Christine ShinAlumnae Counselor

Katherine Hendry Assistant Director

Lindsey AllenAssistant to the Director

Hiraida Crespo Office Assistant

Bruce RossAdministrative Assistant

Nancy Ferro Recruiting Program Assistant

Alicia MorriseyStudent Employment Assistant

Maria CastexNewsletter Editor

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O N N E C T I O N SBarnard CollegeCareer DevelopmentElliott Hall, 2nd Floorwww.barnard.edu/cd

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

Founded in 1999 as the first and only company devoted to a comprehensive array of recruitment services for women, Women For Hire offers career-related information and videos geared to working women and an online job board that helps leading employers connect with top professional women in all fields. The company’s mission is to connect employers with the brightest group of diverse career women, as well as providing those women with exceptional advice on advancement. Visit the website for resume and cover letter templates, interview tips, advice on negotiating and an extensive job and professional organizations database.

INFORMATION: http://womenforhire.com/

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TEN CAREERS FOR A HUMAN RIGHTS MAJOR

1. Grantmaker: review applications and requests for proposals, create policy and guidelines for awards, conduct site visits and build relationships with grantee and partners. Grantmaking varies in size and scope from large, national corporate giving programs to small, local family foundations.

2. Lawyer: act as both advocates and advisors. As advocates, they represent one of the parties in criminal and civil trials by presenting evidence and arguing in court to support their client. As advisors, lawyers counsel their clients about their legal rights and obligations and suggest courses of action in business and personal matters. All attorneys research the intent of laws and judicial decisions and apply the laws to the specific circumstances that their clients face.

3. Urban/Regional Planner: develop long- and short-term plans for the use of land and the growth and revitalization of urban, suburban, and rural communities and the region in which they are located. They often work with local officials to alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems by recommending locations for infrastructure and suggesting zoning regulations for private property.

4. Public Health Administrator: apply professional, technical and managerial expertise to evaluate the impact of environmental contamination on public health. Specialists are asked to interpret complex environmental and health data and recognize the issues and concerns of government agencies and members of the public.

5. Policymaker: influence or determine policies and practices at an international, national, regional, or local level. Government policymakers study historical and statistical data to decide what types of legal changes are most needed and will be the most effective.

6. Public Administration: analyze information, oversee expenditures, draft and implement governmental and public policy, manage people and resources, conduct safety inspections, investigate suspected criminal activity, serve as consultants, and in general act as stewards of public interest.  

7. University Faculty: teach related courses in their subject and may instruct undergraduate and/or graduate students. College and university faculty lecture in large halls, lead small seminars, and supervise student research. They prepare lectures, exercises, and laboratory experiments; grade exams and papers; and advise and work with students individually.

8. Community Organizer: work to advance racial and economic justice, promote democracy, teach leadership, and develop the sustainability of communities through grassroots campaigns.

9. Public Interest Advocate: work for lobbies or think tanks representing socially and politically significant causes. Public interest advocates are integral in both the research process and working with legislators and the public to support these issues.

10. Economic Developer: often responsible for planning, designing, and implementing strategies, economic developers often act as liaisons between public and private sectors and the community. Economic developers are also instrumental in helping to leverage funding that is critical to help communities attract new businesses, facilitate enterprise development, and assist existing business with expansion and troubleshooting.

Sources: http://www.bls.gov/ http://whatcanidowiththismajor.com/major/

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PEER CAREER ADVISOR BUZZHow to Prepare for InterviewsBy Kate Bergin’13

The interviewing process can cause prospective job seekers a lot of anxiety.Being too nervous for an interview can make it harder to answer questions appropriately and to present your best self. To make the interview process less stressful, it is important to be as prepared as possible. Practicing interviews with peers, adults, and career counselors is one of the best ways to put you at ease. In addition, however, there are some extra steps you can take to get ready for an interview you are anxious about.

Before every interview, create a document that includes basic information about both the company and the posted job description. Print out this document and study the information, highlighting key skills called for in the job description. Use a copy of your resume to locate relevant responsibilities and duties from previous jobs as related to the position you are applying for. This method makes identifying your transferable skills (that you can transfer from one job to the other) easier. It is also useful to imagine possible scenarios where the interviewer could ask how you might have to apply skills from a previous position if you were to be offered the position. Taking these extra steps to prepare for an interview can eliminate unnecessary anxiety and allow you to appear more confident and at ease. Discover the way that works best for you so that you can thrive in your next interview!

SOURCE: http://www.glasbergen.com/job-interview-cartoons/

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THE PCA’S

KATE BERGIN’13 Sociology

GERALDINE CHEUNG’14Economics and math

JOHANNA COHEN’15Psychology

DEISY FLORES’15Political science and English

PRISCILLA FLORES’14Archaeology

LILY ICANGELO’13English, Art History (minor)

ALEXA HAMMEL’13Psychology

ELISSA MENDEZ-RENK’13Music, French (minor)

JACKIE ROSSITER’13Comparative Literature and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies

SYLVIA SCODRO’14Economics

November 2, 2012

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FEATURED INTERNSHIPSFor these and other great opportunities, check out NACElink at www.barnard.edu/cd.

Sanctuary for Families - Volunteer Program Intern. Sanctuary for Families is New York's leading nonprofit agency dedicated to serving the needs of domestic violence victims, sex trafficking victims, and their children. Sanctuary's volunteer program is looking for an intern to assist with volunteer tracking and database management as well as programmatic organizational tasks.

The Whitney Museum of American Art - Intern. Positions are open to juniors and seniors who volunteer their time in order to gain first-hand experience on how a museum functions. Under the supervision of a department head or curator, interns will assist with regular departmental activities, ranging from research and special projects to routine clerical tasks.

Burson-Marsteller - Harold Burson Summer Internship Program. The Harold Burson Summer Internship Program (HBSI) is a paid internship at one of the U.S. Burson-Marsteller offices. Each intern is assigned to a client team or practice group, working closely with experienced industry professionals.

(RED) - Digital Design & Marketing Internship. Based in NYC, (RED) engages businesses and consumers in the fight against AIDS, partnering with brands like Apple, Starbucks, Converse and The Coca-Cola Company. Interns will work primarily with the (RED) digital team on a variety of creative projects, including marketing and communications campaigns, graphic design, website maintenance, conduct research, etc.

Department of Justice, Criminal Division - Intern. Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) develops and implements criminal justice assistance programs that enhance the ability of selected foreign countries to investigate, prosecute and adjudicate criminal offenses. Interns will have the opportunity of working closely with attorneys and professional staff to support advisors in areas where foreign justice sector institutions are in need of strengthening.

Stern Investor Relations, Inc. - Paid Part-Time Investor Relations Internship – Fall 2012. Stern Investor Relations provides investor relations services to biotechnology and clean tech companies. The intern will be involved in supporting client account teams and will have the opportunity to gain valuable insight into investor relations and strategic communications.

Media Connect - Publicity Internship. MEDIA CONNECT, a division of Finn Partners (a Ruder Finn Company), is a leader in the media relations placement field, specializing in books and providing quality media representation and publicity for a diverse array of clients. Interns will receive training of how to work with media and will have the opportunity to work independently, coordinating interview, book reviews, guest posts, book giveaways, etc.

Human Rights Watch - Development and Outreach Intern. Interns will focus on event support in the lead up to the 2012 Annual Dinner. Working closely with the Director of the New York Committee, interns will be responsible for writing acknowledgment letters and other correspondence, coordination of donor communication, donor engagement, and research for development and outreach projects.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & FUNDING OPPORTUNITIESCOMPOSTING WORKSHOPTuesday, November 13, 2012, 6pm to 8pmBCD Library Learn how to use worms to turn your kitchen scraps into a rich organic fertilizer, and help reduce your carbon footprint. In this hands-on workshop, the NYC Compost Project in Manhattan demonstrates how to set up and maintain an indoor worm bin. This workshop is hosted by the New York City Civic Engagement Program and Barnard EcoReps.REGISTER: www.lesecologycenter.org

TOW FOUNDATION SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FUNDWould you like to attend a professional development conference? If so, apply for a grant from the Tow Foundation Special Professional Opportunities Fund! Applications are accepted on a rolling basis so apply as soon as possible! Please e-mail internshipgrants@barnard.edu or call Barnard Career Development at 212-854-2033 with any questions.INFORMATION: www.barnard.edu/cd/students/funding/tow

VOLUNTEER FOCUS: SANCTUARY FOR FAMILIESSanctuary For Families is the leading nonprofit agency in New York State dedicated exclusively to serving domestic violence victims, sex trafficking victims, and their children. Annually, Sanctuary reaches over 10,000 domestic violence survivors and their children through direct services alone.

Volunteers are essential to Sanctuary for Families' ability to provide high-quality, personalized care to victims and to accomplish many agency goals and objectives. Sanctuary works to match each volunteer with opportunities that meet his/her experience, skills, and availability. Opportunities exist for ongoing-projects, one day events, individual projects and group projects. Volunteers have worked on projects such as tutoring, holiday helpers, special events, and translation. In addition to the time spent volunteering, new volunteers attend orientations and participate in our on-going training program to learn about the complex issues surrounding domestic violence.

INFORMATION: http://www.sanctuaryforfamilies.org

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GET VOLUNTEER AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT RELATED INTERNSHIP AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN YOUR E-MAIL!

Sign up for the New York City Civic Engagement Program e-mail listserv. You will receive weekly announcements of newly posted civic engagement-related opportunities.

SIGN-UP: www.barnard.edu/nyccep

RACHEL’S CORNER

Expanding Your Professional Network via Email

Though I personally prefer establishing new professional contacts in person, emailing a list of desired contacts is also a good way to network. I find a great deal of variety in terms of how students report their success in this endeavor: Some get a ton of replies and some, unfortunately, do not. Here is how to effectively network:

Introduce yourself I encourage most students to reach out to contacts they have something in common with. For example, many students use the Barnard Alumnae Network (a directory of alumnae) to locate individuals of interest. Not only do you want to mention your commonality to Barnard, but other background information, such as major, professional interests and goals.

Explain how you got their information When an email hits someone’s inbox, they want to know HOW you got their information. If you were referred to them through a mutual contact or located their information from some other directory, tell them that.

Ask for adviceWhen you email someone that you don’t know, you are doing it most likely because you are asking them for something. In this case, you are NEVER asking for a job or internship. Inquiring to get some advice about their company, career path or other professionally related topic makes for a situation in which the recipient of your email will be more open to sharing information with you.

Be specific Giving advice is easiest when someone is particular about the questions they have for you - and most people want to respond to an email easily. For example, rather than asking someone, “What is it like working in the mental health field,” a question such as, “Do you think a master’s degree in social work will allow me to work with this population in a comprehensive manner?” is better.

SOURCE: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303513404577352022248720632.html

WHAT TO DO WITH A MAJOR IN HUMAN RIGHTS?Tara Banani’10, Partners in Health, Harvard Program on Human Rights The interdisciplinary nature of the human rights major has been important to my subsequent professional life, as I have found I am able to draw from a number of different disciplines to offer a unique insight. The two seemingly different fields of human rights and psychology have found much complementarity within the context of my work in international health. I am currently pursuing a Master's, focusing on both infectious disease epidemiology, as well as human rights in development. I am passionate about translating human rights into policy and programs that empower communities to improve their health and creating supportive environments for equal accesses to health.

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Cont’d from pg. 1

CAREER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPSFor more information, visit NACElink at www.barnard.edu/cd

Mastering the InterviewWednesday, 11/14 at 12:00 PMThursday, 11/15 at 3:00 PMFriday, 11/16 at 4:00 PMMonday, 11/19 at 1:00 PMTuesday, 11/27 at 11:00 AMWednesday, 11/28 at 2:00 PMThursday, 11/29 at 12:00 PMFriday, 11/30 at 11:00 AM

BCD Seminar RoomGetting ready for a job interview? Learn how to answer questions, ask the right questions and make yourself shine.

EMPLOYER FOCUS: ART.SYArt.sy is a free online platform designed to connect users to art through a search engine and database that draws connections and maps relationships among works of art. Led by Carter Cleveland and Sebastian Cwilich, Art.sy’s mission is to make all of the world’s art accessible to anyone with an internet connection.

As of August 2012, Art.sy's website has over 50,000 beta users, featuring over 17,000 works by over 6,000 artists. Art for sale ranges in price from $150 to $3 million where gallery partners pay Art.sy a sales commission that averages 3% of the sales price. The website is powered by The Art Genome Project, which seeks to study the characteristics that distinguish and connects works of art. The Project assigns values to artwork based on over 800 “genes,” which range from color to content to period.

Join Art.sy for more information about the company and available internship and full-time positions. Thursday, 11/8 at 6:00 PMElla Weed Room, Milbank HallINFORMATION: http://art.sy

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NY Women Communications Career ConferenceSaturday, 11/17 at 8:30 AM60 Washington Square SouthINFO: NACElink

White House Internship Info SessionTuesday, 11/27 at 6:00 PMBCD LibraryLearn from current Barnard students who have participated in the White House Internship Program!Get tips on the application process and hear about their internship experiences.RSVP: NACElink

OCR INFO SESSIONS:

Art.syThursday, 11/8 at 6:00 PMMilbank, Ella Weed RoomINFO: NACElink

BlackRockTuesday, 11/13 at 7:30 PMFaculty House, Pres 1 & ReceptionINFO: NACElink

CitiMonday, 11/12 at 7:30 PMFaculty House, Pres 1 & ReceptionINFO: NACElink

Federal Reserve Bank of New York Thursday, 11/1 at 5:00 PMCCE Conference RoomINFO: NACElink

Goldman SachsWednesday, 11/14 at 6:00 PMDiana Center, Student Dining RoomINFO: NACElink

HSBC Thursday, 11/1 at 6:00 PMFaculty House, Garden Rm. 2INFO: NACElink

Ralph LaurenWednesday, 11/14 at 6:00 PMCCE Conference RoomINFO: NACElink

RBC Capital MarketsThursday, 11/8 at 5:00 PMFaculty House, Pres. 2 & 3INFO: NACElink

Sanford C. BernsteinTuesday, 11/27 at 6:00 PMCCE Conference RoomINFO: NACElink

Wells Fargo Securities Summer Analyst Thursday, 11/15 at 5:00 PMFaculty House, Garden Rm. 2INFO: NACElink

DROP-IN HOURSProfessional Staff

Monday - Friday12 PM - 2 PM

Peer Career AdvisorsMonday - Friday10 AM - 5 PM

NOVEMBER AT A GLANCEEvents are listed alphabetically.

America Reads Tutor MeetingMonday, 11/12 at 5:00 PMTuesday, 11/13 at 5:00 PMThursday, 11/15 at 12:30 PMFriday, 11/16 at 12:30 PM

BCD Seminar RoomDuring the meeting tutors will give updates regarding their site placements, and end of year wrap-up procedures together with other housekeeping items that will be discussed.INFO: NACElink

Mastering the InterviewWednesday, 11/14 at 12:00 PMThursday, 11/15 at 3:00 PMFriday, 11/16 at 4:00 PMMonday, 11/19 at 1:00 PMTuesday, 11/27 at 11:00 AMWednesday, 11/28 at 2:00 PMThursday, 11/29 at 12:00 PMFriday, 11/30 at 11:00 AM

BCD Seminar RoomINFO: NACElink

Congressional Internships Info SessionThursday, 11/8, 2012 at 3:00 PMLerner Hall, Broadway RoomThe event will also serve as an opportunity to meet and network with past participants and Columbia’s government relations staff. RSVP: kb2332@columbia.edu

Harvard Kennedy School - Public Policy and Leadership Conference (Application Deadline) Friday, 11/16The PPLC is designed to inform students about careers in the public sector and encourage those who possess a commitment to public service to prepare for graduate study.INFO: NACElink