The Office of Career Services at the University of Massachusetts Boston offers the Beacon’s Student Success Fellowship (BSSF) to students, which builds a bridge between the classroom and the real world in preparation for students’ future.
The fellowship provides accepted students the financial resources needed to participate in activities related to their major and career path. Previously UMass Boston students have been able to engage in research, internships, and study abroad programs.
“It is important for students to participate because it is an opportunity for them to connect their career and professional goals outside of the classroom,” stated Matthew Power-Koch of the Career Office at UMass Boston.
Power-Koch explained that the training student receiving, while engaging in research, combine with what they learn in their classroom make them more competitive in the job market.
He added that BSSF helps students become more motivated toward their academic goals, and it gives them the opportunity to build networks for future enterprises.
Power-Koch said that the funding aligns with the strategic goals of UMass Boston in providing more experiential learning opportunities for its students and initial applicants could earn a listed amount between $1,000 and $5,000.
Career Services at UMass Boston recommends all interested undergraduate students to begin the application process as early as possible and to be proactive in scheduling an appointment at the office with a career advisor to gather all necessary information. “People are selected across campus from different departments,” said Power-Koch.
The application process includes verification of the student’s experiential learning opportunity and detailed information about the institution at which they are planning to work or study, along with a mission statement in which the applicants explain why they should receive the financial resources.
The BSSF was a philanthropic gift by an anonymous donor, and received a three-year grant that included $250,000 of financial resources for 80 students.
Acknowledgments to the College of Liberal Arts, and the leadership of Joan Becker and Mark Kenyon that made it possible to maximize resources and triple the initial funding amount in his first year in 2014.
UMass Boston’s office of Career Services offers fellowship to students
September 26, 2014