Alumni Job Shadow Program

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Overview

Help Current Stags Explore Careers.

Fairfield’s Alumni Job Shadow program matches juniors and seniors with alumni and parents for career conversations during winter break (Jan. 3-13). Students have an opportunity to receive valuable advice, learn about various professions, and make new connections. For hosts, the program is a chance to support today’s Stags in their career exploration.

Career conversations can occur with one or more students, either in-person or virtually:

  • Schedule time for a student to visit your office for a half day or full day
  • Set up a video call for an informational session
  • Meet for a conversation over lunch
  • Invite your fellow alumni colleagues to join you

Registration for the 2024 program will open for alumni and parents on Sept. 12 and students will begin to register on Oct. 12. Look for registration emails this fall.

Contact careers@fairfield.edu if you have any questions.

Alumni Hosts/Mentors

Fairfield alumni have so much to offer today’s students! We hope that alumni from all industries will volunteer as mentors so we can match all students who register for this rewarding, impactful program.

Whatever your field, you’ll have the opportunity to introduce careers, industries, and share your own personal career experiences.

Students are interested in learning about:

  • Advertising
  • Counseling/Psychology
  • Engineering
  • Finance* (investment banking, corporate, financial services)
  • Marketing*
  • Media Production
  • Medical Professions
  • Nonprofit
  • Nursing*
  • Public Health
  • Public Relations
  • Publishing
  • Sports Management/Marketing

*Alumni needed in engineering, finance, marketing, and nursing. If you work in those fields, please consider participating this year.

Month Details
September Alumni will receive an e-mail with a link to the online registration page.
October Complete a profile form and register to host one, two, three, or more students at your organization.
November Matched alumni mentors will be notified of the student(s) who will shadow them. (Alumni who are not matched will also be notified. Matches are based on students’ choices of location and industry).
December Alumni and students make arrangements to connect.
January Job Shadow

To help ensure a successful Job Shadow experience, we recommend alumni share in advance an itinerary of what you anticipate the Shadow Day to be like.

You may choose to have the student(s) in person for a full day, half-day, or lunch meeting.  You can also schedule a virtual meeting or series of meetings. Whether meeting in person or virtually, you can follow these suggestions.

  • Share how you decided on your major and career direction
  • Talk about the courses and activities that helped prepare you for your career
  • Review your career path since graduating from Fairfield
  • Discuss potential career paths within your organization and the industry
  • Schedule time with Human Resources to talk about future opportunities and hiring trends
  • Present a typical work day
  • Talk about some of the projects and tasks you are working on
  • Have the student join you for client and internal meetings
  • Tour your organization’s facility or talk about your hybrid work environment
  • Review the student's resume
  • Assign a brief project relevant to their career interests or major
  • Schedule time for Q&A

Juniors & Seniors

Job Shadow is an opportunity for juniors and seniors to learn about a typical day on the job by accompanying Fairfield alumni through their workday, in person or virtually.

Students begin to understand the skills and attributes necessary to succeed in a particular field and gain a realistic picture of the everyday aspects of a workplace. 

Students from all majors participate in Job Shadow, including marketing, finance, psychology, biology, communication, engineering, nursing, media and film production, information systems, and international studies.

The format and schedule varies, but a typical Job Shadow day may include:

  • In person or virtual opportunities to learn about employees’ activities during their workday
  • Informational interviews with the Fairfield alumna/nus host and other employees
  • A tour of the workplace
  • An opportunity for a resume review with the alumna/nua
  • Argo AI
  • Atlantic Health System
  • Bank of America
  • Barclays
  • Barnum Financial Group
  • BIC
  • Biogen
  • Bloomberg
  • Boston Children's Hospital
  • Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Catholic Relief Services
  • Charter Communications
  • Cheddar News
  • Chicago Sports & Entertainment Partners
  • Connecticut Children's Medical Center
  • Dana Farber Cancer Institute
  • Deloitte
  • Etsy
  • FactSet Research Systems
  • Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
  • Foot Locker Inc.
  • GAMCO Investors
  • Gartner
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Grant Thornton LLP
  • Graziano Associates Marketing Communications
  • Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
  • Havas Media Group
  • IBM
  • Indeed
  • Inspira Marketing
  • Ion Bank
  • Ipsos
  • JPMorgan Chase
  • LEGO Systems, Inc.
  • Lenox Hill Hospital
  • Madison Square Garden
  • Marriott International
  • Mars Wrigley Confectionery
  • Marsh USA, Inc.
  • Mastercard Worldwide
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering
  • Mercer
  • Merrill Lynch
  • Meta
  • MIT Medical
  • Morgan Stanley
  • NBA
  • New York Mets
  • New York Stock Exchange
  • No. 29 Communications
  • Northwell Health
  • Novartis
  • Paramount Pictures
  • Pfizer
  • PwC
  • Safe Harbor Marinas
  • Santander Bank N.A.
  • Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics
  • Signet Jewelers
  • Simon & Schuster
  • Skillsoft
  • Skywalker Vineyards
  • Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
  • Stanford University
  • TBWA\ Media Arts Lab (The Ad Agency for Apple)
  • The Hartford
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • U.S. Department of State
  • UBS Private Wealth Management
Month Details
September Juniors and seniors will receive an e-mail from the Career Center with a link to the online registration.
October Complete the online application that will assist in matching students to an opportunity based on career interest and location.
November Students must participate in a mandatory Orientation Workshop to learn about the program goals and procedures, and how to prepare for the Job Shadow experience.
December Contact the alumni mentor directly to arrange for your Shadow Day experience.
January Job Shadow

Student Expectations

There is a mandatory, brief Orientation that students attend prior to the job shadow experience.

Following are some tips for a successful in person or virtual Job Shadow:

Prior to the Job Shadow visit...

  • If students are matched, they are expected to participate in the program. If, for any reason, students cannot participate after being matched, notify the Career Center immediately so we can match another student.
  • Contact the alumni mentor to schedule a convenient Job Shadow date within three days of your match notification.
  • Research the organization and prepare a list of questions to ask the alumni host.
  • Update your resume.
  • Be sure to respond to all correspondence from the alumni mentor in a timely manner.
  • Plan transportation and allow plenty of time for traffic, etc.

During the Job Shadow visit...

  • Bring a padfolio with a notebook, pen, and copies of your resume.
  • Dress and speak professionally.
  • Arrive on time (or 5 minutes early).
  • Ask if your alumni match can review your resume.
  • Spend the day actively listening, learning, asking relevant questions, and taking notes.
  • Ask for business cards of anyone you meet with during the day so you can follow up with them.
  • Take some photos of you and your alumni host in front of a company sign and during other activities.

After the Job Shadow Day...

  • Send a thank you note to your alumni host and anyone else you met during the Job Shadow day.
  • E-mail photos to careers@fairfield.edu so we can create an album.

Job Shadow Experiences

Meghan Bouwman headshot

Meghan Bouwman

Class of '24

Read Meghan's Student Testimonial
"I loved seeing the headquarters at LEGO and hearing about each employee’s experience both academically and professionally. I hope to keep these connections into my professional career!"

- Meghan Bouwman ‘24
Marketing Major

Miranda Listman

Class of '24

Read Miranda's Student Testimonial
"I enjoyed being able to have a real shadow opportunity as well as making other connections through my mentor. It was also really great that they were in my hometown so I was able to set up interactions and more shadow experience in person when I am home."

- Miranda Listman ‘24
 Behavioral Neuroscience Major

Jada Ormsbee headshot

Jada Ormsbee

Class of '24

Read Jada's Student Testimonial
"I enjoyed being able to make a connection with someone in the healthcare professions. I have a better understanding of what it will look like working in the healthcare field and I was able to learn about her day-to-day life. I also enjoyed hearing her story and what it was like during and after college."

- Jada Ormsbee ‘24
Biology Major

Matthew Marcelo headshot

Matthew Marcelo

Class of '21

Read Matthew's Student Testimonial
Matthew Marcelo '21 headshot
"My mentor provided me with valuable advice about the finance industry, and provided me with information on how I can succeed in the industry as I start looking for jobs and internships in finance. My mentor answered all of my questions and told me what employers usually look for in resumés. He also told me what employers look for when they conduct interviews and how I can make myself stand out against the competition."

— Matthew Marcelo ’21
Finance Major, Health Studies Minor

Katherine Goodfellow headshot

Katherine Goodfellow

Class of '18

Read Katherine's Alumni Testimonial
"I enjoy connecting with current Stags and speaking candidly about the job search process and life after graduation. I love how engaged the student(s) are that alumni are connected with!"

- Katherine Goodfellow ‘18
HR Generalist

John Iannarone headshot

John Iannarone

Class of ‘77

Read John's Alumni Testimonial
Johh Iannarone '77 headshot
"I had an absolutely wonderful experience over three different days with Emilse, Rami and Abdul. They were attentive and enthusiastic as we saw a variety of patients who presented with anything from routine problems to true medical emergencies. The patients enjoyed speaking and interacting with the students. Their interest and enthusiasm were contagious. All three of them are clearly motivated, smart, and so appreciative of their Fairfield Jesuit education and Ignatian values.

Spending time with these future physicians rekindled my enthusiasm for my medical career which spans 37 years. I enjoyed reminiscing about my time at Fairfield, what motivated me to pursue a medical career, and how my Fairfield Jesuit education continues to serve me well, especially in difficult situations.

I would highly recommend this program to classmates and colleagues, both as a great personal growth experience, as well as a way to give back to Fairfield University. Please sign me up for next year."

— John Iannarone '77
Urgent Care Physician
St. Vincent's Medical Center

Marybeth McManus headshot

Marybeth McManus

Class of ‘78, MPA, BSN, RN-BC

Read Marybeth's Alumni Testimonial
Marybeth McManus ‘78, MPA, BSN, RN-BC headshot
"I have been involved in the Fairfield Alumni Job Shadow initiative for several years and believe it benefits both the student nurse and myself. The students receive an overview of job opportunities throughout Northwell Health, exposure to a behavioral health hospital from the Chief Nursing Officer's perspective, and advice on how to start their career with opportunities at Northwell. In exchange, I see it as a recruitment opportunity and the chance to observe a student nurse's reaction to a specialty area such as inpatient behavioral health nursing.

At my son's graduation ceremony at Fairfield I was proud to see that my Alumni Job Shadow students and nurse externs were recipients of Magna Cum Laude and Sum Laude degrees!"

— Marybeth McManus ‘78, MPA, BSN, RN-BC
Chief Nursing Officer, Associate Executive Director of Patient Care Services
Zucker Hillside Hospital

Betsy Trapasso headshot

Betsy Trapasso

Class of ‘85

Read Betsy's Alumni Testimonial
"I really liked learning about my student, her life, her college experience and her plans for her future. It was a perfect fit so our discussion was interesting and we had a lot to talk about. We plan to keep in touch and I encouraged her to reach out to me any time. It felt wonderful to know that she was interested in possibly becoming a palliative care or hospice physician since they are both so needed."

— Betsy Trapasso '85
Psychology
End of Life Guide and Advocate, MSW

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