Drop-ins and Pop-ups: How Career Advisors Expand Access Across Campus
Aryan Mankar ’25 makes his way to the Undergraduate Center for Career Development (UGCCD) pop-up table inside Horn Library, weaving through the throngs of students passing through the popular meeting spot.
Mankar, a Mumbai native, wants to know more about Babson’s Bertarelli Institute for Family Entrepreneurship (BIFE). His family runs a construction equipment rental facility in India, and he’s eager to learn about similar businesses in America.
“My dad’s been doing equipment rental for the past 20 years. How can I get connected with a network at Babson that could help me look for companies in that specific industry?” Mankar asks. “If I could do an internship in that space, that would be really helpful.”
UGCCD Associate Director Hao He quickly shares her laptop screen, directing him to the BIFE website, suggesting a few contacts that might be helpful. He, who has worked at Babson since 2019, usually helps between five to 10 students during the library’s drop-ins, which occur every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to noon.
The pop-up table is the latest way that UGCCD is breaking barriers—both physical and figurative—to expand accessibility and ensure all students find the best career match.
Career advisors have been heading outside the UGCCD office several times a week to reach students at hotspots across campus, such as Babson’s Diversity Suite, the Len Green Recreation and Athletics Complex, and Horn Library.
“By meeting students where they are, physically, UGCCD Career Advisors are available for students who may not otherwise find themselves interacting with the team,” says Larinda Cole, the senior associate director of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Partnerships & Advising. Cole and the IDEA team are charged with defining, implementing, and evaluating UGCCD’s strategic IDEA priorities.
Quick Career Connections
The set-up is simple but effective. A sign on the table shares upcoming Undergraduate CCD events, a 6-foot retractable banner next to the table identifies the Undergraduate CCD drop-in. The program is meant to make it easier for undergraduate students to make quick career connections.
“The first time we did this, we had about 20 students,” He says. “Most of the students that stop by are first- or second-year students with a quick question. You can’t really offer too much of a customized consultation here.”
The main floor of the library remains busy the entire hour. At least 70 students are scattered throughout, talking with friends or scrolling online. The bustle doesn’t deter visitors, many of whom recognize He and stop to chat.
“Really, it’s about doing everything I can to match students to our resources.”
Hao He, Associate Director of the Center for Career Development
Tyler Koenigsberger ’27, a first-year student from Chicago, decides to follow up on a previous conversation he had with He.
“I don’t know if you remember, I was talking to you awhile back about any internships available for next summer,” Koenigsberger says. The finance-focused student wants to nail down an internship or some type of real-world experiential learning. Koenigsberger’s goal is to ensure he’s doing something that expands his career prospects every summer.
He shares her laptop screen again, suggesting several resources for Koenigsberger. Another satisfied student.
“Really, it’s about doing everything I can do to match students to our resources,” He says.
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