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CPD Taps Alumni Network to Help Students Navigate Crisis
Kristen Fitzpatrick (MBA 2003)
Kristen Fitzpatrick (MBA 2003)
HBS Career and Professional Development (CPD) has pivoted quickly in recent weeks to help first- and second-year students who are still in need of internships and employment—and facing an uncertain market in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the current crisis, CPD Managing Director Kristen Fitzpatrick (MBA 2003) notes, most larger companies are honoring their internship commitments to first-year students, but many smaller firms and startups either need to pause on hiring interns, or need to rescind existing offers. Fortunately, existing post-graduation job offers for second-year students haven’t been affected yet, but many Class of 2020 members are still looking for jobs, and about 500 first-year students are still searching for internships.
In response, CPD has stressed the importance of alumni engagement.
“The alumni network has always been an extraordinary resource, especially in times like this,” says Fitzpatrick. “The ripple effect of alumni helping each other and students is what we saw play out in the 2001 and 2002 recession, then in 2008 and 2009 during the financial crisis, and I expect it to see it again now,” she says. “There are so many ways people stay connected with the School and this is just one of them.”
Fitzpatrick encourages alumni who know of employment or internship opportunities for students to email cpd@hbs.edu, and if they are able, to volunteer as an Alumni Career Guide. More information can be found on this Ways to Help HBS Talent page.
CPD has also developed a new website in response to an expected rise in alumni demand for coaching and career resources, as well as the desire to draw on alumni experience.
“No one has experienced anything like this before,” she notes. “Part of our push with the website is to crowdsource the good solutions from the real strength of the alumni network.”
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