For Alumni and Parents
Alumni and parents play a vital role in supporting students with their exploration of careers, industries, organizations, and roles.
The Center for Purposeful Work invites alumni and parents to share their professional guidance and opportunities with students. Helping students access the Bates network amplifies the resources and information they have to discover and explore valuable, meaningful experiences. Moreover, such guidance can help students make more informed decisions about their next steps.
How You Can Help
- Post your organization’s jobs and internships to our recruiting platform Handshake (utilized by close to 1,500 institutions across the US)
- Consider targeted engagement strategies for reaching Bates students with your job and internship opportunities
- Become an employer partner with the Purposeful Work Internship Program
- Help a student explore professional pathways by hosting a virtual, hybrid, or in-person Job Shadow (with host recruitment happening in August-September and job shadows happening December-May)
- Participate in employer sessions, Industry Spotlight events, Roadshow programs, and other Purposeful Work activities
- Stay connected with Alumni Engagement and Parents and Families, attend Bates networking events when you’re on campus, and check out Bates Regional Network events (and if you’re interested in hosting, check out Bates & Beyond)
- List Bates in the education section of your LinkedIn Profile (for alumni), join Bates LinkedIn Groups (for alumni and parents), and be open to LinkedIn and email outreach from interested students and alumni
- Direct a Bates gift to Purposeful Work using the designation box on the College Advancement online form
- Contact the Center for Purposeful Work to find out more about how to get involved.
How We Can Help You
- To schedule an appointment with a Purposeful Work staff advisor, please email purposefulwork@bates.edu with your request and weekday availability.
- For additional support, check out alumni professional development resources through Alumni Engagement.