The tagline “Boston never gets old” was on display during spring break, when a group of Syracuse University students traveled to the historic city to advance their careers.
Known as the Boston Immersion Program, the trip was hosted by Career Services and enabled undergraduates of all majors to visit major companies and network with Syracuse friends and alumni.
Aliana John ’26, a biotechnology major in the College of Arts and Sciences, was surprised to learn that Boston is home to more than 1,700 employers in the life sciences industry. “Being from Brooklyn, I’ve always imagined working in a major city,” she says. “After this trip, I can now see myself living and thriving, personally and professionally, in the nation’s biotech hub.”
Chris Bonis ’04 (right), a software engineering project lead at Philips Healthcare, says programs like Boston Immersion help students “bridge the gap” between theoretical and practical knowledge.
John got to meet some of the 13,000 Syracuse alumni who live or work in Boston, which is undergoing a commercial renaissance. They included Jeff Caravella ’01, G’08, chief financial officer and vice president of finance at Johnson & Johnson MedTech.
“He helped me understand how to strategically pursue internships that align with my career goals and leverage resources available to me as a student,” says John, a marketing minor in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.
Other alumni she met were Riley Fouts ’23, a physical retail promotion associate at the e-commerce giant Wayfair, and Arturo Costa ’16, a territory account executive for the restaurant management system Toast.
“They emphasized the importance of reaching out to alumni with confidence and building genuine connections,” John continues. “Their advice pushed me to engage more openly and take initiative in networking.”
A Syracuse alumni panel at Microsoft. “They set realistic expectations about post-graduate life,” says Mimi Lopez ’26.
The Value of Networking
Boston Immersion has been strengthening relationships among students, alumni and industry professionals for nearly a decade. Adam Capozzi, director of Career Services, Assessment and Student Success, lauds the program’s ability to produce “tangible outcomes.”
“Employers gain access to highly engaged, culturally aware talent, while students benefit from real-world experiences and a broad understanding of different industries,” he says of the program, which most recently ran March 9-12. “Meanwhile, alumni are grateful to give back.”
Students at an alumni networking reception co-sponsored by the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and the Office of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving.
Lindsay Mason, Career Services’ employer relations specialist, says the experience adds value to a Syracuse degree. “Our alumni make the visits as interactive as possible, so that students see the link between theoretical knowledge and practical application in the workplace.”
Phebe Kwarteng ’27, a visual communications major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, learned the benefits of networking as well as exploring careers that match her lifestyle goals.
She was part of a student group that met Adam Lippard ’93, a seasoned sports and entertainment executive who is chief commercial officer of GMR Marketing. “He taught us to be proactive and genuine in making industry connections,” Kwarteng says. “I liked the fact that he did his homework on us and knew who we were. This steered the conversation in a meaningful way.”
Finding the Why
Career Services’ Alyssa Jenkins and Lindsay Mason (kneeling, from left) with students at Microsoft. Mason says Boston Immersion adds value to a Syracuse degree.
Although based in Washington state, Microsoft has a significant presence in Boston. Mimi Lopez, a senior majoring in linguistic studies in Arts and Sciences, was impressed by the staff at the company’s Innovation Hub.
“Our hosts set realistic expectations about post-graduate life,” she says. “They told us that soft skills and a positive mindset can turn a good job candidate into a dynamic associate, with room to grow into their role.”
Lopez also learned that employers value training and development as much as, if not more, than talent.
Chris Bonis ’04, a software engineering project lead at Philips Healthcare, elaborated on this idea during a student site visit. He believes that given the complexities of the current job market, programs like Boston Immersion serve a vital purpose.
“We get to meet prospective candidates early and provide feedback that helps them land a job,” says Bonis, adding that today’s candidates need a mix of theoretical and practical experience. “Boston Immersion bridges this gap by enabling students to deal directly with industry.”
Ken Peters ’91 is a communications and business leader at Philips North America. “The [students] were a smart, talented and driven group,” he posted afterward.
Ken Peters ’91, head of brand and communications at Philips North America, encouraged students to be strategic in their job search. “He told us to find someone [at a company] with whom we have something in common and then target our approach. Polite persistence matters,” says Madiou Bah ’27, a dual major in economics in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and broadcast and digital journalism in the Newhouse School.
Peters also recommended that Bah watch a 2009 TED Talk by author Simon Sinek titled How Great Leaders Inspire Action. “It starts with finding your why and if a company’s culture is right for you,” says Bah, referring to Sinek’s core philosophy.
A Sense of Connection
(From left) Bryce Hazen ’26, Nikhil Prasad ’27 and Josh Richter ’26 at View Boston, a 360-degree observation deck located atop the Prudential Center.
Rounding out the trip were small-group dinners with members of Syracuse’s Boston Regional Council, along with opportunities for sightseeing. (Students discovered that “Beantown” refers to Boston’s passion for baked beans, rather than its 200-plus coffee shops—more per capita than any other U.S. city.) “I’ll remember the friends I’ve made on this trip as well as the fun times,” Lopez says.
Dina Clark ’92 (foreground) is an executive at Skanska, one of the world’s largest construction and development companies.
John noted that briefly being away from campus reaffirmed her sense of connection to it. On the bus trip home, she mulled over advice from Dina Clark ’92, a senior vice president at the construction giant Skanska.
“She told me to find a company where employees are passionate about what they do,” John says. “When we feel supported at work, we’re more productive. And that impacts everything else in our life.”
