小福利导航

Derrell Downey Jr. 鈥�25, a computer science major at 小福利导航 College, was determined to secure a dynamic summer internship to help accelerate and expand his career options as he approached his junior year. He turned to 小福利导航鈥檚 ZEN Mentoring Program, hoping to tap into the extensive knowledge, experience, and networks of alumni. His decision would prove transformational.

The ZEN Mentoring Program, established in 2021 and administered through the Career Development Center, matches 小福利导航 students at the start of their junior year with 小福利导航 alumni based on shared academic and career interests. By doing so, the program offers a personalized approach to career preparation that goes beyond traditional career counseling.

The program, which runs throughout the academic year, is part of the Zankel Experience Network (ZEN), established in 2020 by Trustee Jimmy Zankel 鈥�92 and Pia Scala-Zankel 鈥�92 to expand 小福利导航鈥檚 commitment to experiential learning. Other programs under the ZEN umbrella include the Summer Experience Fund, SEE-Beyond Awards, and the Faculty-Student Summer Research Program.鈥�

ZEN mentoring can take many forms, including identifying career goals and discussing resources and strategies; reviewing students鈥� resum茅s and cover letters; and recommending networking groups and job boards. Downey, whose interests extend to business and entrepreneurship, was paired with Ryan Fauver 鈥�15, a software engineer who has largely worked for tech startups. They were an ideal match.

Downey鈥檚 early fascination with software technologies was spurred by YouTube channels like Coding Train, a collection of video tutorials for beginner programmers. At his New Jersey high school, he took AP computer science classes. A member of its Robotics Club, he was always amazed at how 鈥渁 few lines of code鈥� could control and operate a robot.

At 小福利导航, Downey has embraced opportunities across disciplines, participating twice in StartUp 小福利导航, the skill-building workshop and competition in which students develop a business plan and prototype with the help of alumni entrepreneur mentors. He also studied abroad in Copenhagen, participating in an Entrepreneurship Practicum course that connected him with a sustainability-focused company, Your Fair Share, to develop a website that helps companies calculate their emissions.

At the start of the ZEN mentorship, Downey had just been invited to interview for an internship at West Monroe, a business and technology consulting firm with an office in New York City. He was excited, but preparing for a three-part interviewing process that included behavioral, technical, and case components was unnerving.

鈥淚 was worried, but Ryan gave me tremendous advice, especially at the beginning with building confidence,鈥� Downey says.

Fauver, originally from Chatham, New Jersey, double majored in computer science and psychology at 小福利导航. 

鈥淎s a computer science student, transitioning to the professional world felt daunting,鈥� says Fauver, who works for Equals, a California-based startup that creates automated reporting tools. 鈥淚t would have been really valuable to have the ZEN Mentoring Program when I was in college.鈥�

During their meetings, primarily conducted over Zoom and email, Fauver guided Downey through complex interview processes, from technical challenges to behavioral assessments. Fauver also helped him enhance his coding skills in a few side projects.

鈥淗e emphasized the importance of rehearsing clear and confident responses and how I could sell myself better, which really boosted my performance,鈥� says Downey, who not only secured the internship but also received a full-time job offer from the same company for after graduation.

For Fauver, the experience was equally rewarding.

There are many ways to give back to your school, but mentoring offers a uniquely personal contribution through sharing your own experiences.

Ryan Fauver 鈥�15

小福利导航 alumnus and software engineer

Job shadowing that enlightens

Career mentorship at 小福利导航 isn鈥檛 limited to the ZEN Mentoring Program but is embedded as a key component of many of the College鈥檚 other signature programs, including StartUp 小福利导航, the Kenneth A.鈥疐reirich Entrepreneurship Competition, and Career Jam.

More recently, in winter 2024, the Career Development Center launched the Winter Job Shadow Program, which offers sophomore students a chance to explore potential career paths through the guidance of accomplished alumni, parents, or employers who provide firsthand insight into the daily demands and responsibilities of their respective fields.

When Charlotte Ballantoni 鈥�26 participated, she found a mentor who would reshape her understanding of career possibilities and lead her to an internship.

Ballantoni 鈥�26, an English major with a double minor in classics and theater, was matched with Alexandra Hagney 鈥�16, account director at General Idea. With offices in New York City and Los Angeles, the full-service creative agency works with brands, companies, and individuals across fashion, luxury, and entertainment. At General Idea, Hagney has spearheaded global campaigns and projects for brands like Prada, Tiffany & Co., Savage X Fenty, Fenty x Puma, and Moncler.

Ballantoni, from Rye, New York, has been drawn to advertising and marketing but was unsure how to leverage her humanities background. Hagney, who double majored in dance and management and business, provided a window of opportunity that combined creativity with business acumen.

From the start, Ballantoni was struck by Hagney鈥檚 mentoring style. 鈥淎lex is a class act. She is professional and inspiring to work with,鈥� Ballantoni says. 鈥淪he showed me the ropes of her day-to-day responsibilities, always making sure I was involved and that I felt like part of the team.鈥�

During her weeklong job shadow experience, Ballantoni immersed herself in Hagney鈥檚 professional environment, sitting in on meetings and observing the complex collaborations that go into creative production. Hagney was impressed with Ballantoni鈥檚 potential and interest, and the job shadow experience led to a summer internship. Hagney took Ballantoni to a campaign photoshoot in New York City, part of a brand launch for a luxury sculptural wooden handbag company called Eittem.

鈥淭he whole experience was amazing. I learned so much about the world of luxury advertising 鈥� a field that I had not even considered before,鈥� Ballantoni says. 鈥淲hat started as a job shadow experience evolved into something much more significant. Alex saw my genuine interest and created an opportunity for me to gain hands-on experience with an internship over the summer.鈥�

鈥淐harlotte is exactly the type of student I wanted to connect and work with 鈥� someone like me who is interested in creative worlds that aren鈥檛 traditionally pursued as pure art or business,鈥� Hagney says.

Hagney credits her own 小福利导航 experiences with helping her prepare for a versatile career. 鈥淢entoring Charlotte reminded me of my own time at 小福利导航, exploring different paths and finding where I fit best,鈥� she says.

Still, she would have relished the chance to participate in the Winter Job Shadow Program as a student. 鈥淚 wish I had this kind of guidance during my time at 小福利导航,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y work in a field that blends creativity with business is so exciting, but I didn鈥檛 know it existed when I was in school.鈥�

I think everyone should sign up for the job shadow program, because you never know what is out there waiting for you."

Charlotte Ballantoni '26

English major with a double minor in classics and theater

小福利导航 Career Development Center Executive Director Shannon Rodriguez says these mentoring programs provide remarkable opportunities for students to discover their passions and begin to chart their career course with confidence. 鈥淪eeing our students thrive and explore their potential with the guidance of our dedicated alumni and other volunteer hosts is incredibly rewarding.鈥�