Center for Life's Work

Support at every turn

A host of resources and people to support you, including your personal career coach — who helps you plan and integrate your academics, skills, and experiences with your passions.

Meet Jessy Dwyer

B.S. accounting with minors in finance and economics

Jessy's Journey

Jessy is not afraid of hard work. Time after time in his years at Nazareth, he pushed himself outside of his comfort zone, at times surprising even himself. As a participant in the Young Scholars program for high-achieving students from urban schools, he enrolled in Nazareth eager to learn and ready for a challenge — and found it in internships and leadership experiences that shaped his professional ambitions and broadened his view of his options.

Leadership
  • Resident Assistant for summer Young Scholars program, freshman year
    • Peer advisor and supportive contact for new Nazareth student participants in the Young Scholars program
  • Inducted into the Omicron Delta Epsilon Economic Honor Society and Sigma Beta Delta Business Honor Society
  • Class Senator
  • Leadership Program certificate, senior year
Internships
  • A fellowship or pre-internship program participant with J.P. Morgan Chase, N.Y.C., summer of sophomore year
    • Through INROADS, a highly competitive national internship networking organization, Jessy applied for this intensive opportunity that included an introduction to the field of finance and travel to corporate locations in Chicago and Dallas.
  • Tax intern at The Bonadio Group, Rochester, N.Y., spring semester of junior year
  • Finance intern at Johnson and Johnson, New Brunswick, N.J., summer after junior year
  • Audit intern at The Bonadio Group, Rochester, N.Y., spring semester of senior year
Post-Grad Plans

Launch a career in finance.
Quickly hired for an accounting role at a firm in New York City.

Dream Career

C.E.O. or C.F.O. for a Fortune 500 company

Jessy Dwyer
"You learn to network and networking can get you far in life. It's opened up doors for me."

$4,000

SPARK EXPERIENCE

Our door-opening grant program provides a $1,500 SPARK Grant for every new student to pursue a career-sparking experience such as an internship, study abroad, or research, plus a tuition scholarship if it's a for-credit summer SPARK experience, bringing the total SPARK support to more than $4,000. See what Nazareth students are doing with SPARK funds »

Meet Alyssa Henry

B.A. community youth development and B.S./M.S. occupational therapy

Alyssa Henry
"Here I learn from doing. What I learn in the classroom transforms into real-life experiences. From internships to service, my learning is deepened through engaging with the Rochester community and beyond."

Alyssa's Journey

With an inquisitive mind and a tirelessly open nature, Alyssa began at Nazareth as an undeclared student and quickly dove into the new experiences college offers. "Service opportunities and internships helped shape my direction," she says. Her many experiences inspired her choice in majors and plans for a master's degree.

Civic Engagement and Service-Learning
  • Yoga educator through the federally funded campus employment program coordinating yoga classes for refugees at Mary's Place, for elderly Sisters of St. Joseph, and Young Women's Preparatory School, sophomore year through graduation
  • Program facilitator for Global Youth Day, sophomore year
  • Led a trust-building workshop and judged a youth center grant contest for Steppin' Up to Solutions, fall of both junior and senior years
  • Tutored area high school students in academic skills, junior year
  • Site coordinator for Genesis House in Rochester, junior and senior year
  • 2017 Newman Civic Fellow award, senior year
Internships
  • Adolescent counselor at Nelson Mandela International School in Berlin, Germany, sophomore year
  • After-school teacher's aide at Community Place of Greater Rochester, junior year
Research

Clinton Global Initiative University conference participant, junior year; researched and presented findings on yoga and its positive effects on mental health

Study Abroad
  • Berlin, Germany, sophomore year
  • Service abroad in Nicaragua, spring of junior year
Post-Grad

She completed an M.S. in occupational therapy at Nazareth College and was hired as an occupational therapist working with children at the early intervention/ preschool stage.

Dream Career

Leadership position in the American Occupational Therapy Association and working to increase access to quality health care services.

Cameron Perez

Meet Cameron Perez

Her career coach helped her achieve a goal she had her heart set on, despite challenges, and helped connect her to an internship funded by a Nazareth SPARK Grant, which led to a grad school goal.

Cameron's story

100+

STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS
Choose from short-term and long-term programs in over 30 countries.

Study abroad

Medialle Hall

Visit + Be Inspired

Sign up for an on-campus visit to experience the positive vibe and momentum of Naz for yourself. 

Visit Naz

98%

EMPLOYED OR IN GRAD SCHOOL
Within six months of graduation, 98% of Nazareth alums are either employed or in grad school.

Student outcomes