Career Resources for BIPOC Students

This page offers guidance and resources to help you manage your career exploration as a Black, Indigenous, and Person of Color (BIPOC).

Students and alumni of color can experience unique considerations during the job and internship search and in the workplace. Your identities bring unique assets and strengths into the workplace. Consider the qualities or skills you’ve developed from challenges that you’ve overcome or nuanced understanding you’ve gained by nature of your identity. We (CCEE Career Education Specialists) will work individually with you to help you unpack, identify, and explore your career interests, values, and goals. 

CCEE is committed to Social Justice, Equity, and Inclusion. Interested in learning about our plans and actions around diversity and social justice? Take a look at our  CCEE’s 2021 JEDI Strategic Plan. We are also members of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and share in their commitment to developing and supporting a robustly diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.

We are committed to supporting you with:

  • one-on-one appointments with your Career Education Specialist (CES)
  • curated resources for navigating the workplace
  • cultivating relationships with employers that have a commitment to social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Want to talk to someone about this page? Reach out to our team:

 

JOB/INTERNSHIP

To be competitive for the job market or graduate school, every student should complete a practical experience, such as an internship. There are many resources and techniques for searching for an internship and we recommend checking out your specific Career Cluster page for resources, however here are some additional specific resources for students of color.

In order to be competitive for the job market or graduate school, prior to graduation every student should complete a practical experience, such as an internship. There are many techniques for searching for an internship! Many of your questions regarding how to search for a job or internship can be answered by reviewing the module and videos below.

BIPOC Internship and Job Search Websites/Resources

In addition to the resources on your Career Cluster Page, there are a variety of BIPOC-focused websites you can use to search for jobs and internship opportunities:

  • Bilingual Crossing: The largest collection of bilingual jobs on earth
  • Black Enterprise: Black owned multimedia company. Published annual list of largest African-American companies in the country, “B.E. 100’s”
  • Black Career Network: This site uses technology, tools and resources to help you connect with employers that recognize the value of an inclusive and diverse network
  • FirstGenNonProfits: This website provides links to non-profits throughout the United States that are dedicated to helping first generation students excel in their education
  • I’mFirst.org: An online community providing first generation college students with the inspiration, information and support on the road to and through college
  • ImDiversity: A job board focused on diverse job seekers. Includes a blog and additional resources
  • INROADS: Develops and places talented underserved students in businesses and industry while helping applicants prepare for corporate and community leadership
  • Nemnet: Diversity recruitment and consulting firm
  • RI Black Business Association (RIBBA): is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the business opportunities and vitality of Black-owned and minority businesses in Rhode Island. Use the membership directory and our Contacting Placement Sites quick tip sheetto reach out and inquire about internships and/or job opportunities.
  • Top 50 companies for diversity : An article in US News with success tips for first generation college students

Evaluating and researching potential employers

First, make sure to identify what you are looking for in your own job search. You might want to ask yourself the following:

  • What do you want to do for your career?
  • What interests and skills can you contribute to a workplace?
  • What interested or skills would you or do you want to develop?
  • Who do you want around you?
  • Where do you want to be in the world?
  • How does your family or community impact the process?
  • Not sure how to answer any of these questions? Visit our TypeFocus Work Environment Module.

While it may be difficult to determine how truly supportive any organization is, proactively exploring some key indicators can give you a sense of their espoused values:

  • Does their website state a commitment to diversity and non-discrimination?
  • Using LinkedIn or the company’s employee directory, can you see if there is racial/ethnic diversity amongst their employees, senior management, and board of directors?
  • How do others review the company on Glassdoor?
  • How do recruiters and employees respond when asked about diversity, inclusion, and social justice? Can they give you an example of ways the organization promotes diversity and/or combats discrimination?
  • Does the organization actively recruit or collaborate with professional organizations for BIPOC?
  • Are there in-house employee supports or social networks for BIPOC?
  • Did you know: when filling out your profile in Handshake you can add your workplace values and interests?

Gain Even More Experience

students

There are so many ways to gain experience before you graduate! In addition to internships, consider:
 Volunteer Opportunities

Resume & Cover Letter

A resume should highlight the most important information relevant to the specific job you are applying for which is why every resume you write will be different. You will want to showcase projects, classes, and internship experience with social justice and inclusion work. We recommend taking a look at your specific Career Cluster page to view sample resumes from your major and for industry specific resume formatting advice. We also recommend that you review some of the sample resumes below that showcase how students have highlighted their experience in diverse organizations on and off campus.

Sample Resumes Highlighting Social Justice & Inclusion Experience

Sample Cover Letter Highlighting Social Justice & Inclusion Experience

CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

Throughout your career, creating and building your network will be important to your advancement and success within your field. Below are a variety of resources that may be helpful to you as you build your support system as a URI student:

Professional Associations and Affinity Groups

FINDING A MENTOR
The value of a good mentor is priceless. A Management Mentors survey found that 80% of the CEOs it polled had mentors; and they attributed their access to insider knowledge, power, and fast-tracked careers to having mentors. The links below teach you how to find and build a relationship with a great mentor of your own. 

TESTIMONIALS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

TESTIMONIALS

Robert W. Britto-Oliveira, M.S.
URI Alumnus | Talent Development Scholar
Assistant Director, Multicultural Student Services Center, University of Rhode Island

Joanna N. Ravello, Ph.D.
URI Alumna | Talent Development Scholar
Associate Provost of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Stonehill College

*Former Director of Community & Organizational Development in the Office of Community, Equity & Diversity at the University of Rhode Island

Bryan Dewsbury, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Florida International University

*Former Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Rhode Island

UNIQUE CAREER CONSIDERATIONS AND ASSETS FOR A PERSON OF COLOR 

As a person of color and potential employee, your identities bring unique assets and strengths into the workplace. Consider the qualities or skills you’ve developed from challenges that you’ve overcome or nuanced understanding you’ve gained by nature of your identity. We (CCEE Career Education Specialists) will work individually with you to help you unpack, identify, and explore your career interests, values, and goals. 

Some unique concerns that students of color have conveyed include:

  • how to deal with unconscious bias and stereotyping (implicit bias) throughout their career journey
  • expectations with respect to hair and presentation at work
  • being the only or one of a few person(s) of color
  • shifting the language you use or the way you express yourself in your conversations (code-switching)

On-campus ways to immerse yourself in JEDI

Scholarships and Fellowships

  • College Educated BIPOC Scholarships: A list of top BIPOC student scholarships
  • African American Grants: A comprehensive list of various scholarships for students of color.
  • INROADS: The mission of INROADS is to develop and place talented minority young people in business and industry and prepare them for corporate and community leadership.
  • Lagrant Foundation: The LAGRANT Foundation seeks to enhance the academic and professional development of undergraduate and graduate ethnic minority students pursuing careers in advertising, marketing and public relations by providing scholarships, career and professional development workshops, mentors and internships.
  • Seizing Every Opportunity (SEO): SEO’s mission is to place underrepresented students of color into paid summer internships. SEO places interns in banking, private equity, corporate leadership, law, non-profit and other business sectors. Students receive competitive pay, rigorous training, support through mentors, and broad access to full-time professionals and industry leadership.
  • The Getty Foundation Multicultural Undergraduate Internship: The Getty Foundation aims to encourage greater diversity in the professions related to museums and the visual arts. The program provides funding for internships at cultural organizations across Los Angeles.
  • T. Howard Foundation: The T. Howard Foundation is an internship program for minority students interested in the multimedia and entertainment industry. In addition to a full-time paid summer internship, it also provides interns with networking opportunities, professional development training, scholarships, and mentors.
  • United States National Park Service: The Cultural Resources Diversity Internship Program provides a career exploration opportunity for diverse undergraduate and graduate students ages 18-25 in historic preservation/cultural resources work. The program places interns with National Park Service park units and administrative offices, other federal agencies, state historic preservation offices, local governments, and private organizations.

  • College Scholarships.org: List of LGBTQ+ scholarships (follow the link and then search by keyword LGBTQ)

  • Scholarships and Resources for Black PhD Students – Financing Your PhD: Scholarships & Resources for Black Students