Career Advising & Professional Development (CAPD) is seeking one student Career Exploration Leader to work with academic and student support departments, student groups, alumni, employers, and graduate/professional school admissions staff to develop and execute career exploration events for undergraduates and graduate students, that will be held during the fall semester, Independent Activities Period (IAP), and the spring semester. Career Exploration Leaders work with the support of the Assistant Director of Career Exploration.

Each position involves independent and team projects and these roles are a fit for students who are excited about exercising their skills in leadership, event planning, and marketing. Preferred experience includes leading initiatives, managing projects, designing marketing materials, collecting and analyzing data, working independently and in teams, communicating with stakeholders, and providing customer service. Preferred skills include communication, interpersonal skills, time management, and the ability to collaborate and work across sectors of MIT.

Undergraduate and graduate students at MIT are eligible to apply.

Sample work timeline

• August: Work typically includes reaching out to and planning events with collaborators to set up for the fall, planning individual events, and designing marketing materials. 
• September-November: These months are all about marketing, putting on events, and collecting data from those events. 
• December: This month is dedicated to analyzing data, preparing reports, planning and confirming IAP events, and developing marketing materials. 
• January: IAP involves marketing and hosting events as well as planning and confirming spring events and developing marketing materials. 
• February-March: These months are all about marketing, putting on events, and collecting data from those events. You might also create resources. If there is additional time, it will be used to begin wrapping up final tasks including data analysis and writing final reports. 
• April: This time is for wrapping up final tasks including data analysis, contributing to final reports, providing recommendations for future events, and setting up a transition plan for the following year’s student staff.  

Team Responsibilities

Each Career Exploration Leader is responsible for supporting the team responsibilities and goals listed below in addition to working on their individual focus areas.

• Provide support, including logistical and technical support, for Career Exploration events for undergraduate and graduate students. Working across different teams in CAPD including with Career Advising, Employer Relations, Professional Development, Prehealth Advising, and Distinguished Fellowships and collaborating outside of CAPD with other departments/programs may be possible.
• Market events to students through email, flyers, and other methods relevant to students and departments/programs. Design and post marketing materials (for print, digital, and social media) in collaboration with the CAPD Communication and Program Manager.
• Attend weekly and monthly team meetings to plan for events; propose agenda items in individual and team meetings; lead discussion on project-specific work and share updates in meetings.
• Determine key pieces of information needed to complete the Career Exploration final reports; collaborate in producing the final reports and sharing with key stakeholders.
• Distribute surveys and collect responses. Analyze survey responses alongside attendance data to create recommendations for future career exploration events.
• Document tasks and provide feedback to CAPD to facilitate an effective and detailed transition plan for the following year’s Career Exploration Leaders.
• Develop and maintain content on career exploration events, information, resources and initiatives on online platforms including the CAPD website, Handshake, and MIT News articles.

Additional responsibilities and potential projects

Planning events

• Lead and collaborate on planning events for First Years and Sophomores in the fall, IAP, and spring with the Assistant Director of Early Career Engagement. This could include recruiting speakers for panels or participating as a panelist to provide advice for early career students, organizing an event to help students explore majors and industry, managing speed networking mixers with alumni and graduate students.
• Lead and collaborate on planning events to help students explore graduate and professional school (MEng, MS, MBA, JD) options in the fall, IAP, and spring. These could include the micro mentoring program, a networking mixer with MIT Graduate Department Administrators and grad students, and panel events with admissions officers or other program representatives.  
• Plan at least one event of your choice for undergraduates or graduate students to help students explore their options and create a resource based on this event.  
• Plan at least one event of your choice to help students explore their options for graduate/professional school and create a resource based on this event.  

Engage student groups, academic departments/programs, and employers

• Partner with the Assistant Director of Career Exploration to support MIT departments/programs’ career exploration events. This includes participating in engaging new departments/programs, designing marketing materials, marketing events to relevant departments/programs, tracking events and maintaining an organized database, distributing surveys, and gathering event attendance. 
• Identify undergraduate and graduate student groups who would be ideal partners for career exploration events. Connect with identified groups to discuss potential partnerships and event collaborations. Pilot at least one student group career exploration collaboration and/or build a resource to promote this student group on the CAPD Career Exploration website. 
• Identify undergraduate and graduate student groups and departments/programs who would be ideal partners for graduate/professional school exploration events. Connect with identified groups to discuss potential partnerships and event collaborations. Pilot at least one graduate/professional school exploration collaboration and/or build a resource to promote this student group on the CAPD Career Exploration website.
• Communicate with relevant MIT departments and programs to build awareness of resources and events available to students, market events, and potentially collaborate on events.
• Facilitate introductions between student groups and the Employer Relations team and employers for relevant events. 

This role involves independent and team projects and these is a fit for students who are excited about exercising their skills in leadership, event planning, and marketing. Preferred experience includes leading initiatives, managing projects, designing marketing materials, collecting and analyzing data, working independently and in teams, communicating with stakeholders, and providing customer service. Preferred skills include communication, interpersonal skills, time management, and the ability to collaborate and work across sectors of MIT. 

Undergraduate and graduate students at MIT are eligible to apply.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply by February 11, 2026 for priority review. Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled. Click here to apply.

Read the full job description: https://capd.mit.edu/career-exploration-leaders-student-roles/ 

Benefits

• Connect with student groups, employers, graduate/professional school representatives, MIT alumni and other students participating in Career Exploration events
• Gain valuable leadership experience in program management, teamwork, data collection and analysis, marketing, and collaboration with MIT academic/student support departments
• Manage large-scale projects
• Work on projects independently and collaboratively in a team of students and staff with the opportunity to be creative and incorporate your interests into the role  
• Impact and contribute to career exploration opportunities for the MIT community

Time Commitment/Compensation 

• Hours: Up to 6 hours/week
• Term two semesters minimum: March 1 – May 15; August 1 – December 18 | 31 weeks | Rate: $16/hour | Total $2,976
• The hours are flexible and work can be performed remote, allowing for the student to work around summer research/internship, classes and activities, or IAP opportunities. Events are typically in September-November and January-March so the events will be minimal during final exams.

Explore all available positions on the Student Leadership Opportunities page.

The program will be hosted in-person on the Florida State University campus from May 28-June 18, 2026. There is no application fee and the program is offered at no cost to participants. On-campus apartment-style housing is provided, and each participant will receive a meal card for the duration of the program.  

The application deadline is March 27, 2026, however, students are encouraged to apply early as the admissions team begins reviewing applications in January.  Interested students may find more information, including the online application at www.law.fsu.edu/slp.

We provide students with exposure to law-related opportunities beyond the classroom, offer mentorship from Black legal professionals and law schools, and create pathways for networking, internship recruitment, LSAT readiness, and law school preparation. This organization is Boston-based and welcomes all undergraduate students attending schools across Massachusetts.

General Interest Form: https://forms.gle/SK777uNQ9jpkRAGc8

Instagram: @societyofblackwomeninlaw

• Log in to Ask EDNA! — The Education Network at AccessLex, offering hundreds of free resources for aspiring and current law students;
• Visit the MAX Pre-Law section of the site;
• Attend pre-law webinars;
• Complete online lessons; and,
• Watch short videos.

Each activity completed within MAX Pre-Law not only helps students with applying to and paying for law school but also gives them an additional entry into the scholarship drawing. The more they engage, the better their odds.

Log in early and often to increase your chances of winning!

Questions? Connect with us!

Federal student loans will now have a total lifetime cap of $257.5K for all undergraduate and graduate school loans, including caps of $20,500 per year with a $100K total limit for graduate programs and $50K per year with a $200K total limit for professional programs (such as law, medical, and business school). There will also be a lifetime cap of $65K per child for Parent PLUS loans. Previously, students used Grad PLUS loans if they needed to borrow beyond the prior cap of $138.5K, however, Grad PLUS loans will be eliminated with the new rules that will take effect on July 1, 2026.  

We recognize that this may cause you concern and want to share resources and alternative options available to you. Visit this page with federal loan updates to read more about these changes and resources.

Federal student loans will now have a total lifetime cap of $257.5K for all undergraduate and graduate school loans, including caps of $20,500 per year with a $100K total limit for graduate programs and $50K per year with a $200K total limit for professional programs (such as law, medical, and business school). There will also be a lifetime cap of $65K per child for Parent PLUS loans. Previously, students used Grad PLUS loans if they needed to borrow beyond the prior cap of $138.5K, however, Grad PLUS loans will be eliminated with the new rules that will take effect on July 1, 2026.  

We recognize that this may cause you concern and want to share resources and alternative options available to you: 

Current alternatives to overcoming the caps include school-based and third-party scholarships. Programs may award scholarships based on merit and need and some schools have separate applications for their scholarships. Check each school’s website and aid information to learn how they administer scholarships. You can also reach out to their admissions and financial aid administrators for more information. Outside of scholarships, there are private loans as well. Private loans come with their own pros and cons, which you can learn about on the MIT Student Financial Services website.  

In addition to using the resources on the SFS website, MIT students can meet with an SFS advisor to discuss budgeting and financial goals and attend SFS events on managing finances and budgeting. Graduate students can also sign up for financial consultations through the MIT Graduate Assistance and Information Network (GAIN). 

Since this legislation passed over the summer, we will also have to see how graduate schools respond. However, instead of waiting, there is an opportunity for you to act now by proactively considering your school list and tuition costs and applying for school-specific and third-party scholarships. Public schools with graduate and professional programs offer in-state tuition to residents that are often lower than tuition for private universities.  

Please feel free to schedule an appointment with a career advisor or prehealth advisor to discuss your plans and any questions you may have. Please note that we are also learning about the ins and outs of this new cap, just as you are. As we learn about how graduate schools are responding, we will update our website, but we may not know all the details until fall 2026. 

Review the resources below for additional resources for law and medical school: 

The JD-Next Impact Scholarship celebrates ten exceptional law school applicants who plan to begin their legal education in Fall 2026 and are committed to making a positive difference in the world through the power of law.

Whether through advocacy, leadership, public service, or innovation, these future legal professionals are driven to utilize their education to enhance the justice system, strengthen communities, and foster a more just society.

This scholarship recognizes individuals who see a law degree not just as a personal achievement but as a platform to lead, serve, and drive meaningful impact for others.

Learn more and apply at https://jdnext.org/1lscholarship/

The upcoming Careers in Medicine & Life Sciences Alumni Speed Networking event is your chance to connect with professionals who’ve navigated these fields and gain firsthand insights into their career journeys.

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, March 5th
• Location: E17-294
• Sign up now on Handshake!

What to Expect!

This fast-paced, interactive networking event brings together a diverse group of MIT alumni working in medicine, research, and biotechnology. Whether you’re exploring career options, looking for mentorship or networking opportunities, or seeking advice on graduate school, this event offers a unique opportunity to engage with experienced professionals in a small-group setting.  There’s also the added benefit of connecting with alumni through your shared MIT experience and unique cultural bond!

Why Attend?

• Expand Your Network – Meet alumni who have been in your shoes and can offer guidance on different career paths.
• Gain Career Insights – Hear real-world experiences from professionals in medicine, industry, and academia.
• Ask Your Questions – Get advice on everything from medical school applications to research opportunities and biotech startups.

Alumni You’ll Meet! The event features guest speakers with a wide range of expertise, including:

Anjali Misra, MD – Emergency Medicine Resident at Mass General Brigham

Anjali (Anji) Misra is a recent graduate of Harvard Medical School is currently in her residency at Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine residency at Mass General Brigham.  Anjali grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and graduated from MIT majoring in Brain & Cognitive Sciences.  After MIT, Anjali earned her Master of Public Health (MPH) as a Mitchell Scholar in Cork, Ireland. She is excited to pursue a career in emergency medicine that combines her interests in emergency medical services (EMS), public health, and legislative advocacy.

Meet with Anjali Misra if you are interested in:

• Learning what the residency years of being a physician are like, especially in emergency medicine.
• Exploring the intersection of emergency medicine, public health, and policy advocacy.
• Understanding the path to earning an MPH and how it complements a medical career.
• Gaining insight into Fellowship opportunities like the Mitchell Scholarship for studying abroad.

Dr. Chung Wei Lee, MD-PhD – Senior Clinical Trial Physician/Medical Director at Bristol Myers Squib

Dr. Chung Wei Lee, M.D., Ph.D., is a physician-scientist and biotech entrepreneur with extensive experience in clinical research, oncology drug development, and biomedical innovation. He has held leadership roles in pharmaceutical and biotech companies, including serving as the current Senior Clinical Trial Physician / Medical Director in Global Oncology at Bristol Myers Squibb and Director of Clinical Development at PharmaEssentia. He also worked as a Principal Scientist at Axcella Health and a Research Scientist at MIT’s Division of Comparative Medicine.  Dr. Lee earned his Ph.D. in Biological Engineering from MIT and his M.D. in Internal Medicine from National Taiwan University. 

Meet with Dr. Lee if you are interested in:

• Pursuing a career in clinical research and drug development
• Understanding the career path of a PhD or MD in the biotech & pharmaceutical industry
• Learning about the transition from a career in academia to industry
• Bridging biomedical research and pharmaceutical innovation to develop new therapies

Dr. Maxine Jonas, PhD – MIT Senior Lecturer in Biological Engineering

Dr. Maxine Jonas, Ph.D., an instructor at MIT, is a biological engineer, research scientist, and educator with expertise in bioinstrumentation, synthetic biology, and biomedical innovation. She is a Principal Research Scientist in MIT’s Department of Biological Engineering and a Communication Lab Instructor, where she helps students refine their scientific communication skills.  Her career spans both academia and industry, including research and development roles focused on biotechnology, microfluidics, and cell analysis.  Dr. Jonas completed her PhD in Biological Engineering at MIT.

Meet with Dr. Jonas if you are interested in:

• Exploring careers in biological engineering, biotechnology, or bioinstrumentation.
• Learning about the transition between academia, industry, and research leadership.
• Gaining insights into scientific communication and effective research presentation skills.
• Navigating interdisciplinary careers that merge engineering and life sciences.

Naren Tallapragada, PhD – Tessel Bio CEO u0026amp; Co-Founder

Dr. Naren Tallapragada started Tessel to stop chronic disease. Over a decade ago, while an undergrad at MIT studying Electrical Engineering & Physics, Naren watched his mom succumb to small bowel cancer after a lifetime with Crohn’s. That experience led Naren to pick up a pipette for the first time and pursue a PhD in Systems Biology at Harvard. Motivated by one question – “Why don’t we all get cancer all the time?” – Naren studied organ regeneration and repair, with a focus on watching stem cells in tissues carry out this complex dance. In the process, he pioneered methods to reverse-engineer disease in a dish through organoid culture, imaging, and single-cell sequencing. Naren’s career has taken him from politics and Big Tech back to science and startups, with stops along the way at Roivant, Google X, and Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign. Now, Naren is excited to build on this foundation – discovering and developing new drugs with the whole team at Tessel.

Outside of work, Naren enjoys running, cooking, and subjecting his family to bad puns and dad jokes.

Meet with Dr. Tallapragada if you are interested in:

• Exploring careers in biomedicine, entrepreneurship, and tech
• Learning about academic and career pivots from engineering to politics to biomedicine
• Gaining insights into drug discovery, cutting edge tech, startups, management and leadership
• Infusing science policy and political engagement into a career in STEM

Ta-Chun Hang, PhD – Head of Process Development at Asimov

Dr. Ta-Chun Hang is an industry leader with subject matter expertise spanning biologics and C&GT. Dr. Hang is experienced with merging computational and experimental systems approaches, with direct applications in cellular therapies and biologics. Dr. Hang has extensive experience in working with early stage development programs through CMC RA to commercial manufacturing.

Specialties: Cellular Drug Product Manufacturing (Cell & Gene Therapy), Bioprocess Engineering & Manufacturing, Systems Biology, Process Optimization/Characterization/Validation, Computational Modeling and Data Analysis Approaches, AI/ML, Method Development, Grant Writing, Bioelectrochemical Systems, Scientific Strategy, and Project Management.

Meet with Dr. Hang if you are interested in:

• Pursuing a career in biological engineering through early stage development to commercial manufacturing in industry
• Understanding the career trajectory from research associate to project management and leadership
• Learning about the transition from a career in academia from PhD and postdoc to industry
• Combining biological engineering and computational techniques in cellular therapies and biologics

Register for this event in Handshake!

Email Akunna Rosser, arosser@mit.edu, with any questions on this event.

Note: Please log into your Handshake account (or learn more about Handshake here) before accessing the links resources below. This will ensure that all the links work properly.

Types of essays

Regardless of the type of school you are applying to, you will be required to submit an admissions essay as part of the application process. Graduate programs want students with clear commitment to the field. Essay prompts typically ask applicants to discuss their previous experience, future professional goals, and how the program can help them in achieving those objectives. The essay gives the applicant the chance to articulate these goals and display strong writing skills. Remember to tailor your essay to each school and the faculty committee that reviews your application. But first, take note of what kind of essay is being requested of you. Here are the two main admission essays:

Personal statement

A personal statement is a narrative piece describing how your character and experiences have formed you into someone who will contribute positively and effectively to not only the department but the academic discipline as a whole. This is often achieved by detailing social, educational, cultural, and economic obstacles you have overcome in your journey to get to where you are today and your future objectives. A personal statement is also an opportunity to highlight what is unique about you and how you will advance diversity within the institution.

Check out personal statement resources for graduate school applications in the Resources section of Handshake for a brainstorming activity and essay samples that can help you get started on your personal statement.

Statement of purpose

Interchangeably called a “research statement,” a statement of purpose will prompt you to describe your research interests and professional goals, how you plan to accomplish them, and why a specific program is best suited for you to do so. Be specific about your specialized interests within your major field. Be clear about the kind of program you expect to undertake, and explain how your study plan connects with your previous training and future goals.

Use the outlining your statement of purpose guide in the Resources section of Handshake to get started on your statement outline.

How to write a powerful admission essay

Whatever required format, your essay should be thoughtful, concise, compelling, and interesting. Remember, admissions officers read hundreds of personal essays. Below are some tips for your admissions essay writing process. Additionally, check out graduate school essay writing tips in the Resources section of Handshake.

Before writing

• Read the question: Be sure you are aware of all aspects of the prompt. Failing to pay attention to details in the prompt won’t reflect well on you as a potential candidate.
• Brainstorm: Within the context of the question, make a list of your interests, personal passions, past experiences, hardships, successes, etc. to give yourself some writing topic options. Some questions to ask yourself:
  • What is distinct, special, and/or impressive about me and my life story?
  • Have I overcome any particular hardships or obstacles?
  • When did I become interested in this field and what have I learned about it?
  • What are my career goals?
  • What personal traits, values, and skill sets do I have that would make me stand out from other applicants?
• Create an outline: You might have a lot that you want to say, but you will need to whittle down your many thoughts and experiences to a concrete thesis with a select number of examples to support it. Create an outline for your draft, not only to organize your points and examples, but to help tailor your essay for your readers.
• Know your audience: Consider how your narrative can best meet the expectations of admissions committee members. Will faculty be reading this? Administrators? Experts in the field? Knowing your audience ahead of time will assist you in addressing the prompt appropriately.

While writing

• Grab your reader’s attention: Start your essay with something that will grab the reader’s attention such as a personal anecdote, questions, or engaging depiction of a scene. Avoid starting things off with common phrases such as “I was born in…” or “I have always wanted to…” Consider the experiences that have shaped you or your career decision, and delve into them with a creative hook.
• Write well: Your essay is a sample of your writing abilities, so it’s important to convey your thoughts clearly and effectively. Be succinct—you don’t need to write out your full autobiography or resume in prose. Exclude anything that doesn’t support your thesis. Gentle humor is okay, but don’t overdo it. Also, don’t make things up! Be honest about your experiences.
• End strong: End your essay with a conclusion that refers back to the lead and restates your thesis. This helps unify your essay as a whole, connecting your detailed experiences back to the reason you are writing this essay in the first place—to show your qualifications for your graduate program of choice.

Final touches

• Use resources: The MIT Communication Labs have a CommKit that collects all of the Comm Lab resources relevant to the grad application process, including recommendation letters & interviews
• Revise: Give yourself enough time to step away from your draft. Return with a fresh pair of eyes to make your edits. Be realistic with yourself, not your harshest critic. Make a few rounds of revisions if you need.
• Ask for help: Have your essay critiqued by friends, family, educators, and the MIT Writing and Communication Center or our Career Services staff.
• Proofread: Read your essay out loud or even record yourself and listen to the recording, to help you catch mistakes or poor phrasing you may have missed when reading to yourself. Also, don’t rely exclusively on your computer to check your spelling.