The Career Development Center

The future of work is here.

The Career Development Center at Mount Holyoke College will help you explore your interests, refine your path, chart a course for the future, and gain the practical experience you'll need to succeed.

Our mission is to foster lives of intent and purpose through career curiosity, confidence, and knowledge.

We offer you ways to:

Prepare. Our professional career counselors are eager to hear your story and provide solid advice on the steps you need to take to achieve your career goals. Whether you know exactly what you want to do or you’re not sure what direction to take, the CDC is a great place to get started. We can help you learn more about your interests, skills and values through self-assessment.
Build experience. Explore your career interests by finding an internship and connecting with alums, employers and others who can provide you helpful advice.
Connect curriculum to career. We provide a diverse array of opportunities and resources to help you make connections between your strengths and interests as you build career confidence and direction. Programming and individual advising are provided year-round to support you in exploring your options, developing individual goals and ultimately pursuing a life of intent and purpose.
Connect to alums and employers. We facilitate connections between students and employers, alums and other professionals to create opportunities to engage and build networks.

Upcoming events

View all upcoming CDC events

A career counselor working with a student in the Career Development Center

The Mount Holyoke Experience

Career exploration and preparation

Take steps to fulfill your career aspirations. Use our online resources and meet with a career counselor to discuss and develop your career plan.

The CDC is here to help, every step of the way as you design and carry out a job search strategy built around your interests, skills and values.

Schedule an appointment

Student employment

More than 70% of Mount Holyoke’s undergraduates work on-campus - in labs, dining rooms, the computing center, the library and more. In these areas, and in many others, you will find an opportunity to build your resume and practice skills you will be able to use in any future job or internship.

The Lynk

We provide funding for sophomores and juniors to pursue unpaid internship and research opportunities so that each student has the opportunity to explore career interests, gain practical experience and begin to develop a professional network.

Recruiting programs

We offer unprecedented access to internship & professional opportunities through our employer partnership with Smith and Amherst Colleges. Find on-campus opportunities offered by the 3-colleges, off-campus recruiting & career fairs, and Five College recruiting activities in Handshake.

Campus Voices

Spotlight on internships

Annie Williams ’23

Achieving two goals at Mount Holyoke: working in a research lab and studying abroad

Annie Williams ’23

she/her

Abigail Tadlock ’23

Having the opportunity to be a peer mentor, work in a lab and present physics research

Abigail Tadlock ’23

she/her

Megan Horner ’23

Becoming involved in student government as a first-year student at Mount Holyoke

Megan Horner ’23

they/she

Explore more stories

Internships by the numbers

Mount Holyoke College researchers found that students who achieved a higher grade point average and those who have completed more than one internship are more likely to be employed or enrolled in graduate school than those who did not. You can find internships through Mount Holyoke College internship programs, existing job postings with external employers, or you can develop your own internship opportunity by contacting an organization and offering to work as an intern. The CDC is here to guide and support you through the process.

Learn about the internship study

$750K

Lynk internship funding

We guarantee a paid internship for every student. In 2020 the College awarded over $750,000 in internship funding to 262 students.

450+

Resume reviews

On average, the CDC reviews over 450 resumes a year to ensure they meet the minimum criteria according to professional standards. After their review, advisors provide constructive feedback and make recommendations.

744

Internship and research experiences

744 students participated in summer internships, research, or shadowing experiences during the 2020–2021 year.

82%

Graduates completing at least one internship

82% of all class of 2021 graduates completed at least one summer internship, research experience or independent project before graduating.

95%

Career outcomes

95% of graduates from the class of 2023 for whom outcomes data could be obtained (74% of the class) were employed and/or in graduate school within six months following graduation.

Happening at Mount Holyoke

The CDC in the news

Connecting cultures through higher education

Mount Holyoke College student Ana Maria Stan ’24 has been selected by Middlebury College as a recipient of the “Projects for Peace” grant program. Stan will work alongside Romanian educational non-profit Volo Studere to assist Ukrainian refugees.

Students who presented at the LEAP Symposium pose for a photo with President Danielle R. Holley

LEAP Symposium showcases internships’ variety and depth

Mount Holyoke’s annual LEAP Symposium is a powerful vehicle that demonstrates the strong connections between academic work at the College and its practical application in the world in internships and research experiences.

Mary Lyon Hall and clock tower.

New staff and administrators join Mount Holyoke

Mount Holyoke College welcomes new staff and administrators for roles across the campus.

More News

Career support for graduating students and alums

Mount Holyoke College offers a wide variety of advising services and resources to guide you through the steps necessary to achieve your academic goals beyond graduation. We can meet you wherever you are on your career journey and help you get to the next level!

Law School Advising

To discuss your plans for law school, call the CDC to make an appointment with Yaldira Felix Castro, the MHC Pre-Law Advisor. We offer various opportunities and resources to students and alums considering law school.

Networking through The Gates

We encourage you to utilize The Gates, where alums and students can find one another and stay connected—through all transitions of life.

Graduate school advising

Graduate school—whether it is a one year master’s degree or a six-year PhD program—represents a considerable investment of time and often money. Make an appointment with a CDC career advisor to get started.

Career Development Center staff

Staff

Kristin Balboni

Associate Director, Communications & Metrics

Caedyn Busche ’17

Associate Director, Career Exploration

Yaldira Felix Castro

Assistant Director and Pre-Law Advisor

Briana Chace

Associate Director of Fellowships

Roshonda DeGraffenreid FP'10

Senior Associate Director, External Relations

Jaime Grillo Ed.D.

Executive Director

Jamie Kile

Coordinator

Ricky Klavon

Assistant Director, Metrics & Operations

Alexis MacGregor

Assistant Director, Experiential Learning

Shannon Mastrangelo

Assistant Director, Employer Engagement

Meaghan Murphy-Rennie

Assistant Director, External Relations

Jenny Watermill

Senior Associate Director, Experiential Learning & Exploration

Kelly Woods

Associate Director, Career Advising

Contact us

The Career Development Center

The Career Development Center helps students explore interests, refine a path, chart a course and gain practical experience. We facilitate connections between students and employers, alums and others to create opportunities to engage and build networks.

cdc@mtholyoke.edu
413-538-2080
Daniel L. Jones Building

Jamie Kile

Coordinator

Schedule an appointment via Handshake

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