200 Douglass Students Fan Out Across East Coast for One-Week Career "Experiment"

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ, March 18, 2011 (Press-News.org) This Spring Break, students from Douglass Residential College (http://douglass.rutgers.edu) have left campus--not for vacation, but to "try a career on for size." More than 200 sophomores and juniors are participating in this, the 36th annual externship program, a mandatory, one- to two-week-long experience of in-depth mentoring that matches a student with a Douglass alumna whose work most closely mirrors her career aspirations. Students have a choice of three externship segments. For 2011, two segments began in early January; the final 2011 segment kicked off on Monday.

Funded by the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College (AADC - www.douglassdifference.org), the program, one of the largest in the United States, is unique in that no other program connects a student with an alumna and gives her an up-close and personal look at her life both on and off the job. During this "total immersion," students commute to, or are housed, in the city in which they are working--frequently with her alumna's family. Among the destinations for this week's cohort of externs are Pittsburgh, Cooperstown, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and White River Junction. Their assignments span the worlds of art, medicine and science, government, not-for-profit and business.

"The Extern Program offers more than just work experience; it offers Douglass students the opportunity to model the most successful women in the country," said Valerie Anderson Cabbell '81, AADC Executive Director.

Not Just Observers, Externs Pitch In
In Philadelphia, Lynnicia Massenburg, Douglass '12 and Kayla Raden, Douglass '11, the externs visiting Heather Jensen, Douglass '01, a biologist and project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will be "putting boots on" to get an understanding of just how civil works projects move from concept to design and construction. "We'll be visiting a stream restoration project in Bucks County, attending meetings with regulators regarding local permits, and heading to Vineland to look at a project involving hazardous waste cleanup," she said. Jensen, who has invited externs to shadow her for the last four years, hopes the week will give each an idea of the range of projects underway in her region and an inside look at ecosystem restoration today.

Lori Hirshfield, Douglass '78, the Director of the Department of Planning & Development for the Town of Hartford, Vermont is hosting Renice Obure, Douglass '13, at her home. Hartford, a compilation of five villages including White River Junction, has a number of community and village projects underway, including site development and regulatory review, completing tax increment finance grants and preparation for village planning meetings. Now in her ninth year of mentoring, she says, "What I hope to give Renice this week is a flavor of the steps that must be taken when local government is looking at how development should occur in a community."

Career Plans Confirmed and Reconsidered
January's 127 externs returned from their assignments informed and inspired by their assignments. At Sarasota, Florida's John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art, Head Librarian Linda McKee, Douglass '80 had extern Hanna Canfield, Douglass '12, assist in the development of a library display of rare books on gardens and botanical prints. "We tried to address Hanna's background in the sciences with this project. She was responsible for selecting objects for the display, as well as curating and labeling it. She also created a significant blog on the display for the Library (http://ringlingmuseumlibrary.wordpress.com/2011/01/06/a-treasury-of-a ... gardening/)." According the McKee, Canfield excelled, completing a "month's workload in a week."

Canfield describes her week-long experience as a librarian as both "very fun and meaningful". "I'm an animal science major and I have many ideas about possible graduate school options. Working at the Museum Library made me think that I would enjoy a career in a totally different field than I had been considering."

For Sa'de Alston, Douglass '13, a week with Erin Medley, Douglass '04, Senior Manager, Programming & Editorial Content at Clear Channel Radio Digital, confirmed her career plans. "I now have a better understanding of what I need to do while in school in order to be prepared for ...this particular industry," she said. Medley, who placed Sa'de with her editorial team, where she conceptualized, researched and wrote copy for pop culture-related photo galleries and stories, describes her as the "ideal extern. "Sa'de was such a pleasure to work with I even offered her an internship for this summer," she said.

The Douglass program has launched many a career and inspired alumnae to open their office doors to future generations--one of those is Catherine Cavender, Douglass '79. Now Editor, Special Projects at Hearst Magazines, she has been both an extern and extern sponsor.

"When I was at Douglass, I externed in the PR Department of the Boy Scouts of America and at New Jersey Monthly Magazine. Both were highly valuable experiences that helped me decide to pursue a career in magazine editing. After I graduated and started working, I couldn't wait to sponsor an extern myself. I've participated in the program many times since, and always enjoy the externs' enthusiasm, and hearing the latest about life at Douglass now," she said.

"I think the program really helps keep alumnae connected to the school, while offering students truly irreplaceable experiences. It's one of the many things that makes Douglass special."

Launched in 1975, a product of the vision of alumnae volunteers like Adelaide Zagoren, Douglass '40, and staff, the extern program has won a number of awards, including, in 2005, the Senator Wynona M. Lipman Award from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Division for an outstanding community organization in the category of mentoring. The AADC's $35 million Capital Campaign plans to allocate $1 million to the extern program. Those funds will be endowed, with the interest being used to fund program costs such as student travel stipends, and to inaugurate a celebration for alumnae and externs that will allow them to share their experiences.

About The Associate Alumnae of Douglass College (AADC)
Established by the Class of 1922, the college's first graduating class, the AADC today represents the interests of more than 36,000 graduates of Douglass College and the former New Jersey College for Women. With support from alumnae and friends, the Associate Alumnae provides exciting educational opportunities for Douglass students, as well as programs and outreach opportunities that foster connections between Douglass alumnae, students, faculty, staff and friends. For additional information, please visit www.douglassdifference.org

About Douglass Residential College
Douglass Residential College boasts 1,816 students from more than 24 states and 14 countries; it recently welcomed Jacquelyn Litt, Ph.D. as its tenth dean. Founded in 1918 as the New Jersey College for Women (NJC), and later named Douglass College in honor of its founder Mabel Smith Douglass, the College was renamed Douglass Residential College following the reorganization of undergraduate education at Rutgers in 2006. Throughout its history Douglass has been at the forefront of education for women, and continues to support women's development in all arenas, including research, education, business, public policy, communication and community service. For further information, visit http://douglass.rutgers.edu.

CONTACT:
Valerie Anderson Cabbell, Executive Director, Associate Alumnae of Douglass College
732-932-2880
vcabbell@winants.rutgers.edu