Bottom Line

Bottom Line students between mock interview sessions.

Crisp suits, firm handshakes, and smiles abound at the 2016 Bottom Line Go Far Forum events. The annual Go Far Forums, which take place in Boston and Worcester, provide an opportunity for Bottom Line high school seniors and college students to develop their professional skills, explore career paths, and meet regional employers looking to recruit a diverse pool of talented employees.

This month, over 375 Bottom Line students in Massachusetts braved the winter weather to practice their elevator pitches and network with local professionals at the Boston Marriott. UMASS – Boston student, Judnise Guillet, a junior studying communications, arrived eager to meet professionals in marketing and PR. “The State Street networking roundtable discussions,” a new workshop led by State Street employees, “were most valuable for me” said Guillet. “At each table a State Street employee facilitated conversations about networking topics. By the time I was done, I rotated to 4 tables. Those individuals connected me directly to so many resources. I learned how to find internship opportunities, how to be confident walking into an interview, and resume tips. I’ve been to Go Far Forums 3-4 times now since I was a high school senior, and I really appreciated this new element of the event!”

In addition to some of the new workshops presented at the Boston Go Far Forum, volunteers and partnering companies conducted mock interviews, hosted tables in a career fair, and led group discussions on relevant topics.

In Worcester, students posed for professional LinkedIn headshots and attended a career panel, which consisted of HR professionals, recruiters, and Bottom Line alumni. Jim Mack, a recruiter from UMass Medical School and participant on the Worcester Career Panel, observed that students were well prepared and engaged. He said, “What I found amazing is that many of the students who saw me walking to my vehicle outside of the DCU [after the event ended], came up and thanked me again.”

Bottom Line’s Go Far Forum events are a great chance for students to practice the employability skills they have worked so hard to develop throughout college, and to demonstrate to employers, their peers, and themselves that they have what it takes to “get in, graduate, and go far” in life.

-Written by Bottom Line Career Counselor, Cara Press

Bottom Line student, RongRong, completes her college applications!

When walking around our office you might notice our “I Hit Submit” wall and see an array of dazzling stars decorated with students’ names. The purpose of this wall is to recognize the hard work students have put into their college application process. For the last couple of months, they have been drafting, editing, and revising essays while researching and selecting their preferred schools.

This year, students are able to choose from different colored stars and decorate them to express their individuality as they continue on the journey towards a college degree! Some students celebrate their years of high school by writing their graduation year while others write heartwarming ‘thank yous’ to their Access counselors.

Access Team Manager Aaron Canto says, “It’s always exciting to watch the wall grow throughout the weeks because you see the progress of the counselors and students growing in a tangible way. While it’s a busy season, you can see everyone’s work and the complex process that is applying to college. This is what makes it all so special.”

-Written by Salem Gebrezgi

Name: Jabril Robinson

Position: Career Counselor

Hometown: Greater Boston Area

College Attended: Bridgewater State University (B.A. Psychology); Northeastern University (M.S. College Student Development & Counseling)

Favorite Pastimes/Activities: Running, trying new foods, exploring new career development and diversity-related topics of discussion.

Favorite College Moment: Delivering the undergraduate spring commencement address to thousands of students, families, and faculty upon graduation from BSU.

Best Advice Received About College: The best advice I received was, “Where you go to college doesn’t matter as much as what you do when you get there.” This really speaks to what actionable items one will take on, to leave a positive legacy once you’ve graduated.

What Are Your Campus Meetings Like?
Similar to the other Success Counselors here at Bottom Line, I enjoy engaging with my students on the subject of their academics, career path, financial status, and general life circumstances. As a Career Counselor, the employability part is especially emphasized, in making sure that my students are able to identify, articulate, and develop the skills necessary to pursue their desired career path. Our desired career goals are constantly shaped by those previously mentioned areas so they are all important for my students and I to consider, whether we’re meeting on campus, in the office, over the phone, or another method of communication.

What Is Your Biggest Challenge as a Career Counselor?
There are several challenges as a Career Counselor, and I believe the biggest is articulating the importance of understanding how the “job search” process works. I do my best to have my students see, whether seeking a full time career, a summer internship, or simply a volunteer opportunity, that this should be considered a process, rather than an overnight quick fix. It takes time to develop an understanding of oneself, connect to peers, and identify the right “fit” career-wise, and it’s something that has to be balanced with academic and social demands. If not conducted in a persistent, conscious manner, job searching can be even more challenging than it already is, which can often be a difficult message to convey early on.

What Is the Most Rewarding Aspect of Your Job?
I’m a fan of the destination (i.e. seeing how excited my students are when they acquire the job/internship of their dreams) — who wouldn’t be? However, I view the game of life as more of a marathon than a sprint, so it’s the journey of working with students, helping them gradually discover themselves, connecting with others, and reaching their goals that really makes this job such a valuable experience. It’s always an exciting adventure to form a counseling partnership with a student while working together to help them graduate and go far in a meaningful career. Since we work with such diverse students, no two stories are ever the same. There’s always something new to learn!

-Written by Jabril Robinson, JP Career Team

Name: Elaine Previl

High School: John D O’Bryant

College: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Graduation Year: 2014

Job: Teacher at the New England Center for Children

Favorite Bottom Line Memory: Eating lunch with my Bottom Line counselor, Tory, when he came to visit me at MCLA.

If I could send a care package, I’d fill it with: Gift cards to college bookstores (because books are expensive).

Why I stay involved with Bottom Line: Bottom Line is a great program and the number of students that it serves and helps with the college process is remarkable. I attribute so much of my success throughout college to Bottom Line.

People would be surprised to learn that I used to: Know nothing about research and now research is what my job mainly consists of. I am now applying to graduate schools that are heavily research based.

The best part of being a college graduate is: Being able to finally commit my time and energy to my interests.

The hardest part about being a college graduate is: Missing the friends I would see every day. We all gained great experience in college and now we are all exploring opportunities near and far.

Join me in supporting Bottom Line by: Connecting to current students to let them know about your career experience.

Elaine Previl is a teacher of children with autism at New England Center for Children (NECC) in Southborough, MA. She is about to begin her second year after spending a semester interning with the school and living on its campus during her senior year of college.

Elaine joined Bottom Line in her senior year of high school while attending the John D. O’Bryant School of Math & Science in Boston. With the help of Bottom Line, she applied to college and decided to attend Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) in North Adams, MA. While in school, Elaine majored in Psychology and was involved in campus life. With support from Bottom Line and career services at MCLA, Elaine sought out an opportunity to spend a semester away, interning at NECC during her senior year. After the amazing experience, she decided to apply for a full-time opportunity after graduation and is now looking into graduate schools to further her education.

Written by Kira Terrill, Worcester Career Team Manager 

This week, Bottom Line Success Counselors are meeting with college students on campus while Access Counselors are providing support to high school students in preparation for hitting “submit.” As we begin the start of the school year, we decided to get some counselor perspectives on their first meetings with students. Below are some of the highlights from the past two weeks of student meetings!

Jabril Robinson – Success Counselor – Bridgewater State, WIT, Boston University

“It feels like you’re giving back. I love being on my alma mater campus and interacting with students and seeing familiar faces. I’ll see old professors or staff walking around and it makes me really excited to be there. I enjoy helping out students who go to my alma mater. It’s a lot of fun to be around that same atmosphere.”

Kate Fiori – Success Counselor – Northeastern University, UMass Dartmouth, Suffolk University

“A highlight from the week was meeting with one of my students and talking about his love for UMass Dartmouth. He’s learned so much from the school and is really excited about graduating. We’re always discussing what he wants to do in the future. He hopes to one day work with children and apply what he’s learned at UMass Dartmouth to his professional life.”

Perry Hull – Senior Success Counselor – Roxbury Community College, Bunker Hill Community College

“This week I met with an administrator at RCC and we discussed the ways in which we could better support students. She was super helpful in providing resources that we need while on campus and it’s always great to meet with leaders of the schools whose campuses we are on. During my campus visits the past two weeks, I’ve been focused on making sure students’ health insurance is set, making sure their bills are paid and ensuring they feel good about their classes. During meetings I try to have them think ahead about how long they want to stay at community college and prepare them for next steps.”

Kira Terril – Career Team Manager

“With my students, we are really hitting the ground running. I have a lot of fall grads so there is a big focus on getting students ready to apply for jobs and life after graduation. It’s great to see them come back from their summers and see how much they’ve changed from internships. I get to see how much more prepared they are for their careers.”

Evan Soken – Access Counselor

“I like first meetings in general. It’s an awesome chance to get students engaged with the program and get them excited about Bottom Line. During first meetings we’re able to lay out the college application process and get students excited about Bottom Line. It can be an enlightening process for them in the beginning.”

Theresa Pickens – Senior Access Counselor

“I’ve been working on helping students with their Posse and QuestBridge applications. I’ve enjoyed seeing what schools all my students are applying to and helping them work through which schools they will attend. During the summer most students aren’t thinking about the college application process, but then the school year comes around and they realize how soon the process begins. Two students in particular come to mind. They’re great students. It’s cool to go through the college application writing process with them and watch them evolve in their writing.”

Success Counselor, Cara and 2015 Bottom Line Graduate, Najma at Recognition Night in Boston.

Senior Recognition Night is a chance to honor graduating seniors for their hard work and perseverance in earning their college degrees. This year’s events were graciously hosted by Bottom Line corporate partners State Street in Boston and Bowditch & Dewey in Worcester.

On June 3rd, 2015, Worcester area graduates, family members, friends, staff, and supporters gathered at Bowditch & Dewey to commemorate the graduates. They heard from keynote speaker Second Worcester District Senator Michael Moore and from Framingham University 015 graduate, Brittany Booker. Similarly, on June 15th, 2015, Boston-area graduates heard from keynote speaker Chris Gabrieli, Chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, and from Bottom Line student and recent Suffolk University graduate, Najma Hussain.

This was an exciting evening as many of Bottom Line’s graduating seniors are the first in their families to receive a bachelor’s degree. For some students, the path to earning a college degree was a challenging journey of hard work, uncertainty, and promise. Today, however, the final phase of Bottom Line’s motto, to “Get In, Graduate, and Go Far”, is where the Bottom Line class of 2015 now finds itself, having crossed the stage, diploma in hand, armed with the skills necessary to pursue a career in their field. Now more than 200 Bottom Line graduates are joining a growing network of more than 1,000 alumni.

Najma Hussain, a graduating senior from Suffolk University, was the student speaker for the evening. She shared her story of moving to the United States, learning English, the lessons she is taking with her from her college experience, and her hopes for her future career: “I started Bottom Line with the process of applying to college, and this year with Bottom Line, I completed the law school application process– I will be starting law school at Suffolk Law in the fall. With my law degree I want to promote social justice, coexistence, and mutual understanding. Everyone has a voice, and that voice counts toward societal changes that make a better world for all of us, regardless of our race, gender, and religious identity.” Along with Najma, today we celebrate all of the inspirational Bottom Line graduates—of whom we are very proud.

As Bottom Line counselors, we provide our students with a little bit of support and encouragement in a few key areas. But ultimately all the credit belongs to these young adults, whose commitment and resilience, from late nights studying in the library, to working long shifts to help pay tuition, is what has brought them to where they are today. Congratulations to the class of 2015!

Written by Erin O’Donnell, Bottom Line Success Counselor

Bottom Line Success Students at 2015 College Expo.

On Saturday, March 14, 2015, Bottom Line launched its 3rd Annual College Expo at the Reggie Lewis Center. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, Bottom Line students, and members of the local community attended the event. The College Expo helps students make an informed decision about which college they want to attend. What made the event unique was that Bottom Line had student representatives from each of our twenty target schools. Students from schools like Boston College, Northeastern University, UMass Amherst, Boston University any many more were there to share their current experiences as a college student and answer any general questions.

Governor Charlie Baker at Bottom Line College Expo.

Students left feeling more confident and less weary of the college decision-making process.“I had a student who was reluctant to apply to a certain school because hadn’t heard great things about the campus. She spoke to some students at the expo who gave her a different perspective the college and diversity on campus. I think she walked away more open-minded and less apprehensive about wanting to go to that particular college,” said Access Counselor Emily Nolan.

Success students demonstrated strong leadership skills and provided important insight for high school students. “I felt proud watching my current Success students take on a leadership role to help guide younger students towards a positive college choice. Our Success students drew on their admissions experiences, they listened attentively to the high school students and offered sound advice,” said Success Team Manager Amy Markarian.

Written by Salem Gebrezgi

Students practice interview skills at the Boston Go Far Forum.

This month Bottom Line – MA hosted Go Far Forum events in Boston and Worcester. More than 500 college students, graduates and local professionals gathered at the Sheraton Boston to participate in Bottom Line’s seventh annual Go Far Forum on January 6^th. Sponsors of the Boston Go Far Forum included State Street, Liberty Mutual, Sun Life Financial, BNY Mellon, Boston Children’s Hospital, iRobot and Wicked Smart. In total, 32 companies, nonprofits, and professional associations had exhibitions at the event.

Bottom Line Worcester hosted their Go Far Forum at the DCU Center on January 9^th with more than 100 Worcester college students, graduates, and local professionals in attendance. Fallon Health, Hanover Insurance Group, National Grid, Nypro, a Jabil Company and Saint-Gobain sponsored the event. In total, 18 companies and nonprofits were in attendance.

Students attend career fair in Worcester.

Students at both events participated in mock interviews with volunteer professionals, attended round table discussions with human resource professionals, listened to job search panels, and met with representatives from companies and professional organizations at a career fair.

The Go Far Forum provides students with an exciting opportunity to explore different career paths, gain professional skills and network with experts in their field.

In the middle of the semester, during midterms when stress levels are rising, students need a little extra fun. Campus socials are a way for Bottom Line students to meet up with each other and their counselors and build community, while taking a breather from the academic demands of the semester. Counselors plan an activity ranging from arts and crafts to trivia and bingo nights, often accompanied with food and music.

The Fall semester’s Crafty Campus Social at UMass Dartmouth was a great success with a turnout of about forty students—mostly first and second years, who were excited to hang out with friends, meet new people, and speak to a few upperclassmen who are always happy to share their experiences and provide insider advice.

Students put their artistic skills to work, decorating wooden initials and inspirational words with paint, glitter, rhinestones, and stickers to hang on their doors or keep at their desks.

Students display their artwork during a campus social.

Alejandro Lopez is a Sophomore and a Bottom Line Student Ambassador at UMass Dartmouth. He helped to plan the event, and was pleased with outcome: “Our campus social was a great experience—it was good to see happy familiar faces full of excitement and to see the underclassmen’s eagerness to decorate their initials. Overall, Bottom Line socials are a great opportunity to meet other students who are a part of the organization, to gain perspective, and to learn about where everyone is from.”

Kimberly, a freshman studying Political Science had the following to say: “The social was a great experience. Not only did we get to show our creative talents, we also got to meet amazing people who share UMassD pride. These socials are important because they unite Bottom Line students in a positive atmosphere.”

Each semester, counselors face the challenge of taking the social to the next level. The Crafty Campus Social may be hard to beat next semester, but we have some great ideas in the works.  Spoiler alert—it may involve making homemade ice-cream outside, if the sun is shining!

Written by Success Counselor Erin O’Donnell

Rebeca, Worcester State University, ’16

My name is Rebeca and I live in Worcester, Massachusetts with my mom, brother, and two sisters. I grew up in a loving home with a mom who worked long hours in order to ensure we had everything we needed. I remember when we were younger she would get us ready for school before the sun was up and drop us off at my aunt’s house so that she could get to work.

My mom worked hard and made it her mission in life to make sure her children would have the opportunities she didn’t. 

When I was 12 my mom got engaged and together they started planning a future for our family. Our plan was to move to Connecticut and buy a house. My mom would get married and we would be one big happy family. She worked hard as a manager at McDonalds and with two incomes, the future looked bright. But when I was 13 everything we had planned fell apart on us. My mom was in a terrible car accident where she sustained serious injuries. She had been driving with her fiancé who did not survive.

My world was turned upside down. My mom needed around the clock care and couldn’t do anything on her own. We eventually had to move out of my childhood home. With the cost of medical bills and without my mom working we could no longer afford to make the rent payments. This was when we decided to move to Worcester to be closer to family. My mom eventually recovered and was able to return to work. Despite all of the challenges we had gone through, she still hoped for the very best for us and would constantly remind us of the importance of getting a good education. It was her mission to at least see us graduate from high school, something she wasn’t able to do.

My mom’s strength and endurance during this difficult time encouraged me to focus on my own future and my determination to go to college so that I could help support my family.

I sought out Bottom Line’s help when I was in high school because I knew I wanted to go to college, but didn’t know how to get there. I met with my guidance counselor at school, but I knew I would need more individualized support. My Bottom Line counselor, Ginette helped me with the college process throughout the year, and I grew to trust her opinion a lot. Ginette helped me navigate some pretty tough decisions and guided me towards the a financially responsible option. I decided to attend Quinsigamond Community College, and in May 2013, I graduated with an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Bottom Line then helped me transfer to Worcester State University where I am currently pursuing my Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Visual and Performing Arts.

Transferring to Worcester State University was not as easy of a transition as I thought it would be. My counselor, Kira, helped me prepare for this transition and encouraged me to visit the school and learn where all of my classes were so I wouldn’t get lost on the first day. It was difficult balancing my time with studying, friends, and work. Things didn’t come as naturally for me as they did when I was at community college. I felt lonely and overwhelmed. I went from a smaller community college where I knew my classmates to a larger school where I didn’t feel like I knew anyone, but Kira helped introduce me to other Bottom Line students at my school. Kira and Bottom Line were always available to answer my questions and made me feel like I had a strong support network. They also sent care packages with snacks, a gift and a card to say something along the lines of ‘hang in there, you can do it!’ The care package always seems to come right when it’s needed the most.

This past spring semester was particularly difficult. Towards the end of the semester, life at home was extremely complicated and it began to affect my classes. It seemed like one bad thing was happening after another. Our family was facing some financial challenges and the electricity was turned off at my house for a couple of weeks. Then, in the midst of this darkness our house was robbed and my favorite camera was stolen. I remember feeling very unsafe at home and overwhelmed by my coursework. I felt on edge and remember waking up throughout the night startled by noises. Kira was the first person I reached out to when this had happened. It was difficult to focus on my classes after this and I wanted to withdraw from a challenging class, but Kira wouldn’t let me. She told me that it was only a few more weeks until that semester was over, and that I could make it through. Looking back, I’m glad Kira made me stick with it and I received a C+. I am very proud of the C+ because I thought I was going to fail.

With Bottom Line’s support I was able to keep focused on my goals and learn how to balance what I was experiencing in my personal life with my schoolwork.

In addition to helping me with classes and financial aid, Bottom Line helped me apply to a service trip in Nicaragua, which was an experience that helped open up the world to me and made me realize how important education is to understanding other cultures. While I was in Nicaragua, I was able to gain hands-on experience working with children teaching English, working at a clinic and teaching pre-school. I realized how much I love to help others learn and challenge myself to see things through another person’s perspective.

Growing up, my Mom’s goal for all of us was to make sure we finished high school so that we would have access to better opportunities than she did. With Bottom Line’s support I am two years away from being the first in my family to graduate from college. When I walk across the stage to accept my diploma, I will be accepting it on behalf of my family, my community and generations to come.

Having a college degree is an incredible opportunity, but Bottom Line has taught me that it is also a responsibility. I want to be an educator so that I can help make it a little bit easier for the next generation. I recognize the impotent role education has played in my life and I know that I have a responsibility to those who will come after me. Thank you to my family, friends and Bottom Line who have made it possible for me to pursue a brighter future for my community.

This speech was given at the 6th Annual Get In, Graduate and Go Far Reception in October, 2014.