CXD offers a variety of enrichment opportunities through its accelerator program: “Even if students are off campus, we can help them build their resumes, explore opportunities, and get ready for next year’s hiring season,” said Bethany Walsh, CXD’s director of partnerships and programming.
She added, “We’re always looking ahead to what students need, what the market expects from students, and how we can meet those needs at a time when students can afford it.”
Currently, the most popular option is to take an online course through Coursera. CXD has 110 licenses (valued at $400 each) that students can apply for through its Accelerator program. This year, every student who applied was granted a license (when a student completes a course, one license is freed up for the next student on the list).
“Coursera has something for everyone, no matter what you want to learn,” Walsh said. Students are free to take any course they like, but the most common are data analysis and data visualization, “both of which are needed skills in many fields, from marketing to healthcare to climate research.”
For example, students interested in finance and investing can take business analytics and accounting classes on Coursera. Computer science majors can take coding courses. Education majors can earn English teaching certification. “We also have students taking courses on equine health,” Walsh says.
In addition to Coursera, CXD has also licensed Wall Street Prep and Rocket Blocks. Wall Street Prep targets students interested in finance and offers online programs such as a virtual finance bootcamp and a finance and valuation certificate course. Fifty Bowdoin College students enrolled in the program this summer.
Built by companies like McKinsey, BCG, Google, and Amazon, Rocket Blocks is an interview prep program for the tech and consulting sectors, with courses in case interviews, data analytics, project management, marketing, and more.
This summer, Bowdoin also collaborated with Colby and Bates Colleges to train students in case interview techniques. Led by employers and alumni, these workshops gave students the practice they need to land competitive positions in the consulting industry.
These courses and practice sessions help students pursue fields that have early and rigorous hiring requirements and interview processes. “These resources combined will prepare you for the fall recruiting season,” Walsh said.
She also emphasized that the best way for students to gain professional skills is to work in the field, and the CXD-funded internship program allows them to do that. “Work experience is the best way to learn skills and find out if you like using those skills,” Walsh said. “Internships are both about learning about yourself and gaining experience. The accelerator program is a great way to gain the key skills you need for next summer’s internship.”
While many of the CXD accelerator programs may seem geared toward students interested in business and technology, Walsh noted that these practical skills are useful in any career field.
“Almost every student can benefit from business knowledge and data analytics,” she says. “If you want to work in a nonprofit or any organization, having a basic understanding of how business works is valuable in every way.”
“Do you want to be an artist? Many artists are small business owners,” she continued. “Do you want to be a doctor? Many medical professionals run their own practices. And today, new grads in every environment, from think tanks to clinical research to environmental consulting, are expected to analyze some kind of data. The CXD Accelerator program allows students to develop those skills over the summer.”