RAND's Yessica Marinez (third from right) served on NYU's diversity panel to discuss careers, networking, and professional development.
Recently my RAND colleague Malik Ranger and I had the pleasure of participating in the Diversity Breakfast hosted by New York University’s Diversity Internship & Career Preparation program. The program seeks to assist NYU’s sophomores and juniors with networking skills and job placement.
The morning started with a breakfast mixer, which gave students the opportunity to network with the professionals and speakers over a casual serving of eggs and pancakes. Following breakfast, the Program Director, Monroe France, gave a memorable speech on the many paths a person can take to achieve his or her goals. His analogy of a highway between one’s starting point and one’s goals was spot on—some people take a beeline, others take detours, while still others exit the highway only to get back on further down the stretch.
I can see how this is true at RAND. We are a diverse set of employees, not just in ethnicity, gender, and upbringing, but also in the paths we have taken to get where we are. And no doubt our paths will continue to diverge and converge. Monroe was correct: The variety of experiences we have is as interesting and invaluable as the people themselves.
After the speech, five professionals and I sat on a panel. We represented a diverse range of careers, including engineering, media, finance, and law, from companies such as Ernst & Young, CNN, and Parsons Brinckerhoff. We each spoke about our experiences and the advantages they gave us, how we obtained our positions, and the role of diversity within our companies.
As a panel we discussed the importance of diversity in the workplace and the advantages of a workforce comprised of employees with varied backgrounds, ages, and cultures. We stressed the importance of internships, networking, and maintaining connections. From the audience, Malik, an associate on RAND’s Expediting Team, helped engage the students by asking questions and offering input as a fellow professional.
The event wrapped up with another opportunity for the professionals and students to mingle. Offering specific advice and exchanging contact information was the highlight of the event for me—and for many of the students, from what they told me. Malik and I emphasized the importance of taking the initiative, applying for internships, networking, and staying connected to the people they meet.
I feel the event gave students direction and guidance as they look toward their futures, and hopefully they will one day offer their perspectives and experiences to the students who follow them.
