Midd kids mingle among moguls Fall externships provide potent experiences for second-years

Author: Kelly Janis

While most students were lazily whiling away the hours at home or visiting friends at other universities, nearly 40 first-year and sophomore students devoted this past fall break to the pursuit of an externship arranged by the College's Career Services Office (CSO). The program, which places students in a variety of prospective careers for a two-day stint, is intended to foster valuable contact with alumni, grant exposure to a given field and encourage plans for more lengthy internships in the future.

Molley Kaiyoorawongs '09 completed her externship at a low-performing Boston public high school observing classes, working as a tutor and talking to students "just to get an understanding of who they are." Kaiyoorawongs confessed that she and a number of her classmates were less than thrilled by the prospect of an externship prior to their departure.

"Before I left, I would've given my left arm to have a brain-dead weekend, which is saying a lot, since I'm a lefty." The experience, however, exceeded her expectations. "In the end," she said, "everyone I talked to was beyond glad that they did it. My personal experience was life changing. Literally, I'm changing my major."

Kaiyoorawongs explained the extent to which she was struck by the conditions she observed in her two days in Boston. "I ask myself where the outrage is. The rich people don't know how bad it is, and the poor people are working three jobs and don't have the time to be outraged. Meanwhile, our minorities are dropping out of high school or getting suspended, so often it doesn't matter that they're enrolled."

"I was iffy about whether or not I wanted to teach before I left, and now I really see no other option," Kaiyoorawongs said. "There is an emergency and we as a society need to put all the smart, optimistic college graduates we can get into classrooms around the nation. The kids that are failing aren't stupid. They each have more street smarts than the entire Middlebury community put together has. They just need some guidance, and we have the resources."

Jeanine Buzali '09 worked as an extern for the New York region of the Anti-Defamation League, a non-profit organization which strives to combat racism and other forms of bigotry.

"I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it," Buzali said, "and by the realization that I could actually work in a place like that and love it. It somehow had never occurred to me."

In spite of the serious work the position entailed, a fire drill on the second day ensured that the experience was not lacking levity. "All these business people went out to the lobby of the building, while a man with a heavy New York-Italian accent explained to them what to do in case of an emergency. It somehow reminded me strongly of Ross fire drills, and made me feel even more at home."

"As far as affecting my future career plans, I realized that I can graduate and have a job probably very soon afterwards," said Buzali. "That, to me, is worth the entire externship, because I was so unbelievably lost as to what my post-Midd plans should be like. Now my options have opened a lot, and I have seen the 'real adult world,' and I've realized that I can handle it, maybe even like it."

Reid Hansen '09 was similarly engaged by his externship but certainly felt the strain of his workload. He spent his fall break in New York City shadowing James Meder, publicity manager for Picador, a publishing company.

"It was certainly challenging," Hansen said, "and by this I don't mean the externship work, but rather the task of getting out of Vermont, into the city, and then somehow studying for four papers due the next week. During some moment of my weekend I decided that professors must have assumed we were all either staying in the library or killing time and brain cells in Montreal, or else I wouldn't be hiding in the top floor of an NYU dorm room, using someone else's computer to finish a paper for Wednesday - all on a beautiful day in the middle of Manhattan."

"Otherwise," he said, "it was a great time."

This year's externship participants were brimming with encouragement for future externs.

"Do not let the sophomore externship opportunity pass you by," Buzali said. "It is such a great experience. If you do go ahead with it, forget about your major, and make sure you choose externships that interest you fully. If you're not sure about investment banking, but know you'll love the art gallery, go with the latter. It will be a lot more rewarding in the end."

"Just do it," Kaiyoorawongs echoed. "We know you don't have to and you probably won't want to, but you won't regret it."