Belmont recently released a new platform called Project Connect where students can get connected with Belmont alumni in order to find paid short-term projects. The goal of this tool is to “further connect students and recent graduates with real-world projects and short-term work opportunities contributed by alumni, families and corporate partners.”
The opportunity to launch this new project arose when many students had a change in internship plans due to COVID in the spring of 2020. With the pandemic lasting longer than expected, students still are eager for the learning experience and networking opportunity that an internship can offer.
When COVID struck in March, the Belmont Career Development team began exploring a solution to serve students in an ever-changing job market. Project Connect helps directly connect them with not just any work experience but meaningful and networkable learning projects that can open doors long-term.
Mary Claire Dismukes, director of the Office of Career and Development, shared that “we often hear two things from Belmont alumni: ‘Belmont helped me to network with employers’ or ‘we want to pay it forward and connect with or mentor students.’” The new platform is more relevant than ever, offering students a direct connection to paid work when it currently seems harder to find.
In order to launch this platform, Belmont collaborated with Bridges Alliance, a network of colleges and universities from across the country dedicated to preparing students and alumni for the future of work by providing access to project-based work experiences.
The platform just recently launched and is currently seeking alumni, corporate partners, parents and friends of Belmont to post projects for students. The projects need to be short-term, paid, remote in nature and can include tasks like website design, social media content strategy, designing a logo, cleaning and analyzing data, etc.
Dismukes shared, “As we navigate 2021, it’s more important than ever to focus on community and personal connections. We’re excited to provide students and alumni with the opportunity to connect through project-based work via Belmont ProjectConnect.”
