UC, OCS To Seek J-Term Jobs

The Undergraduate Council passed legislation last night to formalize a partnership with Office of Career Services to send letters to Harvard Alumni Associations across the country in an effort to identify possible career exploration experiences for students during next year’s January Term.

The letters—which will be signed by UC President Johnny F. Bowman ’11—will solicit various internship and shadowing opportunities for undergraduates for next J-Term, and will take into account the results of a survey administered by the UC earlier this month, which aimed to pinpoint career areas students would most enjoy exploring.

The 300 students surveyed expressed interest in a wide variety of fields, ranging from the fine arts to fashion to agriculture, said Student Life Committee Chair Senan Ebrahim ’12. According to the poll, the non-profit business sector was the most popular option, comprising 52 percent of student responses.

The for-profit business and law sectors followed in popularity, with 43 percent and 37 percent of votes, respectively.

Ebrahim said the UC will also explore the possibility of locating international opportunities.

The Council will consolidate and list the career exploration experience offerings they receive from Harvard alumni on Crimson Careers, an OCS website.

In the future, the UC plans to create a website that will serve as a single, online hub for undergraduates to access all J-Term offerings, according to UC Secretary Christopher A. Devine ’13.

The site will provide a link to Crimson Careers, in addition to student group programming information.

In addition to the J-Term legislation, the UC passed legislation to reimburse the Student Relations Committee $152.23 that was spent on food and supplies for the two “UC Study Breaks” that debuted in a pilot last week in Adams and Mather Houses.

“I think they were both very successful,” said West Yard representative Ivet A. Bell ’13, who conceived of the idea in March. “It seemed like people really appreciated the [effort].”

—Staff writer Janie M. Tankard can be reached at jtankard@fas.harvard.edu.