This February, when it became clear students would be facing new challenges in an economy rocked by federal funding cuts and a brewing global trade war, CXD staff began taking action.
They reached out to alumni, employers, and faculty to learn about the effects of the cuts and to determine what additional measures would best support students right now, especially seniors.
Helpfully, CXD already had a template to follow based on a program it first launched in 2020 during COVID. “Fortunately, we know how to do this, and we have a lot of help,” said CXD Executive Director Kristin Brennan. “ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ broadly supports students when the going gets rough.”
CXD has added back the “Plus” to its baseline Career Accelerator Program, aiming many of the initiatives at seniors.
Mini-Grants for up to $2,000
Students can apply for a mini-grant to pursue a certification or project that will strengthen their resume. For example, they can get licensed as an EMT, phlebotomist, or scientific diver, or seek funding to attend a conference, build a portfolio of written work or visual art, create an app or website, build a coding project, volunteer at a hospital, or contribute to a initiative.
Free Coursera license
Coursera, an online learning platform, is stocked with nearly 10,000 courses, specializations, and certificates, with instructors from Google to the Berklee School of Music.
Free access to RocketBlocks
RocketBlocks prepares students for case interviews for jobs in management consulting, product management, product marketing, and strategy and business operations.
Free access to Wall Street Prep
Wall Street Prep offers training for finance interviews.
What Seniors are Facing
So far, “the spring of 2025 is shaping up to be very challenging for both jobs and internships,” Brennan said.
“In January and February, things started to happen,” she continued. “There was a federal hiring freeze and probationary employees were laid off, which particularly affects young people. While this froze new employment, it also means there are a lot of people with a lot of great skills out there looking for positions that some of our students would be interested in.”
Then came the cancellation of grants to institutions like the National Institute of Health and the National Science Foundation. “Labs and graduate schools in the sciences faced with drastic and sudden funding crashes are pulling back on graduate school admissions and lab positions, including roles like research assistant and clinical research coordinator often filled by recent ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ grads,” she added.
The curtailment in federal funding is affecting government agencies across the board, as well as state agencies and nonprofits that lean on federal grants. The uncertainty is spreading to the private sector, too.
“When that much money comes out of a system, you remove a lot of jobs and you send disruptions into the hiring market that are more profound than the initial cut,” Brennan said.
Evan Grauer ’26, a CXD peer advisor, said he's seen many seniors struggle to get jobs when they send in a resume and cover letter through an online portal, perhaps with hundreds of other applicants. The more successful ones are leveraging their networks—calling on their own contacts or ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ alumni to seek and find jobs.
“Seniors who are having the most success are using networking skills—they’re making personal connections with employers or leaning on existing connections they have,” he said.
Brennan noted that now is a perfect time for students to take advantage of ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ's newly launched, more robust to find graduates working in their field or who are based in the area they want to live.
The on LinkedIn has been a powerful venue for support as well, with many offers of both jobs and advice.
CXD Peer Advisors Weigh in
CXD works with a cadre of students trained to advise their peers on resumes, cover letters, interviews, and all other aspects of finding jobs and internships.
Peer advisor Shayla Pham ’25 said many of her peers have been hitting roadblocks. “A lot of people don’t have postgrad plans locked in or have had to pivot in the last few months because employers have rescinded their offers, or they have not been admitted to graduate school,” she said.
She applauded CXD for its Accelerator Plus program and the speed in which the office got it up and running. The mini-grants, especially, “could be really helpful in gaining the technical experience, certification, or licensing that you need to get past the first AI screening of your resume,” she noted.
Grauer agreed, suggesting that seniors could use the funds to volunteer with a nonprofit or business. “I think it opens up your options a lot when you can say to an organization, 'Hey, you can have me for a couple of weeks as unpaid labor, essentially!'” he said. “That is great for a senior who doesn’t have anything lined up for the summer. I hope they apply and get their foot in the door.”
Pham is applying for a mini-grant to take a course in project management or data visualization. She would also like to help her mother modernize her small nail salon by integrating it with an online scheduling program and customer review platforms. “It would develop her business, and I'd learn about small business, as well,” she said.
Bright Spots
In the midst of the turmoil, some sectors are less affected so far. Schools are continuing to hire teachers. Jobs offered to seniors last fall in consulting, finance, or technology continue to hold, Brennan said.
Additionally, ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ staff and faculty are mobilizing to help students, Brennan said. “We have had conversations across academic departments,” she said.
Science faculty, for instance, have worked with some students to explore graduate opportunities abroad or have urged them to use their interest in math and science to teach.
The environmental studies department has also been doing outreach to help its majors and minors, said Matt Klingle, associate professor of history and environmental studies. “Working with colleagues across campus—from Student Fellowships and Research to CXD—our faculty and staff help students to secure fellowships, find internships, and share their hopes and concerns for post-graduate life,” he said. “As the epitome of the liberal arts, Environmental Studies at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ is built to empower alumni to thrive in an ever-changing world.”
Brennan said she's impressed by the way ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ's community comes together during challenging times. “One of the very best things about ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ is that it is small, caring, and collaborative,” she said, “and even when things are toughest it is such a pleasure to work with our colleagues to support students.”
