November 7, 2011

“This tour changed my mind about a career in technology…I think it would be fun to work here,” said a student after a tour of the Microsoft Technology Center. Other students had already decided they would like to pursue a career in technology and were excited to see the servers, the display room, and “where they store the data”. All of the students benefited from the advice about the importance of finding a mentor. “This tour made me more motivated to try to get to know people that can help me in the future,” concluded one student. Thanks to Microsoft’s employees for sharing their creative, innovative and welcoming workplace with us once again.

November 3, 2011

Students learned about the “ins and outs” of the commercial printing business on a recent tour of Kendall Press. They were excited to meet the graphics design team and appreciated their career advice. “I love graphic design,” explained a student, who is now researching graphic design programs for college. Students also liked the workplace culture at Kendall. “I see myself working in a company like this because there is no hierarchy, everyone is equal. AWESOME!” Thanks for the great tour!

November 2, 2011

Students heard from a wide-ranging group of employees during a panel discussion at Sun Life Financial. “The best part was having the different workers talk to us and answer our questions,” noted a student. They also appreciated how the Sun Life team explained some complicated financial topics in easy-to-understand terms. The visit inspired some students to seriously consider a career in finance. “I have recently been interested in business and this tour just made me more excited,” said a student. And everyone was excited to hear that one of the Sun Life speakers is related to a recent graduate of John D. O’Bryant and a STEP participant! Our thanks to everyone at Sun Life for their time, insights and enthusiasm.

November 1, 2011

“Inspiring” was the unanimous assessment of the visit to Gourmet Caterers. The people at Gourmet shared personal stories with the students which really hit home. As one student noted, “I love that their stories showed me that our surroundings don’t determine our lives.” Another wrote, “What Bob and Brian said about hard work, work ethics, and putting your best forward (no matter what friends say), reassured me that what I am doing is right and it will pay off.” Students were also impressed with the work that goes into running a successful catering business. “I thought a catering company meant fun and games,” said a student, “I never thought there was so much effort and consideration in the development of a company.” Thanks to our friends at Gourmet for stressing the value of hard work and determination. It’s clearly a winning combination!

October 24, 2011

Making connections with their current academic studies and the business world is a crucial part of the STEP experience for students. On a recent trip to Novartis, an international pharmaceutical company, students with an interest in careers in health sciences and biology learned about the stages of drug development from early research and development to clinical trials. Students were fascinated by the presentations, the real passion for work, and by the architectural history of Novartis’s buildings. What students thought was a pharmaceutical company tour turned into something much more. Many thanks to all the people at Novartis for another great experience.

November 14, 2011

Students heard about the importance of having a close and multi-faceted team in business during a tour of Archstone, an apartment management company with locations throughout the U.S. Students visited Archstone’s North Point building in Cambridge recently and learned a great deal about the hospitality and facilities management field. “I enjoyed the in-depth look at running a building,” said a student. Other students appreciated the architecture and interior design of the building and the apartments. And everyone benefited from the tips on job interviews, especially the advice to be confident and honest. Thanks for another informative tour.

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STEP was fortunate enough to be invited to attend the Life is good breakfast with guest speaker, Chief Executive Optimist, Bert Jacobs. Jacobs is a much sought-after speaker whose lessons on branding, leadership and corporate social responsibility are applicable to organizations of all sizes. Steven Gross, Executive Director of Life is good Kids Foundation also shared with the room of professionals the mission of their organization. STEP hosted Emily Prado STEP Student – John D. O’Bryant School, Roxbury, Julio Diaz-Volquez ,STEP Student – John D. O’Bryant School, Roxbury

Angela Robins, STEP Counselor at John D. O’Bryant School, Roxbury. From our corporate partners, Linsay Earle and Katie Bolger from Johnny Cupcakes joined the STEP table to hear Jacobs’ message. Wendy Crone & Bryan Solar who are heading up the STEPConnect Project were also in attendance.

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October 25, 2011

Everyone knows that people go the the hospital for medical care, but to our students’ great surprise, Boston Medical Center has a food pantry and cooking classes! But BMC’s mission as an inner city hospital is to treat the whole person, so maybe they shouldn’t have been so surprised after all. Our students also learned that virtually every type of job exists at BMC including chef, psychologist, security, lawyer, doctor, human resources, and information technology. The list goes on, which made students realize that there are great opportunities right in their own backyard. Students also participated in a fascinating demonstration that was relevant to their current studies in biology and anatomy. Thanks to all the people at BMC for making this tour a real hit!

October 25, 2011

Thanks to the great team at State Street Global Advisors, our students learned that it takes many different skills and talents to bring products to market, especially complex financial products. One student was particularly interested to know that graphic design plays a very important role in explaining financial products to clients. Other students recognized the significance of math, communications and organizational skills. Everyone was impressed with the depth and breadth of State Street’s client roster which spans the globe. Students especially appreciated the presentation at the beginning of the tour and found it very motivating!

October 28, 2011

Students left the Greater Boston Real Estate Board Tour with a new appreciation for our historic city and the importance of being sensitive to both old and new architecture. Students were especially interested in hearing about how the Back Bay was created in the 1800’s by bringing in landfill, a fact that was quite amazing to them. They were also intrigued by the thought process that goes into making a real estate investment decision and how the location and the economy can shape a decision to invest or not. This lead one student to think about the current economy and the role of banks in lending money to homeowners. The tour ended with a visit to Winn Management which has carved out a special niche in the real estate business by turning abandoned buildings in depressed areas into affordable housing while maintaining their historic integrity. Students thought this was terrific! Thanks to our friends at GBREB and Winn Management for all the time they spent with our students!
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