Every summer, a great number of Princeton students, both undergraduate and graduate, move to the nation’s capital for internship, job and research opportunities. They pursue a wide range of positions, from working for members of congress, getting hands-on policy experience to getting involved with nonprofits.

The Princeton in Washington (PIW) program, which is run by the Center for Career Development, supports students and young alumni in the D.C. area spending their summers living out Princeton's informal motto: "Princeton in the nation's service and the service of humanity." I had the unique opportunity to serve as the student coordinator for PIW this summer.

PIW runs throughout June and July, offering Princetonians in Washington, D.C. unique opportunities to connect with alumni in government and policy, technology, law, nonprofit, journalism and more. As a part of PIW, participants are able to meet high-profile alumni at the top of their fields, learn more about various career paths and make meaningful connections not only with alumni, but also other students. Attending alumni panel discussions, visiting some of the most renowned institutions for change and participating in casual social events — all of these things gave us, Princeton students and young alumni in D.C., a chance to build our own community in the city over the summer and create new friendships.

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Some of the highlights of PIW 2023 include a visit to the Federal Reserve with Chair Jerome Powell '75, conversations with various members of Congress including Terri Sewell '86, Jeff Merkley *82, John Sarbanes '84, and Derek Kilmer '96, a roundtable discussion with General Mark Milley '80 at the Pentagon, and a tour of the ESPN studios with investigative reporter Tisha Thompson '99. Through these events, participants were able to ask questions, hear about the speakers’ career paths and any advice they may have, and connect with them to expand their network. 

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As the student coordinator, it was an honor to be able to design these programs and offer a series of events for the summer to help other Princeton students in their career paths. Behind the scenes, I reached out to alumni and coordinated events and logistics, created content to promote programs, and communicated with the PIW community — all of which helped improve my organizational and interpersonal skills. Also, invaluably, I had the privilege to attend every event as PIW coordinator, which deepened my interests in the fields of public and international policy.

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My biggest takeaway from PIW is that there is not one set path, one set answer, or a correct major, internship, or fellowship to pursue. Many of the alumni who we looked up to during these events for inspiration, did not have a complete idea of their careers from the beginning. Instead, it was trying new things that allowed them to succeed. We, as college students, often face constant pressure to have everything figured out and have our career path mapped out to minute details to be successful, so it was relieving to hear this kind of advice from Princeton alumni, and this reassurance is one of the many takeaways from PIW, on top of the relationships built with not just the alumni but also with other Princeton students. 

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When I first heard about Princeton reunions, I didn’t doubt for a second that I would stay the extra two weeks after finals to experience them myself. The roaring tigers’ returning glory, the flamboyant orange and black costumes, the night dances, the tiger paws and patterns everywhere you look, and the burning spirit, all sounded too good to miss. So I applied to the easiest campus job I could find— dining services. Little did I know that working as a waiter would turn out to be one of my most memorable Princeton experiences. 

Every year, on the second day of reunions, there’s a very special event: the Old Guard Luncheon. It’s a meal that brings together all the Princeton alumni returning for their 65th or more reunion. Some of them were here before the photocopier or Velcro even existed! Others were even here before World War 2. The point is, these guys are old and wise, and a lot has happened since they were flocking around the eating clubs, panicking over midterms, or avoiding FitsRandolph Gates’ middle entry (which you must not walk through as a student or else you will not graduate— confirmed by the frights of many generations of Princetonians). Serving this lunch, and seeing 90-year-olds in fluorescent orange suits and tiger-striped ties, showed me the timelessness of Princeton. 40, 65, or 80 years down the road I’ll be on the other side— sitting where they are, reminiscing on my time here. 

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I especially enjoyed my brief but meaningful interaction with Joe Schein. During reunions’s P-Rade— the flamboyant and orange-struck alumni parade— Joe carries the leading baton for being the oldest living Princeton alum. He is 108 years old, and a member of the Great Class of 1937. I am a member of the Class of 2025: basically, a whole century after. Talking to Joe, and seeing him and all the Old Guard alumni come back to Old Nassau decades after their time here to cherish their memories, re-live experiences, and reunite with old friends, made me see what people talk about when they say that Princeton is for a lifetime.

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In the 1879 Hall archway on campus, there’s a plaque I really like. Its inscription says, “Princeton is a part of you. You are a part of Princeton.” Working this luncheon made me see Princeton with new eyes, and the plaque took on new meaning— your time at Princeton lives in you until the end of your Old Guard days, and after being here, you join a community of Princetonians whose legacy transcends generations. 

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Last summer, I was fortunate to receive a highly coveted spot as student crew member for Princeton reunions. My crew worked Princeton’s 65^th reunion, setting up headquarters in Forbes next to the Old Guard Crew. As a crew member, I had several jobs and responsibilities, including check-in, table set-up, bartending, and transporting alumni around campus. As student employees, we had permission to engage with certain reunion events such as talks from famous alumni, group meetings, and fun activities.

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Over the course of reunions, I grew close with my alumni group, greeting them with a smile every day as they showed up for activities. Transporting alumni across campus in golf carts was my favorite part of the job. Golf cart drives were great opportunities to get to know alumni through deep conversation. I learned about what it was like to attend Princeton in the 1950s. I thoroughly enjoyed conversing with the 87-year-old alumni, and was fascinated to learn about their experiences and memories from Princeton.

As a first-year student, it was incredibly rewarding to experience Princeton reunions. Witnessing Princeton’s close-knit alumni community has endowed me with a strong sense of belonging at Princeton. It was moving to see that so many people hold such a love for this school and still return to visit, sporting their finest orange and black attire, many years after graduation. Reunions quite literally ending with a bang, as we all gathered in the football stadium to watch a grand fireworks display. Looking up into the brightly-colored sky, I reflected on my work over the weekend, the alumni I had met, and the friends I had made. I take these experiences with me, knowing that one day, I too hope to return for the festivities of reunions as an alumna myself.

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One beautiful aspect of Princeton’s academic calendar is the month-long break all undergraduates are given between the fall and spring semesters. While many may take this time to spend with their loved ones, travel or pick up a new hobby, a select few decide to take a portion of their break and complete a Princeternship. What is a Princeternship, you might ask? The Princeternship program is hosted by the Center for Career Development and is offered by Princeton alumni to undergraduates. These internships are meant to allow students to observe a field they are interested in and form connections with alumni and employers. There is a wide variety of options available ranging from Business to Healthcare to Law and Social Impact. I decided to spend a week at the New York Office of Mental Health with Dr. Fuertes in the Children’s Unit. 

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Throughout the week, another Princeton intern and I observed Dr. Fuertes as he performed intake assessments and discharges, along with weekly meetings with certain patients. We met with six psychiatric patients, ranging from 8-15 years old, and asked them questions about their treatment and safety planning. As an undergraduate psychology major, there is little to no opportunity to get shadowing experience at a hospital like this or any clinical setting. I was actively learning while shadowing Dr. Fuertes as I didn’t just get to listen to the conversations he was having with patients but I was able to ask my own questions about their treatment and experience. Once Dr. Fuertes found out about our interest in clinical psychology, he connected us with other staff in the children's unit including a musical therapist, a clinical psychologist and a licensed social worker. This was a great opportunity to be able to meet with different professionals and learn about their experience in the hospital and the industry in general. I had direct insight into the different career paths I’ve been debating on pursuing, and hearing about their career experience made it easier to understand what my future could look like. 

I interacted with a patient in music therapy and saw how effective this treatment option was for them, a form of care I would have never considered beforehand. I was able to sit on a family therapy session that needed to take place before a patient got discharged. This interaction demonstrated the importance of ensuring that the parents are prepared to support their child’s safety planning before they return home. All of these different interactions showed me the collective effort it takes in a hospital setting such as the one Dr. Fuertes works in. Every day they would have daily meetings to discuss patient conditions, medications and treatments. Not only this, but when given new referrals, they would discuss whether or not to admit them as a team. While the internship was very informal as we had no set tasks or projects, there was much to learn just from shadowing Dr. Fuertes and the other staff. 

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Overall, I appreciated the time I spent shadowing Dr. Fuertes and all the staff at the children’s unit. If it weren’t for this experience provided by the strong alumni network at Princeton, I wouldn’t have been exposed to this type of setting before reaching graduate school. I also didn’t have a financial burden when it came to paying for the trip to Binghamton, NY, thanks to SIFP (Scholars Institute Fellows Program). I budgeted the whole trip and was able to stay within a budget for all the costs including housing, transportation, food and other miscellaneous costs. Being able to form these connections and relationships with professionals was truly amazing and I am glad that because of SIFP and the Career Center of Development, I was able to do so.

Content warning: mention of autopsy and graphic images of human anatomy

One cool opportunity I didn’t know about before coming to Princeton was the Princeternship program. Princeternships are a unique chance to get insight into a career of interest through one or more Princeton alumni. They take place over winter break and can range from a few days of shadowing to a few weeks of working on a project. This past year, more than 180 in-person and virtual Princeternships were available in the fields of Arts, Culture, Media & Entertainment; Engineering, Science & Technology; Business; Healthcare; Social Impact; and Law. I had the privilege of participating in a two-day virtual Princeternship at the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, hosted by Dr. Alice Werner. Together with four other Princeterns, I learned about Dr. Werner’s specialty, pediatric pathology, and got a glimpse into the operation of the hospital’s numerous departments. 

Prior to the Princeternship, Dr. Werner assigned each of us a topic to prepare a 10-15 minute presentation on, and we each gave our presentation when it was relevant to what we were discussing. I presented on the heel stick, a type of newborn screening, and the differences in screening in different states.

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We were first introduced to some of the equipment and analytical techniques used in the hospital’s medical laboratory. One of my fellow Princeterns presented on the MALDI Biotyper, which identifies microorganisms using mass spectrometry. We spent the majority of our time observing slides of all kinds of samples under the microscope, including blood, cerebrospinal fluid and tumor biopsies. The virtual format was convenient because I could join from the comfort of my home and did not need to arrange travel or accommodation for during and after the Princeternship. Since I would have had to leave home several weeks earlier if the Princeternship were in-person, I was also able to enjoy some more time with my family. In addition, since Dr. Werner does a lot of work on the microscope and the computer, it was easy to see what she was looking at, as opposed to having six people crowded around one computer screen. 

On the first day, Dr. Werner “brought us to work” and took us through a normal morning as a clinical pathologist. She brought up the medical history and lab results of the patient whose sample she was tasked with analyzing, then showed us the slide under the microscope and explained what she saw. For example, I learned that reactive lymphocytes in the blood, identified by their large size and turquoise cytoplasm, are an indication of viral infection. We sometimes went back to the doctor’s note or lab results to piece together an explanation of what we were seeing. It was fascinating to participate in Dr. Werner’s thought process in real time, and I was impressed by all the types of body fluids we can observe under the microscope and the variety of clues they can give about one’s health and the potential cause of their disease. It felt like going behind the scenes of a normal doctor’s visit: literally, because Dr. Werner entered notes which the doctor interacting with the patient would use to develop their treatment plan, and metaphorically, because we could dive right into the cells at the root of the problem. 

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On the second day, we attended the hospital’s Daily Safety Briefing where representatives from each department reported any concerns from the last 24 hours. For the remainder of the day, Dr. Werner showed us anatomical pathology slides she had been collecting as well as the corresponding MRI and ultrasound scans to give us more context to the cases. As an anatomical pathologist, Dr. Werner sometimes performs autopsies and she showed us an image of a deceased newborn baby with gastroschisis, a defect where some of the baby’s intestines are not enclosed in the body. She then showed us the autopsy picture exposing the baby’s internal organs, and I must admit, I was both shocked and mesmerized. Part of me was desperate to look away because it felt wrong to see a baby like this, but another part of me still wanted to learn what Dr. Werner had to share. As a pre-medicine student, I will likely have to face this conflict often in the future. I hope to always hold a deep respect for the patient and their family and gratitude for their willingness to allow us to learn everything we can from their loss. I believe that image will stick with me for years to come because I was reminded of the fragility of life which I usually take for granted.

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This Princeternship taught me about a specialty that I knew almost nothing about and gave me an appreciation for medical labs and the technicians, chemists, engineers and pathologists who make it possible for us to analyze specimens and thereby understand illnesses much better. Although I realized that I am probably not interested in pursuing pathology because I would like to interact with patients and do a bit more with my hands, I learned that pathology is a fascinating and extremely important specialty which also allows providers to have a regular work schedule.

A huge thank you to the Center for Career Development for this enlightening opportunity, and I hope to participate in another Princeternship in the future!

 

This past semester, the last day of class was Friday, April 22nd, but my last final exam was on Sunday, May 8th. What happens in the nearly three weeks between the end of classes and the last final exam?

The answer is reading period and finals period, a time for students to write their final papers and prepare for exams. Compared to other universities, which often have reading periods of only several days, Princeton has a lengthy stretch of time between the last class and final exam. I've found, though, that I really like having this extended reading and finals period. It allows me to carefully review all the material, and I can master concepts that I didn't fully grasp on the first pass during the hectic semester.

Reading period spans the week from the day after the last class through "Dean's Date," when all final papers and final projects are due at 5 p.m. Most students spend the reading period completing these assignments, and there are a number of amusing Princeton traditions that occur just before the deadline. One tradition, for instance, is the late-night "breakfast" in the residential colleges occuring at around 10 to 11 p.m. on the night before Dean's Date, in which all the dining halls open and offer a full breakfast buffet to hungry students struggling to debug their code or flesh out their concluding arguments. This is followed by a rather unusual event: at midnight, students will gather outside their dorms and collectively scream for a full minute, from 12:00 to 12:01, to let off steam and pent-up frustration. The scream has different titles at the different dormitories; Whitmanites gather in the courtyard for the "Whitman Wail," while outside of Holder Hall you'll hear the "Holder Howl." While somewhat dramatic, the scream shows you that you're not alone in feeling a little strained at the end of the semester. Everyone is feeling the stress of putting their best effort into their final assignments, but everyone also takes comfort in knowing that soon their work will be complete and submitted.

At 5 p.m. on Dean's Date, the Princeton Band plays celebratory music and food trucks arrive to feed hungry, exhausted students outside McCosh Hall. Your assignments are complete!

Then it's time for final exams. The day following Dean's Date is the beginning of finals period, which lasts about two weeks. Each class is assigned a specific exam window during the finals period so that no two classes will have conflicting exams. The lengthy finals period means that you'll likely have several days between exams, which is useful in allowing you to fully prepare and feel ready for each one. Many classes continue to offer office hours and review sessions during reading period and finals period, which allows you to get help studying topics that you don't remember or never quite fully understood. Then, after taking your last exam, the semester is officially over! You then have a generously long winter or summer break to rest and rejuvenate before starting your next set of courses.

Princeton is known for having a strong alumni network, but prior to matriculating, I wasn’t quite sure what that would mean — I had vague impressions of reunions held on Princeton’s campus every year, and met some alumni from the Richmond, Virginia area when I was accepted, but it wasn’t until this semester that I began to experience first hand the sorts of ways that alumni connect with students.

As a member of the University Press Club, a group of freelance journalists on Princeton’s campus, I met some of the alumni for the first time last spring, when we had our biannual board meeting. This meeting provides board members (all of them former Press Club members themselves) a summary of club activities and updates from the past semester. I was incredibly nervous prior to loading into the Zoom room as our board includes editors for the Washington Post and New York Times, CEOs, authors and more. I felt a little out of place, having only written for a handful of publications before my first semester with the club.

And I wasn’t sure what to expect, but what became clear as the board meeting began was that each board member cared deeply about the present and future of the Press Club. Although they had all left the club in member capacity when they graduated Princeton, it still obviously occupied space in their hearts and minds, and they listened intently to what club members had to say and gave insightful and varied feedback and suggestions. During a normal semester, I’m told that the Press Club gathers with board members in a physical conference room in New York City, but even without this formality, there was a gravity and intensity in the Zoom room that was welcome and comforting — we, the current club members, weren’t alone in our pursuit of journalism.

This semester, in addition to the regular board meeting, we have been joined by a board member or other alumni every other week to discuss their careers and bounce story ideas off of them. It’s injected new energy into our weekly meetings — it’s always good to have a fresh mind to generate ideas for what to write about — and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know some of the Press Club alumni and hearing about the different paths they took after graduating.

The Press Club is small, with usually under fifteen active members, so feeling like we have a whole alumni network behind us means a lot. While my future is still uncertain, journalism or some career in writing looms intimidatingly large on the horizon. It’s nice to meet some of the people who have similar interests as I do, chat with them about their career paths, get advice about the changing landscape of the field, but above all, it’s nice to have their support and interest as the Press Club continues to grow and change. It’s comforting to know that the people who were in my place in years past haven’t just left the club and Princeton behind; rather, they keep on cultivating the group that meant so much to them.

Every graduating class at Princeton has its own grandparent class, the class that graduated 50 years prior. I’m in the Class of 2022, so my grandparent class is the Class of 1972. My class government initiated a new partnership with our grandparent class that matched me with my very own mentor from the Class of ‘72. I am so grateful for my friendship with my Princeton grandparent, George.

I was first paired with George in the spring semester of my first year. We were matched because of geographical proximity, since I’m from Maryland and he lives in Washington, D.C., and because of shared academic and career interests. At the time, I was planning on majoring in English, which was what George studied before becoming a journalist. Journalism is a career path that interests me, so George was a perfect match for me.

Ever since then, George and I have been regular email pen pals. We have lengthy email chains in which we give each other updates about what’s going on in our lives. George has told me many amusing stories from his time at Princeton, such as his adventures as an upper-level student living off-campus on a run-down farm and playing for a band. He has also given me valuable advice about writing academic papers, insights into the job search process, tips about journalism and so much more. These emails have been a constant source of joy and learning for two years now. It’s amazing to get to hear about the similarities and differences between the Princeton of the 1970s and the Princeton of the 2020s.

I lucked out even more with my grandparent matching because I have also gotten to know George’s wife, Monica. She is not a Princeton alumna herself and has no obligation to mentor me, but she chose to get to know me along with George. She has had a long career in politics and policy, which is another of my career interests, so she has also been a great resource. I’ve met up with George and Monica twice, once in summer 2019 in DC, and once on campus in fall 2019. It was so much fun to give them my own campus tour and show George how much has changed since he was a student. I also FaceTime George and Monica regularly.

I did not expect that I would end up with a good friend from Princeton 50 years my senior, but George has been an amazing source of support and kindness and I feel truly fortunate to have him in my life. This friendship exemplifies the strength of the Princeton community and the power of the Princeton alumni network.

In my freshman seminar, Ethics in Finance, there were several guest speakers that came to class to discuss their experiences in the finance world. One of those guests was John Bogle, the founder of Vanguard and 1951 graduate of Princeton. His innovative career and commitment to philanthropy truly inspired me and he remains one of my biggest role models. I was fortunate to meet him before he, unfortunately, passed away in 2019, leaving behind a legacy of service.

During his guest lecture, he recalled how his senior thesis at Princeton served as a launchpad for Vanguard. While Bogle didn't invent the index fund, which bought and held all of the stocks in the S&P 500 index, his index fund was the first available to the masses and it changed the ways Americans saved and planned for retirement. He talked about the negative side of finance, in which banks are mostly interested in garnering profits. He disrupted this industry by providing the average American the tools to grow their investments in a reliable fund. 

Bogle's career is also one of philanthropy and intellectual curiosity. He has written more than ten books, one of which I received with his signature. He has also given back a great deal to Princeton, having donated what is now Bogle Hall in Butler College and providing funding for undergraduates to pursue their own summer internships in service.

His life story really resonated with me as I have always aspired to create good and leave my mark in this world. He was a pioneer of his time and his success is inspiring as he attended Princeton, meaning that I can aspire to do impactful things just like he did. Having the opportunity to meet alumni like Bogle has been one of the highlights of my Princeton experience. 

When I was applying to Princeton, I was curious to learn more about post-graduation outcomes and the types of careers Princeton students pursue. I hope this blog post sheds some light on what life after Princeton looks like.

Following graduation this upcoming May, I will be pursuing a Master’s in Management at The London School of Economics. I discovered an interest in entrepreneurship during my time at Princeton, so I decided to further my education and strengthen my quantitative skills before launching my career. I am very excited to move to London!

While attending a graduate program in management might be ‘unconventional’ for a history concentrator, there are many skills that I have acquired through my liberal arts education that are essential in the business world: the ability to write a compelling and effective argument, strong reading comprehension skills and a systemic understanding of human institutions.

My friends are pursuing a myriad of careers, all the way from software engineering at Amazon to independent journalism. I have also met many students that changed career interests or are undecided about what they want to do after Princeton and that is totally fine! The advantage of a Princeton education is that the world-renowned academics and extracurricular opportunities provide you with transferable skills that prepare you for the real world.

Princeton is known for its strong alumni network and I have met many alumni that have offered me mentorship and provided invaluable advice. One thing that stood out from my conversations with alumni is that being a Princetonian doesn’t end at graduation. With more than 95,000 Princeton alumni living all around the world, there are various opportunities and events to meet other Princetonians and nurture meaningful connections post-graduation. 

My message to prospective students is that no matter what you want to do in the future, a Princeton education will place you in a good position to fulfill your aspirations. Make sure to tap into the alumni network throughout your undergraduate career and learn from their experiences!