ECONnect: Networking for Career and Life Success
Join the Simmons Economics program, offered through the School of Management, and become part of a vibrant academic and professional community.
ECONnect, our signature networking and career-preparation program, plays a key role in fostering relationship-building between students and alumni.
Through ECONnect, you’ll receive mentorship, develop interviewing and other essential skills, and engage in lifelong career development. Many students describe ECONnect as a place to "meet the big sisters you never knew you had," offering invaluable support as you apply your expertise in economic and social analysis to real-world career paths.
What is ECONnect?
Since 2001, ECONect has helped students and graduates build successful careers and fulfilling lives.
Through structured events and workshops, Economics alumni will help you:
- Develop essential life and career skills.
- Engage in professional networking within the Economics community.
- Explore career opportunities across diverse fields.
By participating, you’ll gain valuable tools for career advancement and personal growth.
ECONnect has a long history of helping students and alumni achieve their career goals. The program will help you find positions, internships or other real-world opportunities in fields including finance, law, consulting, government, research, and media.
This program has been a professional lifeline for me throughout my career. It began when I was a student and continued through the early years of obtaining a professional job, a couple of layoffs, career transitions, and more! On the other side of the coin, over the 10 years that I owned a small business, I mentored 35 students, and hired two employees, primarily through this program. The network I developed over the years and the advice I have received has been invaluable and has truly shaped me.
— Lisa Baptiste Peterson ’03
Annual Economics Student-Alumni Networking Dinner
ECONnect’s signature event is the annual networking dinner, which takes place each spring. At a typical dinner, you’ll connect with 40–50 alumni from industries such as finance, law, government, and health care.
At the dinner, you’ll engage in industry-specific discussions, receive business cards, and access an alumni networking directory. Alumni will help you practice effective networking through the AIR Framework:
- Advice: Alumni share insights and guidance.
- Information: Students learn about industry trends and opportunities.
- Referrals: Participants expand their professional network for internships, job opportunities, and informational interviews.
After the event, you’ll deepen your connections with alumni through follow-up activities, including résumé review, job shadowing, and informational interviews.
Skills To Succeed in the Workplace
Networkshop
You’ll learn networking basics, such as writing elevator speeches, using the alumni directory, and professional etiquette. The workshop will also prepare you to engage confidently at the networking dinner.
Mock Interview Session
This hands-on workshop will prepare you for in-person and online interviews. You’ll learn how to research employers, craft questions, and handle challenging scenarios.
Grad School Night
If you’re exploring advanced degrees, this workshop is for you. It covers program selection, application processes, financing, and transitioning to graduate school. The workshop focuses on fields like law, public policy, economics, and MBA programs.
Financial Adulting
You’ll gain practical advice on managing student debt, budgeting, saving, and investing. Topics include negotiating contracts, understanding leases, renters insurance, and navigating workplace benefits.
Economics and ECONnect in the News
Building a Family History at Simmons
Nearly a century ago, Anna T. Kenney attended Simmons College, majoring in Secretarial Studies. Now, Kenney’s great-granddaughter, Annie Doherty ’26, has followed in her great-grandmother's footsteps to Simmons.
Students and Alumnae/i Network Through ECONnect
Associate Professor Masato Aoki collaborates with faculty in the BA in Economics Degree and the Economics Student Liaison to organize ECONnect, a career preparation program which integrates a loyal and enthusiastic Economic alumnae/i community.
Honoring the National Day of Racial Healing
January 21, 2025 — the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day — is the ninth annual National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH). Created by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, NDORH "is an opportunity to engage in collective action to create a more just and equitable world."
Celebrating the 2024-25 Passionate Leaders Scholars
Six Simmons undergraduate scholars from different disciplines have been selected to join the 2024-2025 Passionate Leaders Project cohort.
International Students Find Belonging at Simmons
In honor of International Students Day, we spoke to Simmons students Madinabonu Abdullaeva ’25 and Jisu Hyeon ’25MS about what led them to Simmons, what it means to study internationally, and their future goals.
Simmons Announces Passionate Leaders Project Scholars for Fall 2023
The Passionate Leaders Project supports Simmons undergraduates by enriching their academic & professional interests beyond the classroom. Students may request up to $4,000 to support their research, internships, and creative endeavors. This semester’s students produced research related to human rights, documentary film, healthcare access, therapeutic care databases, the neurodevelopment of fruit flies, Muslims’ experiences with healthcare in Boston, and software that supports Simmons’ food pantry.
Researcher-Activist Katarina Sousa ’24 Promotes Menstrual Equity in Massachusetts
Menstrual equity is an under-discussed and under-researched topic within academia, politics, and the general populace. Katarina Sousa ’24 is breaking the silence with her groundbreaking research and activism in Massachusetts.
Simmons Alum Researches Equity in Healthcare for Women
Tozoe Marton ’18 has done research with the Women's Global Health Imperative Group at Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International as a public health analyst where she worked on women's global health, focusing on women and HIV.