In Their Own Words

Justin Dickerson ’19, and Comfort Nyesuah ’19 are three BU students who have taken advantage of Professional U programs at various stages of their college careers – whether it was to advance their goals or figure them out. They offer some words of wisdom to incoming students.

“There are so many different things that are available both downtown and on campus that it can kind of be overwhelming at first,” said Justin. “but take advantage of it - you may find out it’s not quite what you want and that’s ok because then you can find something else.”

Justin Dickerson is testing the waters of post college life this summer as an intern with the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. His first experience with Professional U was a Husky Career Road trip to Boyer and Ritter where he was able to network with BU Alumni firm associates. He participated in the ZIPD program’s resume and interview preparation workshops and the Career Intensive Boot Camp where he tweaked his networking and business etiquette skills. Later, he was able to get help with phone interview prep that he used to obtain his internship, which he found via the Career Connections Expo on campus.

“Professional U connected me with alumni, showed me resources I could use and explained what others had done. The alumni connections within the firm was really helpful.”

Justin also joined the on campus business club ENACTUS, which finds and assists downtown businesses find sustainable solutions to problems they may have.  He says the experience has enhanced his skillset and credibility with employers.

“It definitely allowed me to apply what I was learning in the classroom to real world examples” said Justin “The problems businesses are struggling with are not textbook perfect scenarios; there was a lot of problem solving, thinking on your feet and teamwork.”

When she returns to BU in August, Comfort Nyesuah will be within two semesters of graduation while already working in her field. Comfort chose nursing as a Sophomore, but despite her good grades she was not accepted into the highly competitive BU Nursing program. She was struggling with her options when her academic adviser presented an option that would allow her to graduate with a degree in Health Sciences and then fast track her RN certification. She obtained an internship at Geisinger-Bloomsburg Hospital which has led to a paying position.

“The internship got my foot in the door to my career” explained Comfort “I know the hospital, I know the routine, and I will be better prepared than those who haven’t done an internship.”

While Comfort knows the year ahead will be a difficult balance, she is ready and determined to maintain her grades, program eligibility and nursing position. Her dream in 5 years is to be working in a hospital and, as she puts it, “happy and satisfied with life.”

“Happy and satisfied with life” - It’s a common theme among many incoming students.  To get there, these students stress that the most important things are knowing what you want, knowing what is available to help you get it, and persevering through setbacks.  

“I wish I knew my Professional U resources [better] when I first started. It would have made my process shorter and less complicated.”

Networking with BU Alumni and the BU career community is a big part of finding that satisfaction and standing out.  Through Professional U, Justin and Comfort were exposed to the importance of networking and were able to start building immediately.  

“Alumni have been tremendous help in job searches, mentoring and network connections” explained Justin, whose hiring manager was a BU Alum “A big part of the value of a BU education is the alumni.”

Both students say they are excited to return to campus and look forward to eventually using all they’ve learned at BU in their careers. They also recognize there is much more ahead to learn and experience before entering the “real world”.

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