Career Resources for Students of Color

On this page you will find specific career resources for students of color. A student of color is a student who identifies as one or more of the following racial or ethnic groups: African, Alaskan Native, Asian, Black, Chican@, Desi, Hispanic, Indigenous, Latinx, Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander.

Highlight Your Background

As a person of color, your background has given you a set of experiences and a perspective that can benefit any organization. Reflect on how your point of view could benefit an employer, and highlight those benefits when applying for a job or internship. Here are some examples of how you might discuss your identity in the job or internship search process: 

  • Resume: Highlight academic and professional connections you have with identity and affinity groups (for example, being a member of a professional organization or club for students of color).
  • Cover letter: You can identify as a student of color in your cover letter and explain why your identity could be an important asset in the job you are applying for.
  • Interview: Ask your interviewer about the organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion or explain your desire to work for an organization that values diversity.

Evaluate employers on whether they honor diversity
To find out if an employer has created an inclusive work environment, consider some of these tips:

  • Is the organization on Diversity Inc.’s Top 50 or other national lists for their diversity and inclusion policies and programs? What are the criteria for making the list?
  • Can you find a diversity and inclusion philosophy or policy on their website?
  • Are there any programs or resources for employees focused around issues of concern or for specific groups? For example, Marriott’s Diversity and Inclusion Councils.
  • What do others —peers, alumni, current employees, for example—say about the organizational culture? Keep in mind that every opinion, good or bad, may come with some amount of bias. See below for tips on how to find and connect with people at organization’s you’re interested in.

Connect to alumni and other professionals of color
People of color who identify similarly to you, are likely already doing the jobs you want to do, for the companies you want to work for. They have gone through what you are now about to go through, and have accumulated wisdom about what it takes to thrive in the professional world. You can learn from the experience of those who have come before. But how do you find them? And when you do find them, how do you connect with them? 

Start by asking friends, family members, professors, and classmates if they know people they can connect you with. And don’t be afraid to reach out to people you find through Georgetown connections and social media, even if you haven’t met before! Check out our sample email that you can adapt when contacting potential connections.

  • Alumni: You can connect with Georgetown alumni through a variety of online tools. Hoya Gateway and the Alumni Career Network allow you to find alums who have volunteered to be a resource for students. You’ll find thousands of alums with similar interests and skills as you at Georgetown’s Student and Alumni page on LinkedIn. In addition, alums come to campus to meet students like you during a number of networking events throughout the academic year. Check in regularly with the Cawley event calendar (Georgetown login required) to stay on top of what is happening on campus.
  • Alumni: First year students can also connect with Georgetown alumni of color through the Cawley Leadership Development Program. This program brings together first year students of color with alumni of color for a semester-long mentorship experience. Students and mentors participate in three workshops that discuss topics of leadership and career development. Students then work with their mentors to achieve individual goals. The program takes place during each spring semester; applications typically open in January.
  • Professional Associations and Affinity Groups: Most professional associations offer student memberships at a discount, and memberships usually come with access to programs such as speaker events or job fairs. You can search for professional associations using the Directory of Associations. Some are specific to certain cultural groups while others will have divisions for students of color. Employers may also organize affinity groups for their employees in order to provide a space for business and social inclusion.
  • Mentoring: If you form a strong connection with someone, such as an alumna or other professional, you may consider asking her to be your mentor. Read these tips on choosing a mentor.

How to Handle Workplace Discrimination

Workforce discrimination occurs in many different ways. There are federal laws that prohibit discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, disability, pregnancy, and age. Employers are responsible for complying with the law, but you are responsible for making sure you know and protect your rights. 

Discrimination in the workplace
If you experience discrimination once you have started a job, here are some tips and information about dealing with employment discrimination.

Scholarships and Fellowships for Students of Color

INROADS
The mission of INROADS is to develop and place talented minority young people in business and industry and prepare them for corporate and community leadership.

Lagrant Foundation
The LAGRANT Foundation seeks to enhance the academic and professional development of undergraduate and graduate ethnic minority students pursuing careers in advertising, marketing and public relations by providing scholarships, career and professional development workshops, mentors and internships.

SEO
SEO’s mission is to place underrepresented students of color into paid summer internships. SEO places interns in banking, private equity, corporate leadership, law, nonprofit and other business sectors. Students receive competitive pay, rigorous training, support through mentors, and broad access to full-time professionals and industry leadership.

The Getty Foundation Multicultural Undergraduate Internship
The Getty Foundation aims to encourage greater inclusion of historically underrepresented identities in museum and visual arts professions. The program provides funding for internships at cultural organizations across Los Angeles.

T. Howard Foundation
The T. Howard Foundation is an internship program for minority students interested in the multimedia and entertainment industry. In addition to a full-time paid summer internship, it also provides interns with networking opportunities, professional development training, scholarships, and mentors.

United States National Park Service
The Cultural Resources Diversity Internship Program provides a career exploration opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students from historically underrepresented populations, ages 18-to-25 in historic preservation and cultural resources work. The program places interns with National Park Service units and administrative offices, other federal agencies, state historic preservation offices, local governments, and private organizations.

Resources for Students of Color

Below, we’ve collected job search boards, professional associations, blogs and other resources that might be useful. 

Asian and Pacific Islander American

  • National Association of Asian American Professionals – The NAAAP a nonprofit organization that cultivates and empowers Asian and Pacific Islander leaders through professional development, community service, and networking. It offers a variety of professional development programs including a career center and job board.
  • National Council of Asian Pacific Americans – A directory of links to Asian Pacific American organizations, many with career sites of their own. The links also include website and contact information for networking and internship and job search purposes.
  • National Council of Asian Pacific Americans

Black and African American

  • African American Professional Associations – Compilation of links to the leading African American professional associations, many with career and job sites of their own, collected by Monster.
  • National Urban League Job Network – The Urban League Job Network is backed by the National Urban League and is dedicated to helping Black students find employment opportunities.
  • United Negro College Fund – UNCF is the nation’s largest private scholarship provider to historically underrepresented groups. It manages various scholarship, fellowship, and internship programs.

Hispanic and Latinx

Indigenous/Native American

Additional Resources for Students of Color

  • IMDiversity.com — IMDiversity.com is a career and self-development site devoted to serving the cultural and career-related needs of all minorities.
  • INSIGHT Into Diversity — One of the most recognized resources for equal opportunity employers who are seeking to add qualified candidates of color to their workforce. Job postings include positions in academia, business, healthcare, and the government.
  • Institute for Broadening Participation — A directory of links to programs designed to increase the presence of historically underrepresented identities in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce. The programs include internship, job, scholarship and fellowship opportunities. The institute is an independent, open source nonprofit and provides resources to faculty and students by means of an infrastructure unfettered by institutional or disciplinary barriers.
  • NACE Diversity & Inclusion Resources — The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) connects university career service professionals to recruiters and employers. It maintains a list of resources accessible to students from historically underrepresented identities.