Alumni Career Forums
Each year, DUSPConnect invites alumni working across all fields and sectors back to campus to participate in a series of Career Forums to give students a taste of careers in City Design and Development, Housing, Community and Economic Development, Environmental Policy and Planning, International Development, Transportation Planning, and more. In each panel, alumni meet with students over dinner and share advice and career path stories. The most recent panels were held remotely, engaging alumni and students across the globe.
DUSPx Alumni Events
DUSPx is an annual event series that aims to promote connections among alumni, and between all members of the DUSP Community. DUSPx events feature alumni and faculty "lightning talks" and are designed to promote exchange and foster connections between students, graduates, and faculty.
The event is hosted in a different city each year, and past locations have included Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Boston and Washington, D.C.
NYC Trek
Every spring, DUSP Students travel to New York City for the annual DUSP NYC Trek, a day of visiting with organizations and alumni whose work span the spectrum of planning fields. The trek showcases a sample of career pathways and experiences as students get to tour offices around the city, meeting with potential employers on their own turf.
Employers who have participated in past years include:
- Buro Happold Engineering
- Enterprise Community Partners
- Gehl Architects
- HR&A Advisors
- Hudson Companies
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
- Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
- New York City Departments including: City Planning (DCP), Housing, Preservation, and Development (HPD), Transportation (DoT)
- New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC)
- New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
- Perkins Eastman
- SHoP Architects
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- World Wide Group
- WXY Studio
- 100 Resilient Cities
Internship and Fellowship Showcases
DUSPConnect hosts a number of lunchtime events throughout the year to introduce students to Summer and IAP opportunities, and to learn from the experiences of their peers. Events like "What I did on my Summer Vacation (and IAP) and How I Got It Funded" feature students who participated in a wide array of local and international internship or research opportunities, demonstrating the breadth of options and resources available to students. Other events are more specific, focusing on particular programs and application processes, such as the DUSP-PKG and Rappaport summer fellowship programs.
Career Speed Dating
Career Speed Dating was started in response to requests from students to help them get to know one of their best career resources: one another. Now an annual favorite, this lively event invites current undergrads, MCPs, SPURS Fellows, and PhDs to learn from their remarkable peers while sharing their own career experiences and perspectives.
Recruiter Visits and Info Sessions
Planning-related employers regularly come to campus to give presentations on their organizations and connect to DUSP students. Such events are a great opportunity for students to network, find jobs, or simply learn more about the professional landscape that awaits them after DUSP.
Real Estate Career Day
Harvard/MIT Real Estate Career Day is an annual event that brings together real estate professionals from a variety of industry sectors to discuss their firms, specific projects, and relevant career paths. The event generally consists of two panels with a lunch in between. Each panel is followed by roundtable discussions with panelists for students to ask questions, seek advice, and make industry connections.
MIT Career Fairs
Career fairs, held throughout the academic year, are an excellent way for students to meet potential employers, and for employers to strengthen their company brand on campus. MIT offers fairs both small and large, from boutique fairs with a specific industry focus to the Fall Career Fair with over 350 employers.
