Help for the Class of '21 (March 15, 2021)

Dear Bowdoin alumni,

Greetings from campus on a chilly but sunny early spring day in Maine. I hope you are staying healthy and safe. I’m writing to make a specific request related to our seniors, the Bowdoin Class of 2021.

We need your help identifying full-time jobs, other kinds of jobs, projects, opportunities, gigs, or other work that would give a senior or seniors opportunities to build their skills and resume while making a real contribution. Last spring and throughout the past year, Bowdoin alumni, family members, and friends have made a tremendous difference for last year’s graduates, the Bowdoin Class of 2020. We received hundreds of interesting jobs and opportunities and, with your help, Bowdoin ’20 is back on track, with 83% employed or in graduate school. And, many alumni are reporting back to us now about the great contributions that recent graduates are making to their organizations. Thanks to all of you who responded to the call. 

We would be grateful for any leads and ideas, even if they are not fully organized. If you have something, please use this link or reach out to Sarah Cotsen, director of employer relations in our Office of Career Exploration and Development (CXD), at scotsen@bowdoin.edu.

Typically, more than 60 percent of our seniors have their job, fellowship, or graduate school opportunity settled by the end of May. While we are starting to see encouraging signs of recovery underway, it is still a challenging job market. The pandemic and related impacts make this an unusually difficult time.

Bowdoin’s alumni network has always been one of the defining strengths of the College. Many of you know this from your own experience as students and in your professional lives. We are a small college in Maine, but the Bowdoin network is powerful—and we need you more than ever. 

Thank you very much for all you do for Bowdoin, and keep in touch.

All the best,

Clayton