Student of Color

Welcome to the Student of Color Affinity Community Page!

The Fleishman Center recognizes the historic challenges encountered by students of color at predominantly white institutions. This web page provides a space for students of color to connect with alumni, faculty, staff, and peers to create a strong network, share experiences, and be informed about events that empower your career success. We have a variety of resources for Black, Hispanic and Latinx, Native American and Indigenous Peoples, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and biracial students. Explore events and articles that speak to your identity.

This web page is designed to be open to all Binghamton University students, faculty and staff regardless of race, color, national origin, or sex, and is consistent with all current governing federal and state nondiscrimination law.

Resources to get you started

Navigating your career journey as a student of color can involve both exciting opportunities and unique considerations as you explore workplaces, industries, and professional environments. In addition to identifying career paths that align with your interests and strengths, you may also be thinking about finding employers who demonstrate a commitment to equity, inclusion, and representation in meaningful and sustained ways.

This section is designed to help you explore career options, build strong professional networks, and access organizations that support leadership development, mentorship, and career readiness. You’ll find strategies for navigating the job and internship search process, as well as resources that can help you connect with programs and employers focused on expanding access and opportunity.

The Fleishman Center has developed The Path to Career Confidence and Clarity to help students identify what stage of the career journey they’re in. It’s a simple four-step journey all about helping you go from understanding yourself to making confident career decisions. We’ve designed it to help you explore your options with purpose and reflect on what you learn along the way. If you’re unsure which stage you’re in or need help developing a plan, make an appointment with the Fleishman Center! It can be helpful to talk to a career consultant in person or on Zoom!

Click here to make an appointment with the Fleishman Center

A light green stick figure stands in front of an oval mirror, looking at its reflection. The stick figure is depicted with a round head and a simplified body, while the reflection in the mirror is also a stick figure, showing the head and upper torso.

This is the first and most important step in figuring out your career path. Before you can connect with different jobs, you need to understand who you are. This means thinking about your interests, what’s important to you (your values), what you’re good at (your skills), and what drives you.

Ask yourself:

What truly gets you excited?
When do you feel like you’re doing your best work?
How do your personal values guide your choices?
What challenges might you face, and how can you overcome them?

Now that you know more about yourself, it’s time to connect that knowledge with different career paths. This will help you find careers that bring you confidence and clarity. Our goal is to help you narrow down your interests to a few areas by doing some focused research.

A simplified icon of an open laptop is depicted in a light green color.

Ask yourself:

What do I already know about different job opportunities?
Have I explored a variety of options, or just a few?
Am I ready to do some research to find facts that will help me make good decisions?

If you’re at this stage, you’re ready to explore and take action! Getting hands-on experience is key. Take the career areas you’re interested in and find ways to get involved.

A light green icon depicts a person in a thinking pose. Above and to the right of the head is a thought bubble, suggesting introspection or ideas.

Here are some ideas:

Internships
Job shadowing (following someone at their job for a day)
Volunteering in your community
Getting involved with campus clubs or activities
Studying abroad
Doing research

Think about: What kind of experience makes the most sense for the area you want to explore?

You’ve gained valuable experience and are closer to feeling confident and clear about your career! Now it’s time to get more experience, improve your skills, and grow your network.

A simple light green outline icon depicts a stylized person walking forward, with their legs appearing to move as if striding. A thick horizontal arrow extends from behind the person to the front, pointing to the right, indicating movement or progression.

Think about:

What events or opportunities can help you connect with more people in your field?
What experiences or skills are you missing?

We’ve compiled five career development strategies that can help students of color navigate internships, job searches, and professional environments with confidence.

Connecting with mentors and professionals who share similar backgrounds can help you navigate career decisions, build confidence, and access opportunities. Look for structured programs and alumni networks that intentionally support students of color.

Many competitive industries recruit through formal development programs designed to support underrepresented students early in their careers. These programs often provide mentorship, training, and direct employer access.

Look beyond job descriptions and evaluate whether employers demonstrate long-term commitment to equity through employee resource groups, leadership representation, and transparent inclusion initiatives.

Engage with cultural centers, student organizations, and career development programs that provide both community support and professional development opportunities.

Leadership, academic work, work-study, caregiving responsibilities, and community involvement all contribute to transferable skills that employers value.

We’ve compiled a list of top resources to support your career journey. Click each box below to learn more about the resource. See the resources section for a more comprehensive list.

Offers paid internships, professional training, and employer partnerships focused on increasing access for students from underrepresented backgrounds.

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Supports students interested in business doctoral education and academic career pathways.

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Provides leadership development, mentorship, and structured career pathways into competitive industries such as consulting, finance, and technology

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Featured Articles

United Negro College Fund

Resources

UNCF is the nation’s largest private scholarship provider to minority group members. It manages various scholarship, fellowship, and internship programs.

Brown and Caldwell Scholarships

Resources

Brown and Caldwell Scholarships are scholarship opportunities offered by the environmental engineering and consulting firm Brown and Caldwell to support students pursuing careers in engineering, environmental science, water resources, and related fields. Many of the company’s scholarship programs are designed …

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund

Resources

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships, career resources, leadership development, and professional networking opportunities to students pursuing higher education. In addition to financial support, HSF offers access to internships, mentorship, employer connections, and career …

The National Urban League Job Network

Resources

The National Urban League Jobs Network is an online career resource offered by the National Urban League, a historic civil rights and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing economic empowerment and opportunity for Black Americans and other historically underserved communities. The …