This guide is an overview for approaching the mentorship relationship with care.

A career in the life sciences can include a broad range of companies, organizations, and foundations concerned with the study of living organisms, including biological sciences, botany, zoology, microbiology, physiology, biochemistry, and a number of related subjects. Employers may include biotechnology & pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, healthcare organizations, foundations, and federal agencies. Most of the information on this page concerns non-patient facing options but there are opportunities to create career paths that merge patient and non-patient settings.

Through the ongoing and generous support of our donors, the College is able to offer funding to support unpaid internships which students identify on their own. Many award recipients pursue internships in nonprofit organizations focused on education and other community development areas, but funding is available for opportunities in other sectors both within the United States and internationally, as well. In addition to the stipends, Wellesley Career Education staff provide ongoing professional development and career education training throughout their summer experiences.

The word consulting encompasses a wide range of industries and professional job opportunities. To put it simply, a consultant provides “external advice for organizations that require specialist experience or an objective outside perspective on their business.” There are many different types of consulting that can be explored, including management, strategy, economics, healthcare, human resources, and technology. Likewise, there are endless opportunities in all types of industries that use consultants: from education to healthcare to the public sector, consulting can provide many opportunities for you to explore different industries or even just a specific field.  

Business is a large sector of the global economy in which goods or services are exchanged, generally, for money and profits. Businesses need customers who purchase their goods or services. Additionally, businesses require some form of investment.

Where do you begin when you don’t know where to begin with your career path? What are new opportunities you could explore once you find a field that fascinates you? How do you prioritize which experiences to pursue when there are a few, several, or many options that interest you?

Entrepreneurship is a term that is often cited as a career interest, but what exactly does it mean to be an entrepreneur? According to one definition, an entrepreneur is someone who exercises initiative by organizing a venture and is the decision maker who decides what, how and how much of a good or service will be produced.  On the other hand, the economist Joseph Schumpeter believes there are two classes of entrepreneurs: historical small business owners and innovators.  Regardless of what you might be interested in, it is clear that being an entrepreneur encompasses a wide-ranging set of opportunities and responsibilities.  

Participating in research experiences as an undergraduate is an excellent way to add depth to your science understanding and actively engage with what you are learning in the classroom. By doing so, you further develop your laboratory, analytical, and problem-solving skills, and you start to build your network with faculty members. Research experiences are valuable components to your resume, and they can make you more competitive for both graduate school and industry opportunities.

What better way to learn about a particular career path, industry, company, or role than experiencing it yourself? If you want to learn more about a specific path before committing to an internship or job, consider “shadowing” an individual who currently works in the field as a way to experience a typical workday in that career.