Hire Hopkins | May 2023

A Message From Our Directors

Dear reader, 

Lately, I’m encountering a good deal of burnout amongst my friends, hiring partners, and colleagues. It’s one of those things you don’t quite realize until you’re knee-deep.

Of course, the irony of it all is that managing it is an added stressor to an excessive workload.

In this edition of our newsletter, our student writer, Vibha, shares what some companies like Unilever, Samsung, and Oliver Wyman have done to prioritize mental health in the workplace which we just can’t ignore. The American Psychological Association found that Gen-Z is more likely to report mental health concerns than other demographic groups.

They’ve been at the forefront of traumatic events and experiences including the pandemic, mass school shootings, and the youngest of them experiencing the September 11 attacks. It makes sense then, in research from Calm, that the majority of Gen-Z’ers really care about mental health, want to talk about it openly in the workplace, and expect employers to help them reduce their stress and anxiousness.

That being said, all the best practices in the world won’t replace a little bit of emotional intelligence and humanity from a leader, boss, or manager. And trust me, I’m a victim of being a work robot sometimes! Prioritizing mental health as a leader could look like…

  • Canceling a meeting when you realize that everyone is going through a rough time and giving people to regroup and take a breather.
  • Reminding your team members in your harried 10 pm email, that just because you’re up and working late, doesn’t mean you expect them to be.
  • Acknowledging that it’s OK for your team to bring tough feedback and setting aside time to deal with it if the moment isn’t right now.

(Have any more? Send them our way via email)

Our students just wrapped up their finals week and are taking their summers to gain new experiences: internships, volunteer roles, and launching business ideas… In that spirit- I hope you’ll explore something this summer that brings you joy or a little spark to your heart.

Warmly,

Alia Poonawala

Executive Director @ Hire Hopkins

Connect with me on LinkedIn | hirehopkins@jhu.edu

Our Team

Emma O’Rourke Powell (Associate Director)

Cris Vidal (Program Lead)

Our colleague and collaborator, Clifton Shambry, began a series of articles on using life design to make things better in the workplace.

#Design4Excellence is a conversation exploring how we can create a more inclusive world for historically marginalized groups. So far this series includes 2 blog posts and 9 ~60 second videos. 

Today, we’ll share a video from a prompt to students: How do you imagine the future excellence of work for historically underrepresented folks?

We’re looking for employers to get involved! And we’d love to hear your thoughts …


Amidst increasing stress levels and the lingering impact of the ongoing pandemic, it is crucial for organizations to prioritize the well-being of their employees.

In our blog, we delve into the risk factors that contribute to employee mental health challenges and highlight success stories of companies at the forefront of prioritizing mental health. Join us as we explore these insights!


Pre-MBA Engagement Opportunities – Carey Business School

May graduation is upon us; however, our new MBAs are already coming in the door! If you would like to discuss pre-MBA engagement opportunities, please reach out to Corinne Brassfield, Director of Employer Relations, cbrassfield@jhu.edu.

The Carey Business School also has hundreds of students still enrolled in 1-year Master of Science programs who will graduate in August. These are highly analytical programs, and many are STEM designated. Please reach out if you would like to connect with the Carey talent pool.


Future Fest 2023 Save the Date

Mark your calendars for September 15th and 19th for the return of Future Fest, our premier Career Fair, with an in person AND virtual opportunity to connect with our fantastic students across JHU. Be on the lookout for more information coming in June! For questions, please contact, Homewood.recruit@jhu.edu

  • Friday, September 15th: In person  
  • Tuesday, September 19th: Virtual

Center for Leadership Education – Seeking Employer Partners

Partner with us and gain access to talented and motivated professionals.

The MSIL program is a new master’s program that unites engineering expertise and business education, designed primarily for students with non-STEM backgrounds.

As a a partner, you’d provide course projects, as well as mentorship and internship opportunities. As a result you and are invited to network with sought-after talent. Reach out to us at msil@jhu.edu to get involved.


Host an Event with a JHU School

Here are three easy steps to connect:

  1. Log into Handshake – https://jhu.joinhandshake.com/
  2. Select Create an Event > On-campus: My company is hosting this event at a school
  3. Choose JHU as the host school and the name of the career center
By Alia Poonawala
Alia Poonawala Executive Director, Hire Hopkins