Sophomore Elyssa Vincent isn’t yet sure what her major will be, but she’s considering Accounting, and a recent opportunity to spend time with a mentor at the KPMG public accounting firm helped her to imagine “the vast possibilities of having a degree in Accounting.”

Vincent said that the firm allowed students “to be very involved in their work” during a spring break Job Shadowing opportunity. Forty University sophomores gained real-world knowledge about Boston-area employers through the Job Shadowing program organized by the Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education.

The program allows students to see how a major might translate into a career and helps them gain greater understanding of what their futures might hold.

Since it began in 2010, the Job Shadowing program has hosted nearly 150 students. This year, students were placed with organizations such as MIT, Covidien, Boston Crime Lab, WGBH, and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Hands-on experience

Like Vincent, Sean Lyons, an Accounting and Finance major, was placed at KPMG, a Big 4 firm. Alumnus Darren Donovan sponsored the student visits to KPMG.

“Suffolk University, being centered in one of the top financial hubs of the world, gives Business School students a unique advantage for experiencing hands-on and informative opportunities like the one we got working with KPMG,” he said.

Alumni networking

Finance major Chapaatou Oumarou worked with alumnus Tim Shanahan at Compass Securities, Inc. where she attended meetings with her mentor. He “explained everything to me throughout the meeting as if I was part of the meeting,” said Oumarou.

As part of a wide menu of services, Career Services and Cooperative Education advises all students who wish to be mindful of career choices when considering a major.