My name is Xuchen Wang, and I am originally from China. I came to the U.S. for high school and am now a Junior in college.
I heard about StreetWise Partners from a friend who graduated from the program in Summer 2021. She told me how the program really helped her career development. I was struggling with my networking and interviewing skills at the time and thought the program could be a great opportunity for me. I joined the program in January 2022 in New York City and I am on track to graduate this April.
My StreetWise mentor is Nolan Crawford, and he is a consultant at Visa, Inc. I love my relationship with Nolan; he is really supportive and willing to help me out whenever I have any questions. I recently had an interview coming up that I was not sure how to prepare for. Nolan was patient and answered every question I had, whilst also encouraging me along the way.
One really important skill I gained from my StreetWise experience is networking, the main skill I wanted to develop before joining. During the program, every mentee completes weekly deliverables, some of which are informational interviews. These interviews, in particular, taught me the importance of networking as I was able to reach out to other mentors and learn more about the fields that I am interested in. There are also speed networking events where I spoke to many volunteers from different fields, which I also found interesting and helpful.
I took the networking skills I learned to an information session at my school held by RSM, a top accounting firm. I loved the company’s emphasis on culture, diversity, and inclusion, and seized the opportunity to apply for an internship. I felt prepared after StreetWise and supported by my mentor. I landed the internship, and next summer I will be an Audit Intern at RSM! I really look forward to joining the team soon!
My dreams don’t stop here. After graduating from college, I will work on getting my CPA certificate. I will continue to develop my career by learning new skills.
To anyone considering joining StreetWise Partners, I would say don’t hesitate to join. The program will help you with your career development. You will not only develop strong connections with mentors, but you will also gain access to invaluable resources and a strong network
My favorite part of StreetWise Partners is that everyone, not only your mentors, but also all volunteers and facilitators, are willing to help you.