July 18, 2015

Early Spotlight on Careers

Brian Duke ’16 has always been good at math and science, but music has been his passion.

“I have always enjoyed building things and working with my hands. My dad and my grandpa studied engineering, so it just made sense for me to follow in their footsteps,” he explains. “My dream is to tour the world with a band and spend my time making music. If I can’t get that to pan out then I will try to find a job that incorporates my love for music and the skills I have learned through my engineering studies.”

Lafayette College Aluma Catherine Corkery ’13 hosted three Lafayette students on a two day externship at the NYC offices of Atlantic Records. They are from left to right, Zhe Jason Sheng ’15, Kiyah Holloman ’15, host Catherine Corkery ’13, and Brian Duke ’16 (at the piano).

Through Lafayette’s externship program, Duke got a chance to explore one of these opportunities during a job shadowing experience with Catherine Corkery ’13, executive assistant to the general manager of Marketing and Promotions at Atlantic Records in New York City.

Duke is one of 328 students who participated in the externship program this year under the guidance of 211 hosts, made up of alumni, parents, and friends of the College. During an externship, students spend two-five days during the January interim observing and interacting with professional hosts in their workplace and gaining firsthand insight into specific careers or industries that interest them.

Lafayette’s externship program is one of the hallmarks of Career Services’ Gateway program, which outlines four steps for students of any major and at any stage of the career search to prepare for life after graduation. Each step coordinates with a class year and is designed to help students explore options, gain experience, and plan for the future.