EDITOR’S NOTE: Op-Eds detail the views of their writers and are not representative of the stance of the paper. Publication of Op-Eds is not tantamount to an endorsement of their content.
When I transferred to Queens College last fall as a computer science major, I was hopeful. I believed that if I worked hard, earned good grades and stayed focused, opportunities would naturally follow.
Like most students, I assumed college would act as a bridge between the classroom and working world. Instead, I often felt unsure of where this bridge was or what communities it actually supported.
My experience as a first year transfer student felt more like being mapless in an obstacle course.
I had no clear introduction to resources on campus. I did not have access to the guidance many students rely on, parents who could explain how internships work, relatives familiar with professional spaces or family friends who knew how to navigate career pathways.
I searched for information on specialized advising and orientations tailored to transfers to explain things like internships, research opportunities and professional programs. But, I found no single place where that information was clearly laid out or roadmaps offered. It came informally through conversations with other students in classes or stumbling across opportunities after deadlines had passed.
I found myself trying to piece everything together on my own, unsure of where to ask questions or whether I was even looking in the right places.
QC does offer many invaluable opportunities: internships, mentorship programs, research experiences, fellowships and employer connections across New York City.
The challenge is not a “lack of resources” but accessibility.
Commuter and transfer students are expected to learn the campus for the first time whilst juggling classes, stressful commutes, personal responsibilities and securing opportunities for career development.
At the same time, today’s job market looks nothing like it did a decade ago and feels like it changes every day.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping how work is done across industries, changing not only what jobs exist but how people do them. According to research from MIT Sloan, AI rarely replaces entire occupations outright. Instead, it transforms the specific tasks within jobs, meaning workers now need a broader mix of technical skills, adaptability, and real-world experience to stay competitive.
In a job market reshaped by AI, the path from classroom to career has become less intuitive, leaving many students unsure of where to begin or who to turn to for guidance.
Student leaders involved in professional organizations on campus see this gap firsthand.
Matthew Marchena, President of Queens College’s chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) and a senior majoring in economics, emphasized the importance of stronger institutional alignment.
“There needs to be stronger collaboration between student clubs, the Career Engagement Office and alumni,” Marchena said.
“Students know what they want and how to work toward their goals, but the system works best when clubs, career services, and alumni are aligned.”
Others point out that these coordination gaps affect students as early as their first year.
Alicia Chamorro, a junior accounting major and ALPFA’s secretary, noted that many students miss out simply because engagement comes too late.
“One issue is that many freshmen and sophomores are not engaging with career events early enough,” Chamorro explained.
“Clubs like ALPFA often have to initiate outreach to the Career Center, when early coordination could help students get involved sooner.”
As a leading member of QC’s Code for All, I have seen how student-led organizations can help close this gap when they are given the space to do so.
By learning from peers, meeting alumni and professionals through club events, and collaborating on projects, students gain both the technical skills and confidence needed to pursue opportunities early.
Experiences like these illustrate how clubs can serve as powerful entry points into the career pipeline when their efforts are supported and aligned with broader campus resources.
In December, I conducted a survey via Google Forms where I received answers from students across my courses and relevant student clubs, primarily through on-campus outreach and various communication channels.
When asked where students most often learn about career opportunities, 65 percent of participants reported “student clubs,” and 60 percent said “social media,” underscoring the important role peer networks already play in connecting students with job development opportunities.
Perhaps most telling, 75 percent of survey takers said that having access to a “single, updated dashboard or calendar listing of internships, workshops, research programs, and deadlines would be extremely helpful,” suggesting strong student interest in clear, centralized pathways that build on existing resources at QC.
One step forward could be establishing more intentional collaboration between student clubs and campus administrators, such as regularly sharing upcoming employer visits, internships, and workshops with club leaders who already have direct access to engaged students.
Additionally, creating a centralized, regularly updated dashboard or calendar that aggregates opportunities across departments, clubs, and programs would address the confusion many students experience when searching for information.
Clubs could serve as early distribution points for opportunities, helping ensure information reaches students sooner and more consistently. Professors and club leaders could briefly highlight these resources during classes and meetings, helping students understand where and how to sign up for alerts about internships, workshops, and deadlines. Academic advisors could reinforce this information during advising sessions, particularly for first-year and transfer students.
Taken together, these steps would strengthen communication across existing channels and build on the strong networks and student engagement already present at QC.
Experience has become the new currency. Employers want to see what students have built, contributed to, or learned outside the classroom. Tracking data on internship participation, job placement, and early-career success would allow QC to measure what works and refine its approach over time. Supporting students is not just about offering opportunities, but about ensuring those opportunities lead somewhere.
