Identity Groups

After you explore and make connections with organizations and resources available on the Vanderbilt campus we encourage you to discover the numerous population-specific resources accessible via the Web.

For a list of identity-based programs, research, and internship opportunities, check out our Identity-Based Opportunity Database for external resources. The opportunities are sorted by class level and you can find your appropriate tab at the bottom of the database!

Groups

  • African American Students

    African-American Career World: The recruitment link between students and professionals who are African American and the employers that seek to hire them.

    Black Equal Opportunity Employment Journal: America’s leading African-American Business and Career magazine.  This website provides information for African Americans seeking opportunities in corporate America.

    Catapult Leaders: Catapult Leaders’ mission is to help talented Black college & grad students get jobs that best match their interests, skills, preparation, and potential through a variety of resources, programs, and coaching.

    IMDiversity.com: IMDiversity.com is dedicated to providing career and self-development information to all minorities, specifically African Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders, Latino/Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and women. The site’s Diversity Villages provide population-specific news and information.

    Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT): MLT equips and emboldens high-achieving women and men from underrepresented communities – African American, Latinx, and Native American – to excel professionally through group and one-on-one mentorship, networking seminars, and easily accessible pipelines to employment.

    SEO Career: SEO Career recruits and trains high-achieving Black, LatinX, and Native American college students for challenging summer internships that lead to coveted full-time jobs.

    The Eckford Virtual Mentorship Program: This program is a virtual community connecting black youth to black professionals across the country. Through meaningful, select virtual meetings with a mentor, students will able to gain exposure to their future endeavors, receive help in setting goals, and learn the joys and challenges of a black professional in the professional space.

  • American Indian/Native American and Alaska Native Students

    American Indian Business Leaders (AIBL): AIBL is the only American Indigenous non-profit organization solely dedicated to empowering business students in the United States. Our programs are designed to engage students in activities that stimulate, enhance, and expand educational experiences beyond traditional academic methods.

    American Indian Graduate Center: This organization provides fellowships for American Indian Graduate and Professional Students.

    American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC): AIHEC provides leadership and influences public policy on American Indian and Alaska Native higher education issues through advocacy, research, and programmatic initiatives; promotes and strengthens Indigenous languages, cultures, communities, lands, and tribal nations; and through its unique position, serves member institutions and emerging TCUs.

    American Indian Science and Engineering Society: AISES works to substantially increase American Indian and Alaska Native representation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.

    Bureau of Indian Affairs: The Bureau provides services (directly or through contracts, grants, or compacts) to approximately 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives.

    Native American Jobs: This site is dedicated to being your link to diversity and indigenous employment, career-minded individuals looking for employment and careers in all communities, locally and nationwide.

    Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science: This a society of scientists dedicated to fostering the success of Hispanic/Chicano and Native American scientists—from college students to professionals—to attain advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in science.

  • Asian American Students

    Asian American Career Center: Goldsea Asian American Careers addresses several career-related issues, such as choosing a career, career-building strategies, Asian heritage at work, job hunting & interviewing, and women at work. Read these helpful articles and tips to help you in your job search. Also, check out the links for Asian-friendly employers!

    asianlife: Jobs, People, Community: This website helps to connect Asian Americans to Jobs, People, and the Community. Find employers, groups, or individuals in your area; and attend conferences and events to extend your professional network! You can also read relevant articles and stay up-to-date with current news.

    Asia Pacific American Leadership: The Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) is a charitable and educational organization dedicated to building leadership and public policy knowledge within the Asian Pacific American community. Its mission is to promote APA interests and success in public service careers, to provide information and education on policy issues affecting the APA community, and to serve the APA community at large.

    National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP): NAAP is a non-profit organization that cultivates, supports, and promotes Asian American leaders. Learn how to enhance your professional image through this website’s resources. Also, check out the NAAAP Career Center, which is an online community that connects Asian and minority professional talent with companies across the globe.

  • First-Generation Students

    America Needs You: America Needs You fights for economic mobility for ambitious, first-generation college students by providing transformative mentorship and intensive career development.

    CareerSpring: CareerSpring’s Career Platform for First-Generation students presents career information, provides a forum for career advice, facilitates networking and personal connections, and promotes job opportunities and candidate searches all in one place.

    FirstGEN Fellowship Program: This fellowship is a ten-week summer program in the D.C. area for undergraduate students who are the first in their immediate families to attend an institution of higher education, and who are passionate about pursuing careers in social justice.

    FirstVU: FirstVU is a student-run organization to support, celebrate, and empower first-generation students at Vanderbilt University.

    Questbridge: Vanderbilt’s chapter of the national Questbridge organization is a platform bridging the nation’s brightest, under-served youth with leading higher education institutions and career opportunities.

  • Hispanic / Latinx American Students

    iHispano.com: The nation’s premier professional networking site and job board for Latinx in the United States that provides resources for connecting aspiring and accomplished Latinx professionals in a community experience that will assist them in realizing their professional and personal goals.

    LATCareers: LATCareers.com is the industry leader for the recruitment of bilingual & diverse Latinx in the US. As a niche job board, this website is the only nationally scalable Latino recruitment platform for both digital and career fairs with coverage in 90 US cities.

    Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT): MLT equips and emboldens high-achieving women and men from underrepresented communities – African American, Latinx, and Native American – to excel professionally through group and one-on-one mentorship, networking seminars, and easily accessible pipelines to employment.

    The League of United Latin American Citizens: The mission of the League of United Latin American Citizens is to advance the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health, and civil rights of the Hispanic population of the United States.

    SEO Career: SEO Career recruits and trains high-achieving Black, LatinX, and Native American college students for challenging summer internships that lead to coveted full-time jobs.

    Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, (SACNAS): This is a society of scientists dedicated to fostering the success of Hispanic/Chicano and Native American scientists—from college students to professionals—to attain advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in science.

  • International Students

    Cultural Vistas: Cultural Vistas is a nonprofit organization providing international exchange opportunities.

    Foreign Labor H-1B Program Data and Certification Data Center: The Department of Labor is required to provide a list of employers who have submitted Labor Condition Applications. The search page allows you to view the H1-B Labor Certification Database and also access the Online Wage Library for prevailing wage determinations.

    RedBus2US: Information about applying to US schools for MS, MBA, Ph.D., and F1; applying for an H1B visa, immigration updates; and travel.

    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: Information on how to apply for and get work authorization and application forms you can download.

  • LGBTQIA+ Students

    LGBTQI+ Career Resources

    Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals: Advocates for those working LGBTQ resource offices within higher education. This is an associate organization of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS).

    Human Rights Campaign, Workplace Resources: This link connects to an extensive list of publications and reports, such as the Corporate Equality Index, a resource on advocating for LGBTQ equality in the workplace, and the annual HRC Best Places to Work report.

    LGBT CareerLink (from Out & Equal): Identify jobs and gather information about employment at LGBTQ and diversity-friendly companies. The website also contains a networking feature to connect with LGBTQ and ally colleagues.

    The National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals Inc.: The resource page for those in STEM disciplines that provides “education, advocacy, professional development, networking, and peer support.”

    Out Professionals: The nation’s leading LGBTQ networking organization. Membership is required to access the job board.

    The Pipeline Project: The Pipeline Project works to achieve significantly increased levels of diversity within LGBTQ advocacy and service organizations and in the leadership of those organizations. The job board is accessible to non-members!

  • Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Students

    Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC): Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC) advances social justice by engaging Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities through culturally relevant advocacy, research, and leadership development.

    National Pacific Islander Education Network (NPIEN): NPIEN is an organization focused on helping Pacific Islander students complete their educational goals.

    Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC): PIC strives to support, advance, and develop Pacific Island media content and talent to create a deeper understanding of Pacific Island history, culture, and contemporary challenges.

    UTOPIA: UTOPIA seeks to create a safe, welcoming, supportive, and vibrant space for members of our community to address basic needs, build pathways toward new expanded career and life opportunities, foster a sense of common purpose, and advocate for social justice, education, and overall wellness among members of the Pacific Islander LGBTQI community.

    We Are Oceania (WAO): The mission of We Are Oceania (WAO) is to empower Micronesian communities to navigate success while honoring the integrity of our diverse heritage.

    South Pacific Islander Organization (SPIO): SPIO seeks to democratize Pacific Islander access to higher education and economic opportunities by supporting and promoting Pacific Islander voices, culture, and communities through leadership, development, storytelling, and community-building programs.

  • Students with Disabilities

    abilityJOBS: abilityJOBS is one of the largest career websites for job seekers with disabilities.

    Bridges for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Empowerment Program – provides education, advocacy, and accessible support and referral services for the Deaf and hard of hearing in Middle Tennessee.

    Emerging Leaders: Emerging Leaders is a highly competitive program that places college students with disabilities in fulfilling summer internships and provides them with leadership development opportunities.

    Empower TN: Middle Tennessee’s center for advancing independence within the disability community; their Employment Network discusses how to receive help when applying for jobs.

    ENTRY POINT!: ENTRY POINT! is a program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) offering outstanding internship opportunities for students with disabilities in science, engineering, mathematics, computer science, and some fields of business.

    GettingHired.com: Getting Hired is dedicated to helping individuals and veterans with disabilities connect with inclusive employers through our job board.

    (ODEP) Autism-Specific Resources The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.

    Stairway to STEM – Resources for students on the autism spectrum transitioning from high school to college in the STEM fields.

    The Job Accommodation Network (JAN): JAN is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.  JAN represents the most comprehensive job accommodation resource available, from Fortune 500 companies to entrepreneurs.

    The National Business & Disability Council: The NBDC is the leading resource for employers seeking to integrate people with disabilities into the workplace and companies seeking to reach them in the consumer marketplace. Free services to jobseekers include a national resume database, job & internship listings, NBDC Yellow Pages, and career events.

    The Workforce Recruitment Program: The WRP is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.

  • Veterans

    Hiring Our Heroes: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes is a nationwide initiative to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment.

    Military Times – Jobs for Vets: The website, powered by the partnership of MilitaryTimes and CareerBuilder, provides a variety of resources for veterans, including a job-search engine, a tool for discovering how one’s military skills translate to the civilian world, and career advice.

    Careers at U.S. Office of Personnel Management: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) provides information about federal employment for veterans and administers entitlement to veterans’ preference. Their FedsHireVets.gov site is the best source for military servicemen and women to find employment with the Federal Government.

    Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment: As part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the VR&E program assists veterans with service-connected disabilities to prepare for, find, and keep suitable jobs.

  • Women

    FairyGodBoss.com: FairyGodBoss helps women get hard-to-ask questions answered. They provide the inside scoop on pay, corporate culture, benefits, and work flexibility. They offer company ratings, job listings, discussion boards, and career advice. Created by women, for women.

    Forté Foundation: Forté Foundation is a non-profit consortium of leading companies and top business schools working together to launch women into fulfilling, significant careers through access to business education, opportunities, and a community of successful women.

    Negotiating Women: Negotiating Women provides innovative training and consulting to professional women; a company of women committed to helping other women. It provides practical advice to help women at every stage of their career to claim their value and create conditions for success in business. No cost to job-seekers.

    U.S. Department of Labor – Women’s Bureau: Women in the workforce are vital to the nation’s economic security. The Women’s Bureau develops policies and standards and conducts inquiries to safeguard the interests of working women; advocate for their equality and economic security for themselves and their families, and to promote quality work environments.

    Women for Hire: Women For Hire is where women job-seekers can find a variety of career and job resources including information about recruiting events and job fairs, career coaching, resume critiquing, and job-search seminars.

    WomenVenture: WomenVenture provides women with the tools and resources to achieve economic success through small business ownership. Resources include a business center,  information sessions, classes, loans, scholarships, and events, and community.

Recruiting Information

Nondiscrimination policies and practices have become essential to employers as they compete to attract and retain qualified applicants. As you begin your internship or job search you may wonder how to determine if a particular company is committed to hiring a diverse workforce. Here are some things to consider when assessing a company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion:

Mission, Values, and Goals

  • Are diversity and inclusion mentioned in the company’s mission statement, values, and goals?
  • Does the company have a diversity statement on their website?
  • What are the company’s non-discrimination policies?

Demographics

  • Do you see diversity at all levels of the company, from entry-level positions to top leadership?
  • Does the company have a chief diversity officer or diversity manager?
  • Is diversity represented on the company’s board of directors?

Diversity Affinity Groups

  • Does the company offer special interest groups for employees (Women’s Group, LGBTQIA+ Group, Young Professional Group, Race/Ethnic Group)?

Recruitment/Hiring Strategies

  • Is the company hosting diversity events on campus during the recruitment season?
  • Does the company recruit at events hosted by diversity-affiliated organizations and associations (i.e. National Association of Black Accountants)

Other Considerations

To determine a potential employer’s position on diversity and inclusion you should consider the following questions. Our career coaches can provide you with guidance on how to address these questions.

  • What is the company’s commitment to hiring a diverse workforce?
  • What type of diversity programs or initiatives have the company launched or participated in recently?
  • Can representatives of the company describe their company’s success with the advancement of underrepresented minorities within the company?
  • Is the company affiliated with diversity internship programs such as INROADS, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, Management Leadership for Tomorrow, or the T. Howard Foundation?
  • Do the company’s outreach efforts extend to serve diverse populations?
  • Does the company offer special accommodations for special needs (e.g. prayer rooms, lactation rooms)?

Drop Us a Note

Know about an organization or resource we missed?

Email us at careercenter@vanderbilt.edu.