One of the First of Its Kind, the Networking Portal Provides Unprecedented Connectivity

Contact: Helen Henrichs, Bentley College Media Relations, 781-891-2277, hhenrichs@bentley.edu

WALTHAM, Mass., Sept. 11 /Standard Newswire/ -- Students at Bentley College have a new and powerful career networking tool available right on their laptops. The recently launched FalconNet is one of the first student-to-student, student-to-alumni and alumni-to-alumni career networking portals in the nation. A virtual online community, it gives Bentley students and alumni a trusted site in which to leverage the knowledge, experience, and connections of thousands of graduates and fellow classmates.

FalconNet enables students to obtain information on job and internship opportunities from industry insiders, gather tips on preparing for interviews, take advantage of the college's eRecruiting system, and access links to popular career web sites and the Career Services calendar of events.

Bentley's FalconNet converts the already established habits of students who use social networking sites to develop virtual relationships around common interests to a new purpose: creating professional networking relationships that give them a competitive edge in the job market.

"We've created a powerful, flexible place where students and alumni can become resources for each other," says Caitlin Blasco, Director of Undergraduate Career Services, who developed the FalconNet concept. "Our students can tap the deep knowledge and experience of our alumni, can learn from each other student-to-student, and also provide our alumni, who are hiring managers, with a pool of highly qualified candidates for their opportunities. It's a win-win on all sides."

Similar to sites like MySpace and Facebook, FalconNet requires students to set up their own home page. Instead of filling the page with information about their favorite music, movies and food-- students describe their career accomplishments, experiences and goals.

Students can search for classmates or alumni by specific company, professional field or interests. "For example, if a student has an interview coming up for an internship at Deloitte & Touche, they can contact other Bentley students who have interned there and find out what the interview process is like and what kinds of responsibilities they had," says Blasco.

Post-graduation, FalconNet also takes on a social aspect as alumni use it to stay connected to fellow alums and the institution. "While FalconNet helps our alumni expand their professional network, it can also be used to maintain relationships with their Bentley classmates and the entire college community," says Leigh Gaspar, Director of Special Events and Volunteer Programs. "Providing services and relationships that keep our alumni engaged and connected is vital to our institution."

FalconNet was created through a collaboration between Bentley's Management Information Systems and Marketing teams, and Harris Connect, a leader in alumni and membership services.

Bentley is a national leader in business education. Centered on education and research in business and related professions, Bentley blends the breadth and technological strength of a university with the values and student focus of a small college. Our undergraduate curriculum combines business study with a strong foundation in the arts and sciences. A broad array of offerings at the McCallum Graduate School emphasize the impact of technology on business practice, including MBA and Master of Science programs, PhD programs in accountancy and in business, and selected executive programs. Enrolling approximately 4,000 full-time undergraduate, 250 adult part-time undergraduate, and 1,270 graduate students, Bentley is located in Waltham, Mass., minutes west of Boston.