Messina College partners with Commonwealth Financial Network to provide student internships
career readiness at BC's newest college
Messina College has partnered with Waltham-based Commonwealth Financial Network to provide internships as part of the approach to career readiness at Boston College’s new two-year residential college.
The Commonwealth partnership will provide Messina students with the opportunity to work 10-12 hours a week gaining skills that relate to their majors of Applied Data Science, Applied Psychology & Human Development, General Business, and Health Sciences, said Messina College Dean Erick Berrelleza, S.J.
Messina College Dean Erick Berrelleza, S.J.
“Internships will help our students discern where they can make their impact in the world and what their vocation might be in the broadest sense of the word,” said Fr. Berrelleza. “We are thrilled that Commonwealth Financial Network will be providing these experiences to our talented students. We are equally excited that our students will share their diverse experiences with Commonwealth.”
At Messina, internships, or clinical rotations for students studying Health Sciences, will take place during the fall semester of students’ second year. Students will simultaneously take a 3-credit seminar course to help them connect their internship experience to their academic and professional goals and reflect on and articulate the professional skills they are gaining.
“Internships are around the corner for our soon-to-be second-year students,” said Fr. Berrelleza. “Students have been interviewing with our internship partners this semester. It is great to see the commitment of these corporations and organizations to Messina College students. We’re excited to see the good things our students will do and all they will gain from these experiences.”
A national RIA dedicated to providing financial advisors with holistic, integrated business solutions, Commonwealth will welcome 10 students to its Waltham headquarters.
Messina College’s internship program is designed to provide the group of first-generation students with early career experiences that advance their education and prepare them for the next steps on their professional journeys. Commonwealth anticipates that some students will return as summer interns and may be offered full-time employment upon the conclusion of their studies.
Commonwealth CEO Wayne Bloom
“As a longtime B.C. supporter, I couldn’t be more excited about the mission of Messina College,” said Wayne Bloom, CEO of Commonwealth. “This partnership isn’t just about opening doors—it’s about welcoming students who have outstanding talents to offer in our organization and the financial services industry.” Bloom and his wife Veronica are co-chairs of BC’s Parents Leadership Council, and three of the couple’s four children are Boston College students or graduates.
Career discernment and preparation are built into the Messina curriculum, Fr. Berrelleza said. In addition to the accompanying course, students will work closely with a Boston College Career Center coach throughout the internship process, including preparing them for the internship experience, navigating any challenges, and serving as a resource for on-site internship supervisors.
Messina College is part of Boston College’s $100 million Pine Manor Institute for Student Success initiative to enhance educational opportunity for underrepresented, first-generation students, and marks the first time BC will offer an associate’s degree.
In today’s economy, Fr. Berrelleza said work experience is crucial to ensure every student has that experience with employers and workforce readiness that their peers will have coming out of traditional four-year degree programs.
“Internships are where vocation meets opportunity,” Fr. Berrelleza said. “For many first-gen students, this is the first time they’ll see their potential mirrored in a professional setting. Commonwealth’s inclusive culture allows them to envision a future where they belong.”
The residential college welcomed its first class last July, enrolling approximately 200 students at its campus located on the former Pine Manor College, now known as the Brookline Campus of Boston College.
To learn more, please visit the Messina College website.