Feature
Benny Belvin II – Assistant Director, Law, Government Entertainment Marketing and Advertising By Donna McGill There’s nothing better than to see someone live his dream career, unless, of course, he also happens to be your career dean and can guide you onto your own ‘’dreams come true’’ path. This is the case with this week’s Career Dean Inductee, Benny Belvin II. For the past decade, Belvin has worked in career and academic counseling, where he has had an opportunity to guide Harvard students and alumni into their own career choices.
One on one counseling sessions, career workshops and resume reviews might all be a part of a day in the life of Harvard Law School Career Dean Benny Belvin, II. But it doesn’t stop there. He also serves as the school’s prelaw advisor and sole coordinator for the Office of Career Services. So what skills, education and even personality must one have for this incredible position? Before joining HLS, he served as the Assistant Director of Diversity Resources and Career Counseling at Boston College. In this role, Belvin developed many programs and administered various services focusing on the career needs of students of color and those international students receiving their education in the U.S. Before his time spent at Boston College, he was the Assistant Director of the Undergraduate Internship Program. Here, he worked with both students and businesses in a successful effort to increase the internship opportunities. The one common denominator in each of his positions is the way others view him. He is considered to be ‘’dedicated’’, ‘’genuinely thoughtful’’ ‘’kind’’, ‘’patient’’, and ‘’committed’’. The combination of his experience and dedication works well. Despite low acceptance rates of African Americans and Mexican Americans into law schools, HLS students of color make up 37% of the student body. This is a new record and one Belvin can be proud of. His advice to many college
PAGE
students is to take time off before applying to law school. In a recent interview with The Harvard Crimson, Belvin says he recommends students take some time off so that they might gain a ‘’competitive edge’’. Currently, Belvin is working to address those barriers students of color sometimes face. In a joint presentation with Nancy Richmond of Northeastern University, the duo is working to balance the sometimes under utilized resources for students of color as well as eliminating the inequalities that still exist. The solutions include a better understanding of the needs of students, superb referral systems, eliminating assumptions and ensuring outreach efforts are focused and hit their mark. He encourages campuses to develop programming that will address some of the issues as well as developing collaborative relationships with administration offices across the country. In the short term, Belvin believes a more relaxed ‘’open door’’ policy for students will allow for a more comfortable existence between counseling centers and the student bodies they serve. Networking events are also being incorporated. It is these creative thinking skills as well as his communication and development skills that are leading to these powerful solutions. His advocacy is definitely hitting the mark, as evidenced by the 37% HLS ratio. While not quite where he would like to see those numbers, the foundation has been laid and the opportunities are presenting themselves. Clearly, Benny Belvin, II is on a mission - and is quickly meeting his goals.
www.lawcrossing.com