Melissa J. Sawyer

Senior Associate Director/Operations Manager, Undergraduate Career Development, Pulsifer Career Development Center

Melissa Sawyer is Senior Associate Director/Operations Manager and dedicated Career Coach for the Accountancy, Corporate Finance and Accounting (Accounting Focus), Data Analytics, Information Systems Audit and Control, Mathematics, and Actuarial Sciences majors for Undergraduate Career Development in the Pulsifer Career Development Center. Sawyer has more than 20 years of experience working in higher education in various functions encompassing career services, admission, financial aid, fellowship programs, and registrar’s office. She has developed strong relationships with staff and faculty throughout Bentley’s campus while collaborating on various programs for her majors. Sawyer has established solid partnerships with employers who actively recruit the students in her area of focus. Additionally, she oversees the relationship between the Pulsifer Career Center and Handshake and Big Interview. Sawyer looks forward to meeting with students to help them evaluate their interests regarding major and career path and in developing the skills necessary to acquire the positions they desire.

Prior to working at Bentley, Sawyer worked in career services with law students at Western New England School of Law and held various positions at Cornell University prior to and during graduate school. She has a Bachelor of Arts from John Carroll University and a MEd from Kent State University.

Dedicated Career Coach for the following majors:

  • Accountancy
  • Actuarial Sciences
  • Corporate Finance and Accounting (Accounting Focus)
  • Data Analytics
  • Information Systems Audit and Control
  • Information Technology in Accounting
  • Mathematics

Fun fact:  Melissa has traveled to 18 countries in the past 18 years (and more prior to that)!  Traveling with her husband and son is one of her passions and their most recent adventure was to go to the Galapagos Islands.  Melissa looks forward to many more stamps in her passport in the future!

Favorite part about the office: Working with the amazing students – Melissa truly enjoys watching them grow, develop and achieve their goals.  Seeing the smiles on students faces when they receive their internship/full time offer is the best!

Junior & Senior Appointments:

Please schedule an appointment via Handshake (Career Center > Appointments > Schedule a New Appointment > follow remaining prompts).

All Posts

Sample Cover Letter for Accounting Positions

Writing personalized and detailed cover letters can be tedious and time consuming. However, if a job application requires a cover letter (or has a spot to upload an optional cover letter), it’s important to take the time to write a thoughtful and persuasive cover letter that clearly explains your experience and why you’re the best fit for a role. Cover letters are a great opportunity to expand on the experiences listed on your resume. Here’s a cover letter template for …

By Melissa J. Sawyer
Melissa J. Sawyer Senior Associate Director/Operations Manager, Undergraduate Career Development, Pulsifer Career Development Center
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Math Motivators is Recruiting all STEM Majors to be volunteer Math Tutors!

Check out the information below on how you can help underserved middle and high school student who cannot afford to pay for private math tutors.  The commitment is one hour per week virtually to work with one or two students.

For more information about the program, contact Helen Mao, helen.mao@actfnd.org

By Melissa J. Sawyer
Melissa J. Sawyer Senior Associate Director/Operations Manager, Undergraduate Career Development, Pulsifer Career Development Center
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Why Tech and Data Analytics Students Should Consider a Job in Government

Many students interested in data analytics, software engineering, computer science, and similar fields tend to apply to bigger, well-known global companies. However, a government agency might be a great opportunity for you to start your data analytics career. Federal agencies have been encouraged to increase job pathways for Gen Z students. Want to learn more about what a career in government looks like? This article from Handshake features key takeaways from a lively discussion with several panelists in federal tech …

By Melissa J. Sawyer
Melissa J. Sawyer Senior Associate Director/Operations Manager, Undergraduate Career Development, Pulsifer Career Development Center
Read more

Register Now! MassCPAs/Surgent CPA Review Virtual Mock Exam

Are you planning to take the CPA Exam? Want a chance to review and practice beforehand? On May 18, 2023, MassCPAs and Surgent CPA Review will be offering a live 4-hour mock CPA Exam workshop to help you see if you’re ready for the real CPA exam. Questions will be pulled from actual CPA Exam Blueprints. Plus, you will leave with your own personalized ReadySCORE™ (an accurate measurement of your actual exam score) as well as a detailed report showing …

By Melissa J. Sawyer
Melissa J. Sawyer Senior Associate Director/Operations Manager, Undergraduate Career Development, Pulsifer Career Development Center
Read more

Occupational Outlook Handbook – Actuaries

Want to learn more about the field of actuarial science? Check out the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook for Actuaries. This comprehensive resource sheds light on everything you might want to know about becoming an actuary, including overall and regional salary information, education and professional requirements, expected employment growth, key skills and responsibilities, and so much more. View the Handbook here.

By Melissa J. Sawyer
Melissa J. Sawyer Senior Associate Director/Operations Manager, Undergraduate Career Development, Pulsifer Career Development Center
Read more

CPA Career Pathways [Video]

In this short video from MassCPAs, CPAs working at a variety of companies across different industries share their personal experiences, discussing some key responsibilities of CPAs as well as addressing common misconceptions about the field of public accounting.

By Melissa J. Sawyer
Melissa J. Sawyer Senior Associate Director/Operations Manager, Undergraduate Career Development, Pulsifer Career Development Center
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Apply to OLA Academy no later than Friday, April 14th!

OLA Academy (OLAA) is a web-based, self-paced program that is designed to help Latine actuarial prospects gain the skills and confidence needed to land an actuarial position. Participants will have access to videos on topics such as resume writing, interviewing, networking, and designing an effective LinkedIn profile. Participants can also be matched up with volunteers (actuaries and/or recruiters) to put these new skills into practice through resume reviews, mock interviews, and mentorship. OLAA participants who complete certain requirements by specified …

By Melissa J. Sawyer
Melissa J. Sawyer Senior Associate Director/Operations Manager, Undergraduate Career Development, Pulsifer Career Development Center
Read more

CAS is Hosting a Student Conference in Boston, MA! And it’s FREE!

The Casualty Actuarial Society is pleased to offer a FREE student conference at this year’s Spring Meeting in Boston, MA on May 9, 2023. The event will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. University students interested in pursuing an actuarial career are invited to participate in this one-day conference!

CAS Student Conference Attendees Will:

Connect with CAS Members and Participate in a Speed Network Session
Learn More About the CAS and the Property and Casualty Industry
Attend Professional Concurrent Sessions …

By Melissa J. Sawyer
Melissa J. Sawyer Senior Associate Director/Operations Manager, Undergraduate Career Development, Pulsifer Career Development Center
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Check out Accounting Stuff on YouTube for Helpful Tutorials!

If you’re looking for a fun and engaging way to learn accounting topics or brush up on material, check out Accounting Stuff on YouTube. His popular videos are short but comprehensive, covering a variety of accounting and bookkeeping topics. Accounting Stuff releases new videos monthly, so there’s always a new tutorial to check out.

By Melissa J. Sawyer
Melissa J. Sawyer Senior Associate Director/Operations Manager, Undergraduate Career Development, Pulsifer Career Development Center
Read more

Register Now for the National Student Data Corps 2023 Data Symposium!

The 2023 Data Science Symposium (DSS) is put on by the National Student Data Corps (NSDC) and hosted by the Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub (NEBDHub). The DSS will provide a virtual forum for undergraduate, graduate, and recently-graduated students around the world to create and present data science research projects, discover the best practices for academic research, connect with other data science students, and expand their data science knowledge and community.

Key Dates:

Call for Participation Opens: March 31st, 2023

First …

By Melissa J. Sawyer
Melissa J. Sawyer Senior Associate Director/Operations Manager, Undergraduate Career Development, Pulsifer Career Development Center
Read more