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Women Beacons in the Workplace has grown into a powerful source of mentorship, connection, and career support for UMass Boston students and alumnae.

Six years after its launch, UMass Boston’s Women Beacons in the Workplace (WBITW) program continues to grow as a source of mentorship, sponsorship, and professional support for students and alumnae. Through monthly meetings held across the academic year, WBITW brings together a cohort of alumnae and students from across industries and career stages to discuss workplace challenges, exchange advice, and form connections that extend well beyond a single event or semester.

“What makes this program so impactful is the tangible difference it is making,” said Director of College Engagement Heather Brigham G’18, who launched the program in 2020. “We are seeing connections that lead to jobs and internships, encouragement that helps participants pursue roles that once felt out of reach, coaching through real-life situations such as negotiating a promotion or changing careers, motivation to pursue advanced degrees, and so much more. I am proud that it is not just a conversation space but a catalyst for real career growth.”

Today, the program is led by alumni co-chairs Nurcin Celebi ’16, G'19 and Elimercy Martinez ’12. Participants include women at a range of career stages, from students and early-career alumnae to more established professionals, and discussions focus on topics such as leadership, impostor syndrome, workplace equality, promotions, and difficult conversations.

 “As co-chair, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful the UMass Boston network is and how eager alumni are to help each other,” Martinez said. “Creating a platform for these connections has been a career game-changer for many members.”

This year, WBITW expanded its format to create more opportunities for mentorship and connection. In addition to group mentoring, the program now offers one-on-one mentor-mentee pairings, with participants encouraged to meet monthly outside the larger sessions, either virtually or in person.

Other program offerings include one-time events, workshops, and guest speakers, which vary each semester. This semester included a Women in the Workplace Dinner in honor of Women’s History Month and a Leading Without Losing Yourself virtual workshop, among other events.

That focus on mentorship and professional development carried into last month’s Women in the Workplace Dinner, co-hosted by WBITW and the Women’s Student Center in celebration of Women’s History Month. More than 100 alumni, students, faculty, staff, and community members attended the event, which featured a presentation on LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Co.’s 2025 Women in the Workplace Report by Natacha Catalino, senior expert at McKinsey & Company, followed by a panel discussion and networking reception.

The panel featured UMass Boston alumni Steve Drury ’90, vice president of medical affairs at Waters Corporation; Rhonda Hodge ’13 G’20, practitioner and owner of Harmony Psychiatric; Makeeba McCreary ’97, president of The New Commonwealth Fund; and Rodrigo Monterrey G’18, senior director of health equity, belonging and engagement at Tufts Medicine. The conversation was moderated by alumna Vanessa Montero G’09, founder and organizational culture strategist at Rooted Impact Co.

Brigham said the event reflected the kinds of conversations WBITW was created to encourage, with program content thoughtfully designed to resonate with a diverse audience, including students, professionals at all career stages, working parents, men and allies, and people from a wide range of backgrounds and ethnicities. She noted that these conversations are especially important in light of findings from the 2025 Women in the Workplace report, which show that many companies are scaling back efforts to advance women and, for the first time, women reported less interest in promotion than men. At the same time, the report found that when women receive the same career support as men, that gap begins to narrow.

Participant feedback suggests WBITW is helping address some of those challenges on a smaller, more personal scale. Former mentors have described the program as “one of the most meaningful experiences” they’ve had as alumni, while mentees said it helped them build confidence, create their personal board of directors, strengthen negotiation skills, and in some cases secure jobs, internships, and raises. Survey respondents also reported feeling more prepared for success after participating in the program.

That impact is perhaps best illustrated through the mentorship pairing of Alyssa Benalfew-Ramos ’17 and Ajanee Igharo ’26.

“Mentorship is the opportunity to build a relationship and share guidance or advice with a mentee,” said Benalfew-Ramos. “I have enjoyed working with [Igharo]. She is very bright and enthusiastic about making her dreams come true.”

Benalfew-Ramos said their relationship has gone beyond regular check-ins. She has brought Igharo to conferences, summits, and events, introduced her to professionals for informational interviews, and supported her as she navigates classes, internships, and the job search. For Igharo, that access has been one of the most valuable parts of the experience.

“To me, mentorship means having access to wisdom, encouragement, and practical guidance from someone who has already navigated spaces I am still working toward,” she said. “That kind of exposure has been both affirming and motivating.”

Benalfew-Ramos also shared that she joined as a mentor but found herself receiving mentorship along the way. After being approached for an associate vice president role, she nearly talked herself out of applying, feeling she didn’t meet all of the qualifications. Encouragement from fellow WBITW participants helped her reframe her thinking and reminded her that women often hold themselves to higher thresholds than necessary. She took the leap, accepted the role, negotiated a higher salary, and is already thriving just a few months later.

Those interested in getting involved with Women Beacons in the Workplace for the 2026–2027 term can email Heather Brigham at heather.brigham@umb.edu to learn more.