Giving back to fellow students can lead to unexpected career opportunities. Rowan University Management Information Systems (MIS) major Steven B. discovered this firsthand when volunteering with the Dr. Harley E. Flack Student Mentoring Program led to a paid internship with Rowan’s Web Services team. Through this on-campus opportunity, Steven gained hands-on technical experience, developed valuable professional skills and built career connections while balancing academics and campus leadership.
Building Technical Skills Through an Internship
His mentor in the program, Dr. Rihab Saadeddine, connected him with this opportunity. Gaining real-life insight into his industry, through a paid position right here on campus, gives Steven an enviable work-life balance. While working at his internship, he says, “My primary focus is the transfer of Drupal sites into Cascade,” he says. “I’m managing content to help build websites as the university moves to a new system.” Through his work, Steven is learning how to properly structure websites and troubleshoot IT-related problems, while building his network of contacts.
Balancing Work, Academics and Leadership
While juggling academic excellence, his Harley Flack volunteer position and his internship, Steven also works as a community assistant in an on campus residence hall. His responsibilities range from coordinating campus-wide programs, managing administrative duties, and enforcing the university’s policies.
Steven says, “My typical days at Rowan are very busy, but busy is beautiful because the busier I am, the closer I am to achieving my ultimate goal.”
Giving Back to the Rowan Community
He joined the Dr. Harley E. Flack Program so he could help incoming first-year or transfer undergraduate students adjust to college life at Rowan University. “I didn’t have a mentor – making my freshman year difficult, so I thought ‘let me help someone,’” he explained. “I’m always willing to give back.” That giving back ultimately opened a door to his future career.
Beyond the Classroom highlights Rowan University-provided experiences outside of traditional classroom learning that complement and support students’ career aspirations during this pre-professional phase in their lives.
Story by:
Alexander Belli, senior public relations and advertising dual major
Photos by:
Vanessa Vause, senior public relations and advertising dual major
About Rowan
Since its founding in 1923, Rowan University has evolved from a teacher preparation college to a public research institution ranked among the top 100 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Rowan University offers bachelor’s through doctoral degrees and professional certificates in person and online to nearly 25,000 students through its main campus in Glassboro and its eight other locations in southern New Jersey. Rowan focuses on practical research at the intersection of health care, engineering, science and business, while ensuring excellence in undergraduate education. The University has earned national recognition for innovation; commitment to high-quality, affordable education; and the development of public-private partnerships. A Carnegie-classified R2 (high research activity) institution, Rowan is the fastest-growing public research university in the Northeast and among the nation’s top 10 fastest-growing, as reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education. In 2025, Rowan opened New Jersey’s only veterinary school and is one of only two universities in the nation to offer M.D., D.O., and D.V.M. medical degrees.