Andrew Fox ’25 arrived at Bentley knowing that he would do some kind of social justice advocacy on campus, and he did that through his work in the Student Government Association, New Student Programs and Delta Sigma Pi-Lambda Tau professional fraternity. What he didn’t know was how his work within the Bentley community would carry over into an internship at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s (DA) Office.
“At the DA’s office, I often collaborated with office staff who specialize in restorative justice programs,” says Fox, who is a Corporate Finance and Accounting major with a Gender Studies minor. “Beginning my internship in the communications department was an exciting role for me to get a behind-the-scenes look at the justice system. While law is not my end goal, I still wanted to broaden my experiences to diversify my portfolio moving into the corporate world after graduation.”
Fox pursued the internship through the Bentley Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Center Yawkey Fellowship program that provides stipends for students to apply business skills and gain leadership experience at a nonprofit or government agency. His workday would often start by sitting down with his adviser to discuss assignments, which sometimes included time in the courtroom listening to current trials and cases.
“I was enlightened on the court processes as well as exposed to a variety of new terminology,” Fox says. “I learned about the jury selection process, how judges and jury members maintain a neutral stance throughout the case, as well as determining the verdict.”
After court, Fox would head back to the office and draft press releases summarizing cases. But he says his favorite part of the internship was working with the director of restorative justice during Trans Awareness Week to compile a list of resources and events in the Greater Boston area. “I was able to help provide a younger person’s perspective on how to better allocate resources and gauge better engagement for workshops and support available to the general public.”
CHALLENGING PERCEPTIONS
One of the reasons that Fox wanted to support LGBTQ+ initiatives during his internship is because he knows what it’s like “to be on the outside.” When he came out in high school, the initial response from his classmates was one of acceptance — but then he noticed stares in the hallways and undertones of judgment.
“It was kind of, if you don’t talk about it, it’s not really there,” Fox recalls of sharing that he is part of the LGBTQ+ community. “I felt like my voice didn’t really matter and I wasn’t valued as a person for who I am. And I never wanted anyone else to feel that way.”
At Bentley, he has found ways to make sure of that — including by educating himself in the elective course Cross Cultural Understanding during his first semester.
“Bentley is more diverse than the town where I grew up, and I wanted to know more about different cultures and perspectives in our campus community,” Fox says. “In the course, I challenged my own perception of the culture and began to gain confidence about my role on campus as a social advocate on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and a voice for the student community.
CONVERSATION STARTER
According to Fox, Student Government Association was his first “aha” moment to really get involved. “I was able to meet with leaders from different offices and departments on campus, which provided a foundation to listen to different perspectives and find out what conversations are happening, and then see where I can best link to them.”
As an orientation leader, for example, Fox has worked directly with incoming students (“baby falcs”) to help create a fun and inclusive environment from the get-go. That led to a role as student coordinator for New Student Programs, recruiting new orientation leaders and planning orientation programming for the Class of 2027. In December 2022, he took on the role of vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion of the Bentley chapter of Delta Sigma Pi-Lambda Tau.
PRIDE IN HIS WORK
After accessing resources like résumé and cover letter writing in the course Career Design Introduction (CDI 101) offered by the Pulsifer Career Development Center, Fox began researching diversity events, networking opportunities and internships that matched his interests. He has also participated in corporate pride initiatives that have coincided with pre-recruitment events for internships. In summer 2023, he is participating in Grant Thornton’s Sophomore Rotational Program, an internship with projects in the audit, tax, consulting and advisory departments.
“I am hoping to work on Grant Thornton initiatives to help make the workplace more inclusive and plan to engage in conversation on how I might be able to do that,” says Fox of Grant Thornton’s commitment to build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive firm.
“What makes us different is what makes us special,” adds Fox, who has already secured a summer 2024 internship as an analyst in investment banking at Wells Fargo. “Being able to highlight that and celebrate it through business resource groups has been great to see. It truly allows for anyone qualified to work in the business environment to be successful regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and more. I think the power of business will continue to elevate.”
