More than 250 students gathered in the Campus Center Auditorium on September 16 for Dell Night, an evening of career exploration, networking, and inspiration hosted by Dell Technologies in partnership with UMass Career Services. The event gave undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to meet with Dell leaders and recruiters, hear from UMass alumni thriving in diverse roles at the company, and learn about internship and full-time opportunities across Dell’s business units.
The evening began with a keynote from Brian Henderson, Senior Director of Primary Storage and ISG Portfolio Messaging, who graduated from the Isenberg School of Management in 1997 with a degree in Marketing. Henderson shared his career journey from the sales help desk to leading a global marketing team, emphasizing the many paths students can explore at Dell, and shared lessons he learned over his career.
“The more you lean in, the more opportunities you’ll discover. Your network will open more doors than your resume,” said Henderson during his opening remarks.
Alumni Panel Highlights Career Pathways
Following the keynote, a panel of four recent alumni shared their experiences transitioning from campus to careers at Dell. The panel featured:
- Sam Kaubris ’24 (Marketing) — Marketing Analyst, Marketing Development Program
- Aidan Rich ’24 (Operations & Information Management) — Senior Analyst, Trade & Automation
- Patrick Bell ’22 (Management) — Advisor, HR Consultant
- Anvita Patel ’22 (Computer Engineering) — Server Engineering
The panel, moderated by Tiffany Appleton, explored topics including work-life balance, the transition from college to professional life, the budding industry of AI, and the collaborative culture at Dell. Students also asked how internship experiences shaped the panelists’ careers.
“It helped being involved as a TA and being a director of analytics for a sports management club’s annual basketball tournament,” shared Aidan Rich ‘24. “That’s where my analytic experience came in and it really transferred over [to Dell].”
When asked about the culture at Dell, the panelists shared their positive experiences.
“They are my family away from my family,” said Patrick Bell ’22, who relocated to Round Rock, Texas after graduation. “Everyone is so amazing, and they always want to help you,” added Anvita Patel ’22.
Networking with Business Units
After the panel, students joined breakout conversations with representatives from eight Dell business units, including Presales, ISG Engineering, Global Operations Supply Chain, Finance, Dell Technologies Services, Global Marketing, Human Resources, and the Develop with Dell program.
Throughout the evening, Dell recruiters encouraged students to apply for internships and full-time opportunities, highlighting the company’s global reach, emphasis on professional development, and multi-year rotational programs. Students were reminded to approach the event as a professional networking opportunity, dressing in business casual attire to make a strong first impression.
Dell’s Growing Impact at UMass
Dell Technologies continues to be one of University of Massachusetts Amherst’s most sought-after employers. In the 2024–2025 academic year, Dell was the most-applied-to company by UMass students and ranked among the top ten employers of UMass graduates. During this same span of time, Dell’s recruiting activities resulted in 48 offers to UMass Amherst students.
UMass Amherst students can engage in more employer events this fall, including Big Y Night on October 8, Inside SharkNinja on October 15, and the many career fairs being hosted on-campus. More information about these and all other events can be found on Handshake.
Joe Van Allen is the Senior Data Analyst and Associate Director of Communications at the UMass Amherst Career Development and Professional Connections Hub. He's passionate about connecting students with opportunities that showcase their skills, and bridging the gaps between what someone wants to do and their current experience. And spreadsheets - he can't get enough of spreadsheets.