Bentley and Boston: a ‘Sweet Spot’ for Kallen Wu ’26
Kallen Wu ’26 fondly remembers the New England Aquarium, Chinatown and Prudential Center as favorite stops during weekly family outings to Boston. She says those early experiences influenced her search for a college campus near the city.
“I felt like being close to a city would be fun and allow me to explore potential employers and connect with more people,” says Wu, who is a first-generation student from Manchester, New Hampshire. “But I also wanted a traditional college campus where the professors would know my name and I would have space to be outside and enjoy nature. I love taking in the fresh air to help me reset.”
For Wu, Bentley was an ideal choice. A Finance major with a Law minor, she spends time between classes working as a career colleague in Bentley’s Pulsifer Career Development Center. She is also treasurer for the Bentley Non-Profit Society and a student ambassador for Mosaic Experience, a pre-orientation program for students of color and their allies.
From Campus to Cultural Cravings
When she’s ready to take a break, Wu likes knowing that she can jump on the free shuttle to Harvard Square in Cambridge and get on the MBTA train to meet friends from other Boston-area schools.
“If we want something quick to eat, we get a slice from New York Pizza; it’s hot and crispy,” Wu says. “Sometimes in Boston Common there’s a roasted nut truck that I love. I’ll get some for myself and sometimes share a little with the squirrels if they’re around.”
In Chinatown, she heads to Happy Lamb Hot Pot for a Mongolian-style, all-you-can-eat experience. Her favorites: the chewy udon noodles and sesame balls.
“I grew up working at my family’s Asian food restaurant, so I’m always interested in trying new places and foods — even though I still love going to my dad’s Boston favorite, New Golden Gate Seafood,” Wu says of her Boston restaurant hopping.
Good food aside, Chinatown is a cherished reminder of her Taiwanese heritage and especially her grandmother, who recently left New York to return home to live with family in Taiwan.
Channeling Creativity and Finding Career Opportunities
Though the city is busy, Wu and her friends find quiet places to catch up — and even do some bird-watching — at the Boston Common and Public Garden. On warm days, Wu will walk along Boston Harbor’s Long Wharf. “I really enjoy nature and always find cool places to hang out both in the city and on campus.”
Wu’s favorite outdoor spaces on campus are the outdoor seating between Smith Academic Technology Building and Einstein Bros. Bagels, and the main green space (between Falcone residence halls and the bookstore) — a popular gathering spot for students to relax, do homework and play spike ball, among other activities.
Bentley and Boston also present space for Wu’s artistic expression. She plays violin in the Bentley Chamber Orchestra and serves as the student organization’s marketing chair. She hopes to someday attend a Boston Symphony Orchestra concert.
Just as important, the campus-city connection helps Wu focus on her career and life after graduation.
“Greater Boston is a well-known college area, and if you take advantage of your resources, it is very easy to socially and professionally network with people,” Wu says. “Bentley’s location near the city has opened the door to lots of internship opportunities and connections for our students. There are on-campus events where I’ve networked with alumni who work at some great local companies, and it really feels like a tight-knit community knowing that everyone is helping each other.”
She credits networking to helping her get a health operations internship at Fidelity. “Although my internship is in Merrimack, New Hampshire, closer to my home where I’ll be living this summer, it gives me the opportunity to connect with alumni and student interns in Fidelity’s Boston office. People say that connections are one of the most important ways to land an internship, and I could not agree more.”