Name: Zulkarnain Choudhury
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Grameen Bank
Position Title: Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s): Economics
Expected Graduation Year: 2017
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
I started my internship program with Grameen Bank (a renowned microfinance organization) in Dhaka, Bangladesh in June 2015. Grameen Bank provides small loans to some of the poorest citizens in rural areas in Bangladesh without any collateral. These loans are given so that those people can invest the money to improve their living conditions, start a small business or send their children to school. The bank has received recognition for its method by the World Bank, United Nations and all over the world. The bank main motive is to reduce poverty in Bangladesh.
My job as an intern was to visit centers in several districts in Bangladesh (of Grameen) and listen to the people's stories, why they want to take the loan and make sure that they are eligible for the loan. My task was to be the banker who would develop a relationship with his borrowers and approve the loan to them. I was trained to ask the people questions like why they wanted the loan, and what they would do with the money. I was under the supervision of the officer who usually does the approval. During the internship period, I took training classes from my internship coordinator to learn about Grameen Bank and its methodology and how to approach to customers. I visited 7 different centers in 7 different villages (I had to bear my own expenses which was not much). I also went on a village trip for a week to stay and observe the method and see how the bank operates in rural Bangladesh. At the end of the month-long internship I submitted an internship report based on my whole experience.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
Grameen Bank is very well-known organization and it was my dream to work for the bank after it received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for it's extraordinary approach in reducing poverty in Bangladesh with use of microfinance and microcredit. I went on their website and did a research on their internship program and sent them an email. After a week, they replied to my email requesting for my resume and a recommendation letter from a professor. After they received everything, they sent me a confirmation that I can start as soon as I go to Bangladesh for my summer.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
What I have enjoyed the most about this internship was meeting interns from different countries who came from Europe, America and many other countries that shared this experience with me. It truly was a very enjoyable experience as we all went on village trips and I got to make some amazing friends. The most memorable part of the internship was the village trip, where I met the locals and experienced their culture.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe I made an impact on myself because a year ago, I was lost and didn't know what kind of career I would pursue in the future after graduating. But after doing this internship I discovered some qualities and some skills that I didn't know I had in me. I can interact well with different people, I can manage accounts, and I can speak well. I think I might be a good banker!
Another thing that I thought of was cultural issues. The women in rural areas in Bangladesh have less say in family matters than men. The majority of Grameen's borrowers consists of women. This gives them power, confidence, and reduces the gender inequality. So if interns like us can help these women receive loans by showing them support and letting them contribute, then we’re giving them more power. This experience also got me thinking of changing my major from Economics to Financial Economics. I absolutely loved my job and I want to be involved in banking and social work in future.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
If you get an opportunity to be involved in something or do an internship, you should do it. It really helps you to discover what you are good at doing. It exhibits your skills and special qualities, and makes you realize what kind of career you want to pursue in life.
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]]>Name: Jessica Sprando
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Days End Farm Horse Rescue
Position Title: Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s): Pre-vet: Biology BS and Psychology BS
Expected Graduation Year: 2017
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
My internship at Days End Farm Horse Rescue allowed me to improve my ground handling skills, practice administering veterinary medicine, and gain a better understanding of equine psychology. Because it is a rescue, day to day tasks are not only the usual barn chores (mucking, feeding, grooming, turnout), but also taking vitals, giving medications, cold-hosing injuries, and wrapping wounds. Interns were given the responsibility of doing these tasks correctly and in a timely manner. We were also able to shadow the vet performing surgery, assessing illnesses, floating teeth, etc.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
I used to volunteer at the farm throughout high school, and was familiar with the internship program offered. I always knew that I wanted to apply to be an intern, but was reminded of this when I saw the listing of Days End Farm Internships on the Shriver Center website. The application process included a form to fill out, multiple short answer questions, and an interview.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
My favorite part of the internship was the difference that you can physically see you are making in the lives of formerly abused animals. New horses are brought in with all types of ailments caused by neglect, poor weight scores, and extreme timidity, often a sign of physical abuse. Seeing these horses happy and healthy after months of treatment, they are often unrecognizable as the horses that were brought in. Not only is there a physical transformation, but a psychological one is also tangible. The relationships that you are able to form with these animals as you learn to trust each other is truly amazing.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
Throughout this internship, I was able to make a difference in the lives of abused animals by helping them on the path to recovery. Treating illnesses, providing nutritious food to re-establish ideal weight, and teaching animals that humans can be trusted are all ways in which I feel I have made an impact through my work.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Advice I would give to a student hoping to gain a similar experience is to volunteer and get yourself out there in your field of interest. By meeting people with similar interests, I was able to learn about and obtain a great internship. Volunteering is a great way to network because you gain experience in your field, as well as form relationships with people who have the same goals.
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]]>Name: Robert Ford
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Coastal Resources Inc.
Position Title: Environmental Technician
Major(s)/Minor(s): Environmental Science
Expected Graduation Year: May 2016
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
At Coastal Resources, I have had the opportunity to work on a variety of different projects across many disciplines. From simple data entry to fish surveys, I am on my toes every single day, as there is something new to learn through each job/experience. As an intern, I assisted with tasks which included wetland delineation, field surveys, and the assessment of flora/fauna across the Mid-Atlantic Region. More specifically, these projects required me to become sufficient in a multitude of tasks including data entry, taking measurements of trees, and even being able to catch fish!
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
I had been searching for an internship within the environmental field for quite sometime and had a few interviews along the way, and even a few offers for intern positions, until I came upon this opportunity. My mother told me that one of her patients at the Anne Arundel Medical Center worked for an ecological consulting company (Coastal Resources). It just so happened that they had an intern position that they wanted to fill. Through a few email exchanges and an interview, I was able to obtain the position!
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
I have had the chance to work with some of the brightest and passionate people in the environmental field. That being said, being able to assimilate myself among these individuals has been an eye-opening experience. Although I was one of the youngest and most inexperienced people that is working at CRI, I proved to myself that a confident attitude and the desire to learn will get you anywhere, both mentally and socially.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe this has impacted me greatly, as I mentioned above. Most of all, I believe that the work that I am doing currently is going to help me pursue my love of the environment, and this has the potential to lead to other things. Within this job field, there are tons of ways to innovate and improve other's way of living, and through this, I think that we can start to tackle some of our environmental woes.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Stay social. I would have never found this opportunity or even be able to get through the interview process had I not developed my social skills. I believe that hard work and searching for that next job/internship are going to help, but you need to stay social to get that opportunity, succeed in the interview process, and excel in your interactions with co-workers. We live in a socially-driven world.
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]]>Name: Elise Donkor
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Amazon
Position Title: Software Development Engineer
Major(s)/Minor(s): Computer Engineering
Expected Graduation Year: May 2016
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
I worked as a software development engineering intern for Amazon Web Service, a cloud computing service offered by Amazon.com (no, they don't just sell books!). AWS offers remote computing services such as scalable storage and delivery, analytics, and security. My specific area of work was building applications for the CloudTrail team. CloudTrail gives users the history of AWS API calls made from their account, enabling auditing, and security analysis.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
The application process was pretty straight forward. I applied online through their jobs and internship website. I had two 45 minute in-person technical interviews, largely stressing data structures and object oriented programming.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
Cloud computing is a hot topic right now, and AWS is incredibly innovative. Amazon offers incredibly affordable cloud computing services for students, researchers, and software developers. Everyday, they are coming up with ways to solve complex problems in a relatable way. Most teams were really busy, prepping for reInvent: Amazon’s yearly conference where they display new tools for software developers. I really enjoyed the exciting atmosphere and the exchange of ideas.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
Amazon's internship program is pretty intense: from the selection process to the given assignments, they expect a lot and give you the tools and resources to make an impact. I think the guidance from my mentor and other people on my team helped me have a successful internship experience.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Go for what you want––plain and simple. Don't follow anyone else's path. Instead, carve your own. Look for jobs that are both exciting and will take you out of your comfort zone.
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]]>Name: Amir Salar Sepehri
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine
Position Title: Research Program Assistant
Major(s)/Minor(s): Biological Science (B.S.) & Psychology (B.A.)
Expected Graduation Year: May 2016
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
I worked as a research program assistant at Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine (Department of Geriatrics) during the summer. I went to the Bayview campus on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM and worked with a group of 15-20 people. At Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, we worked on several different research studies, and I helped the team by:
1. Assisting the unit supervisor with recruitment and screening activities
2. Assisting the unit supervisor with enrollment of participants for multiple research programs
3. Completing the data entry and filings, and checking the data and report for consistency and accuracy
4. Assisting with other research related assignments as needed
I also interacted with multidisciplinary clinical and research teams on campus and participated in team meetings every week.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
I was always interested in interning in a research organization while being an undergraduate. While looking for different opportunities that were close to the UMBC campus, I found a research program at the Geriatrics Department at Johns Hopkins University. Fortunately, I found out that one of my professors (Dr. Hughes from the Department of Biological Sciences) used to be part of that same program and was still in contact with the principal investigator. She was kind enough to recommend me to the program coordinator, and after that, I sent my resume, got an interview, and started working as a volunteer at first, and then as an intern during the summer. I currently work as a part-time employee at Bayview on Fridays.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
As a pre-medicine student interested in doing research, working as an intern at Johns Hopkins was a great experience which helped me to have a better understanding of what I want to pursue when I start my journey in medical school. During the summer, I had a chance to be part of a real research study from the very beginning and observe the entire cycle. I helped the team with recruiting the participants, conducting interviews, taking different tests, and working on the samples in laboratory.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
Although the elderly population (by definition, adults who are 65 years and older) represent almost 15% of the U.S. population, unfortunately they are usually forgotten, and their medical needs are mismanaged in our current healthcare system. I believe that by interning in a research program at the Geriatrics Department, I am a small part of a team that is trying to help this population and is working towards finding solutions for their medical needs. I believe that this rewarding experience will help the elderly population in the near future.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
In terms of the application process, I would encourage you to apply early and to many different programs (not just one or two!). But in general, I would say to try your best, be very persistent with what you want, and do NOT underestimate yourself!
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]]>Name: Shannon Donelan
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: GE Aviation
Position Title: Engineering Design Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s): Mechanical Engineering
Expected Graduation Year: May 2016
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
This summer, I worked as an intern at the GE Aviation headquarters in Cincinnati, OH. I worked in the Advanced Composites department, specifically Polymer Matrix Composites (PMC) Design. PMC Design is the department responsible for designing the fan blades on the front of jet engines. We worked on fan blades for the GE9x engine, which will be used to power the new Boeing 777x jet airliner. In my role as a design intern,I had a lot of projects. My main project was to design a new system for testing the metal leading edges of the GE9x product blade (the silver parts of fan blades) to ensure that they meet design intent. This required me to lead a team in multiple geographical locations and involved extensive work in the CAD program Unigraphics NX. I also coordinated efforts to prepare for the Fan Blade Out (FBO) test which will be completed in England using fan blades made in the US. An FBO test is when an explosive charge is detonated inside a fan blade in order to detach the blade while the engine is running. Other projects I worked on included compiling and graphing blade machining data, completing an ice mass sensor analysis, designing a stand to hold the fan blades upright, and writing design reviews. At this stage in the GE9x design process, the fan blade parts were undergoing extensive testing and I was able to participate in a lot of the tests.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
This is my second co-op rotation with GE Aviation. Last summer, I worked on the design team at their plant in Norwich, NY. I applied for this position my sophomore year when GE Aviation came to UMBC to do on-campus interviews through the Shriver Center. I submitted my resume for consideration through UMBCworks.The interview went well and I was offered a job. After last summer, GE sent out return offers and I really enjoyed my first rotation so I decided to return for this summer. When I applied, I wasn't sure where I would be working. I later found out I would be working at the Aviation headquarters in Cincinnati, OH. I was a bit nervous about moving to Cincinnati for the summer but it turned out to be a wonderful experience! I would recommend an out-of-state internship to anyone who likes trying new things and going out of their comfort zone.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
Working at GE for the past two summers has been phenomenal! My managers have always been extremely knowledgable, approachable, and willing to help me learn. I've had the chance to meet so many different people from all over the world because GE is a global business. I've worked with people everywhere from Mexico to France and I've become close friends with interns from all over the country. Also, GE encourages its employees to participate in trips, picnics, and other fun activities, even during work hours! The higher-level executives are friendly and listen to their employees by hosting lunches and round table discussions. I've gotten to meet multiple vice presidents of GE, including the Vice President of the Engineering division. One of my favorite parts of this summer was visiting Peebles Test Facility. Peebles is where production engines are given certification tests. It's an incredible feeling to see the fully completed engines being subjected to real-life operation conditions.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
GE was the first company to successfully use polymeric matrix composites (PMCs) on their engine's front fan blades. Composite blades are more lightweight and durable than metal blades and their use has become a trademark of GE Aviation. I was honored to work on the new GE9x engine PMC fan blades. I think the best part about working on fan blades was that it's one of the few components of the engine that I can point to and you can actually see. I like knowing that the blades I'm helping to design will one day be on commercial planes everywhere, helping people travel the world.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
I would suggest applying to different places to find what type of engineering you like and what type of roles appeal to you. Working at GE and learning about the design process has shown me which part of that process I want to specialize in. From design to manufacturing, there is a place for everyone, whether you like to be at a computer all day or running around on your feet. Internships can also help you figure out where you'd like to live and work in the future. They can also lead to a job. I have accepted an offer to work at GE Aviation after graduation as a design engineer in the Edison Engineering Development Program (EEDP) thanks to my past internships at GE. I would suggest seeking an internship away from home and moving someplace new. It's only for a summer and you never know what type of great experiences you'll have!
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]]>Name: Jatin Chhikara
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Mozilla Corporation
Position Title: User Experience Design Engineer
Major(s)/Minor(s): Human-Centered Computing (Master's)
Expected Graduation Year: May 2016
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
My major responsibilities included: making new concepts that involve user centric design in prototyping for the Firefox desktop, and conducting user studies to check the new design concepts by making and testing user plans for the prototypes. In addition to this, I was also involved in user research for the Firefox desktop; my goal was to understand how users perceive and use Firefox in their daily life.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
Mozilla was the first company where I applied for an internship at the end of last October. I found out about the internship program online through Mozilla's career website. Classes which I had that semester were directly related to the interview, so they helped me in preparation. I also watched lot of interviews of established icons, like Don Norman, related to UX domain to prepare.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
The most exciting part of this internship was making a positive impact on millions of people all around the globe through my work. I have been given the responsibility to lead a project which is a great learning process. I am learning user centered design methodologies for making new concepts into reality from a UX point of view. The UX team for Firefox is geographically scattered all over the world, so daily communication (using different tools such as Vidyo and IRC) and weekly meetings helped me understand the dynamics of working with a geographically-dispersed team.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
Three projects that I worked on will be implemented in the new version on Firefox in the future. This internship has given me opportunity to provide good user experience to millions of Firefox-users scattered around the globe. I am able to break all the barriers of countries and cultures by contributing to a product that is same for everyone. It has also helped me align my academic experience with the practical industry work from an engineer and designer's point of view.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
The first piece of advice I would give is to start applying early as giant like Mozilla, Google, Facebook, etc. start hiring interns around November. I would suggest that know yourself well in terms of what knowledge, interests, and passions you have. Focus on what you want and give your all to that. A good online portfolio is a good way to share your existing projects and interests to the hiring manager. Seeking help from alumni and the Career Center will provide you with lot of opportunities to build network.
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]]>Name: James Gallagher
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Lockheed Martin
Position Title: Communications Intern in the Ethics Department
Major(s)/Minor(s): English, Media & Communications Studies
Expected Graduation Year: May 2017
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
I didn’t have clearly defined job duties or anything like that. More or less, in the words of my supervisor, I'm there to "wordsmith." Wherever the Ethics department needs it, I work with words to create a solid, usable product. That could be infographics, memos, news articles, social media posts, reports, presentations, talking points, or any number of other assignments. My responsibility is to help wherever I can by creating effective and engaging ways of communication.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
This internship came to me completely out of nowhere. I spent tons of time on UMBCworks, but for whatever reason I didn't end up at any of the places I found there. My mom actually forwarded me the Lockheed Martin intern application page, but I have no idea how she found it. I came so, so close to not applying because I didn't have much passion to work for a tech company. I wanted to work somewhere artsier, somewhere smaller, somewhere with more creativity. But at the last minute, I did apply, because I was applying to as many places as I could. After putting in my name for a "non-tech" internship, I received a phone interview, and it was a good ride since. I'm so happy I applied and gave it a chance, because it's been such a great experience. Sometimes you find a fit where you don't expect it, so never rule anything out.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
It's a very supportive workplace. Everyone stops to talk to me, everyone says hi in the hallway, and we have a lot of group lunches. That support isn't just social–it's also professional. I've had coworkers bring my resume places without me ever asking; I've been introduced to more people than I can count for the sake of networking; no one's ever too busy to answer a question that I have. As an intern, it seems like you're supposed to stay quiet and stay out of sight, but at Lockheed Martin it's the opposite. Every one of my coworkers is actively trying to create learning and professional opportunities for me, and I'm very grateful.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
It would be easy to talk about the overarching big picture impacts of improving Ethics and ethical conduct in a formerly corrupt field. But that's not really where I see my impact. Sure, the daily tasks that I completed contributed to that broader mission, but my impact was much more immediate. Just by being there, by providing my feedback in conference calls, by helping facilitate training sessions, by putting more time into tasks than a “real” employee ever could, I helped my team do their jobs. I built some great relationships at Lockheed Martin, so that's a great impact for me, but it goes both ways. By being helpful and willing to work, I helped my team accomplish so much and I made their summer a little easier.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
The biggest thing I would say is never to dismiss an opportunity. There were all kinds of things I didn't want to do this summer. I was never really interested in script writing, I didn't want to attend a trade conference, and I was too shy to want to spend time with my VP. But I did all of them and I learned from them, and I think I'm in a better position now than I was before. I love my comfort zone more than anyone, but I'm realizing that it's true–you have to leave your comfort zone sometimes. I wouldn't have gotten anything out of this summer if I hadn't.
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]]>Name: Dianna Samek
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Morgan Stanley
Position Title: Shared Services and Banking Operations Analyst
Major(s)/Minor(s): Financial Economics
Expected Graduation Year: 2015
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
All I could think was "I'm going to be working for a top Wall Street Firm!" when I got the job offer to intern at Morgan Stanley this summer. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Now, after my summer as a full-time, 9-5 (more like 8-6:30), financial analyst has come to an end, I look back and think that I could not be happier with my experience.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
Having never had a full time professional job before, it was a huge culture shock entering a business/professional environment on my first day. It was such a different atmosphere than college is! I have definitely come such a long way since that first day.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
I loved the internship program in general. As an intern at Morgan Stanley, you not only work with a team of full-time employees, but you are also able to work on activities with the other interns at the firm. This includes manager shadowing, group projects, and presentations. This aspect really gave me the opportunity to see a wide range of opinions and experiences from my peers, and I was able to make some great friends over the summer too.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe I helped the team I was placed on by reducing their heavy workload. I finished all tasks that they wanted to teach me or have me help with, along with providing new insight on areas with a possibility of improvement.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Keep an open mind. Never give up any opportunity no matter what it is because it is always a chance to grow and learn. No job will ever be perfect, but if it can help you to grow in the workforce or even just as an individual then you should 100% go for it. Never let failure or rejection stop you from trying. I have not gotten every single job I I've ever applied to, but as they say, it's always better to try and fail than never try at all.
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]]>Name: Vivek Desai
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Laureate Education
Position Title: IT Programmer Analyst
Major(s)/Minor(s): Master's IT
Expected Graduation Year: 2015
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
This is my first IT job. I am lucky and proud to say that it got me the best learning experiences, incredible supporting colleagues, and coolest Mentor/Manager/Boss. During my last year at UMBC, I opted to do research/Master's thesis in the field of Data mining and collaborated my IT job with my academics. My Professor and Manager came together to decide the research topic which can be utilized in a product of Laureate Education. During my year at this internship, I wore multiple hats. I have worked as a salesforce administrator, project coordinator and programmer analyst. It is a great roller coaster ride to learn and explore new technologies.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
I participated in every career fair that UMBC organized. At each fair, I walked around and did not skipping any encounter. I provided my resume and talked with employers face to face, and I was very specific and clear on what I am doing in my academics and what my interests are. It was a good practice for networking, and it was great to meet new employers all under one roof.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
They are very friendly, and the working environment is very professional. They provide a flexibility to work from home as well. All these advantages sum up to a positive outcome; it encourages you to work more effectively and be more productive.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I have used my knowledge of the salesforce to create a ticketing system to handle real-time customer facing issues. After I implemented my system, the issue storing process has become more efficient and effective. It saved a lot of time and reduced the waiting time for customers to get their problems resolved. Research work which I have done for my Master's thesis is actually a solution to a real-time problem statement/business requirement at Laureate Education.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Never give up! Attend all career fairs and networking events, and be crystal clear on what path you want to move forward on in your career. Self-teaching is something which is required at each phase of life, be it in professional life or in academics.
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