Name: Aastha Jain
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)
Major(s)/Minor(s): Interdisciplinary Studies: Criminology and Criminal Justice
Expected Graduation Year: May 2015
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service-learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
START triages (or "takes in") news media covering incidents of terrorism from around the world. Senior staff at START creates summaries of the terrorist incidents and makes them available on the Database Management System (DMS). The Global Terrorism Database (GTD) is run on the DMS and includes variables such as the location, perpetrators, and targets of each terrorist event. My job is to identify who was targeted in any given terrorist attack around the world.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
I enjoy that interns are allowed the responsibility of coding on such an important database. Senior-level staff members bring interns into their meetings to discuss coding progress. In that way, I feel like I am part of something truly unique and important.
What have you gained from your experience that you could not have gained from another opportunity?
I have been able to bring an interdisciplinary perspective to this internship. This is not possible everywhere. START is made up of a team of researchers, programmers, media specialists, and IT personnel all working together. This is interdisciplinarity at its finest.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
My advice to students seeking an internship is to make sure the internship fits you, not just that you fit the internship. As students we always want to look qualified but we need to make sure not to sacrifice our personal qualities.
How do you see your experience as meaningful? This might involve skills you’ve gained, information you’ve learned, mentors you’ve connected with, or projects you’ve completed.
My experience is meaningful because there is nothing like the Global Terrorism Database! There is no where else researchers and academic professionals can search for certain variables of all the terrorist incidents in one area. Where else can you look up the number of businesses that were targeted in Yemen during a specific span of time??
Please provide a short quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / the internship placement process.
Viewing terrorist incidents from all around the world provides me a global perspective on the nature of terrorist attacks.
More insight about Aastha’s internship experience.
I worked on the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) at The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). START has defined terrorism for its purposes so all incidents included are of a uniform standard. The GTD is an incident-level database that can be searched based on many variables. Want to know how many police personnel were killed by firearms in Kenya between 2000-2007? That is the kind of information provided by the GTD.
More specifically, I worked on the target classification distinction of the database. There were four interns populating this portion of the GTD for 2012-2013 terrorist attacks around the world. Currently, there are over 20 types of targets within the GTD. Some of these include civilians, transportation, military, and business targets amongst many. The type of target was determined after reading aggregated news media about each attack from many sources. Staff members worked on filtering through the articles and determining relevancy before interns began coding.
Based on my networking and interests, I asked Dr. Gary LaFree, director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, to come serve as the INDS Council of Majors Annual Petrovich Lecturer. He came and spoke at UMBC on March 2nd to shed the myths of terrorism and share some of the exciting research coming out of START. I loved my experience at START and was very fortunate to foster that relationship past a semester.
]]>Name: Danny Clemens
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: The Kane Show on Hot 99.5 (Clear Channel Media + Entertainment)
Major(s)/Minor(s): Media and Communication Studies
Expected Graduation Year: 2015
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service- learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
My day starts at 5:30am - the production staff and on-air talent all have to be ready to be on the air at 6am across the country so we arrive early to scour the web for topics to discuss on air and program promotional spots to air in different markets. During the show, we screen listeners who call in to participate in the show, produce daily podcasts for our website and edit show segments to be syndicated a replayed on iHeartRadio. We also have cameras in our studio that we operate; they stream the show live on the internet to give listeners an inside look into the show.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
I have the opportunity to work with ridiculously talented, hardworking and FUN people! We all aim to produce a show that is exciting and entertaining for our listeners and we can't help but have a great time in the process. I also enjoy getting to talk to people from all over the country who call in; everybody has a unique story to share and it's wonderful to have the opportunity to connect with so many fantastic listeners.
What have you gained from your experience that you could not have gained from another opportunity?
I walked into this experience without any radio production experience; I was thrown in from day one and have learned so much about the broadcast industry in a short period of time. Working on such a high-profile program has been fantastic because we are driven to produce such high quality work; the stakes are high and it motivates me to be the best that I can be.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Put yourself out there! Your resume will only get you so far in this business - it's really about having a dynamic, outgoing personality and not being afraid to be yourself. Make an impression and don't let them forget you!
How do you see your experience as meaningful? This might involve skills you’ve gained, information you’ve learned, mentors you’ve connected with, or projects you’ve completed.
The networking in this business is insane; in addition to the radio personalities who I have the privilege of working with every day, I am always meeting people who are well-connected and influential in the broadcasting business. We also have a very dedicated fan base; we can ask for the most outlandish thing during a show and I guarantee you that at least one person will call in and be more than willing to help us out. There is always somebody who can help you out, you just have to know where to find them!
]]>Name: Emma Rivera
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: CASA
Major(s)/Minor(s): Psychology
Expected Graduation Year: 2014
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service- learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
1. Assist with volunteer screening tasks such as reviewing volunteer
applications, conducting reference checks, and conducting in-person volunteer
interviews.
2. Attend volunteer training sessions.
3. Observe Child In Need of Assistance (CINA) court proceedings and case
meetings in which CASA volunteers are involved.
4. Assist with program evaluation tasks for National CASA Association Standards
Self Assessment process.
5. Read CASA cases and proof read court recommendation.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
What I have enjoyed most has been getting to learn how the process works when a child is taken out of their home and placed in foster care, and how there are organizations like CASA that are there for the child to "hold" their hand literally and mentally to whatever next step that might be.
What have you gained from your experience that you could not have gained from another opportunity?
I gained a lot of insight on what children in need of assistance go through, that the system doesn't always work but if you have advocates like CASA trying to ensure that all the steps are followed that a child might get a safe permanent home, be that it might be with their biological parent or adoptive foster parent. What I would have never of gained I believe from another internship is that volunteers really do matter and people who care go a long way for a child in need. I walked away wanting to do more and learn more how to help and advocate not only for children but to tell people to volunteer to be a CASA volunteer.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
I would definitely recommend knowing what it is that you want to learn and come out of the experience with, then vocalizing it to your supervisor for your internship. I was able to tell my supervisor that I wanted to network and pick professionals brains on what they do and their roles in the mental health association. I was able to get personable and ask them if they liked and enjoyed what they did for a living.
How do you see your experience as meaningful? This might involve skills you’ve gained, information you’ve learned, mentors you’ve connected with, or projects you’ve completed.
I feel that this experience is super meaningful because I was able to network with so many different other branches in the Mental Health organization in Frederick involving foster children. I was able to sit down and talk with Healthy Families organization and learn what they do. I was able to talk with social workers and the foster children attorneys and court appointed mediators and hear what role they play in a CINA case (Child In Need of Assistance).
Please provide a short quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / the internship placement process.
I enjoyed having to share about what I would learn and do on a weekly basic to my professor.
]]>Name: Sierra Francis
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Maryland
Office of Tourism Development (MOTD)
Major(s)/Minor(s): Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communications
Expected Graduation Year: May 2015
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service- learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
I write and edit editorial content for historical points of interest, attractions and destinations in Maryland that played a role during the Civil War. I later upload all of that content onto a Civil War Trails iphone application that people can use when they are going out and visiting these places. I have to do quite a bit of research for each city or town that I am required to cover. Sometimes I have to find or order images and photographs to go along with the editorials through historical societies or online public domain archives. Once I have an image I then have to edit it so that it'll fit and look nice on the app. I spent an entire shift just editing photos once. I also have to create inventories of those images on my department's database.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
Besides the amazing history, the promotional writing is the best part. In order to write about a lot of these places I have to look up different things that are in that area that a tourist could see and do besides the historical-related things and then sum it all up. It's basically like I'm the one who's getting ready to go on a trip and I've got to find things to do there. It's a lot of fun learning about all the different towns and things they have to offer. I also love that my cubicle overlooks the Baltimore harbor. It's pretty cool that I'm getting an "ocean-view" as an intern.
What have you gained from your experience that you could not have gained from another opportunity?
I get to immerse myself in something that I love. And when you love history as much as I do, getting to see old archives and photos is like crack. I don't know how else to put it!
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Record what you get done every shift and keep your supervisor updated every day. Don't make them have to ask you anything. I consistently tell my supervisor what I've accomplished after each shift and what my next step is through a quick email before I leave. She was extremely pleased and surprised that she has never had to ask me anything, and I know it made a good impression. I don't think they always expect college kids to be so on top of things, so if you prove yourself like that it reflects extremely well on you down the line.
How do you see your experience as meaningful? This might involve skills you’ve gained, information you’ve learned, mentors you’ve connected with, or projects you’ve completed.
I'm helping to create an app that anyone in the United States can use as their own personal tour guide when they visit these historical trails and sites. And in order to do that I get to read and write about history and fun things to do in each area whenever I come in. I even get to see photos that were taken in the 1800s of people who you never really hear much about in history class or on TV...I'm not really sure what more a history-geek could ask for. It's great and I can't believe I'm getting paid for it.
Please provide a short quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / the internship placement process.
I'm just grateful that I had to opportunity to work here and it'll be an experience that I'll cherish for the rest of my life.
]]>Name: Dominick DiMercurio
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: UMBC Review
Major(s)/Minor(s): Biological Sciences
Expected Graduation Year: May 2015
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service- learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
My work with the UMBC Review involves a variety of tasks from contacting off-campus reviewers to editing student research papers. I meet with the other editors and our faculty advisor weekly in order to discuss the many tasks that we have ahead of us so that we can eventually publish the journal in time.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
I have enjoyed meeting new people through this organization. I never knew how many people it took to create a student research journal. First, you have the hard-working student authors and their experienced faculty mentors. Then you have the Office of Undergraduate Education whose support makes the journal possible, in particular Janet McGlynn, her assistant Devon Fick, and Michael Mower, the website technician. On the editing team, our faculty advisor Dr. McDonough has been an invaluable guide to the other editors (Gagan Singh and Vanessa Rueda) and myself. Past editors like Morgan Madeira and future editor hirees also play a pivotal role in our success, as they provide their own perspectives. Meanwhile, the graphics design team has two student designers (Morgan Mantell and Daniel Grove) and Dr. Abrahams is their mentor. When you add in the anonymous contribution of the off-campus Reviewers, the financial contributions from the Vice Provost and up, and the countless contacts of professors who encourage their students to submit to the Review, you have a long, long list of names who are all linked to just one year's edition of the Review. I would like to thank each and every one of them for their superb support and excellent efforts.
What have you gained from your experience that you could not have gained from another opportunity?
I have gained an immense appreciation for the publishing process. First, a student author works diligently with their faculty mentor to create a worthy research paper. Those papers that we select then get sent to professional researchers in the field who critique it on a more technical level. We then spend countless hours working with the authors and the graphic designers to make appropriate edits, format figures, and perfect the overall journal. A year's worth of hard work on everyone's end goes to making it possible for students, faculty, and even President Hrabowski himself can hold in their hands a book that represents a showcase of the amazing research performed on our campus. It is both humbling and intimidating.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Com. Mun. I. Ca. Tion. That cannot be stressed enough. Many simple mistakes could have been avoided if there were ample communication between all parties involved and if no one was left uncertain about how to proceed next. Ask many questions or else you will never have any answers. Don't be afraid to divulge your problems to your co-workers or else you will never know if they have possible solutions. Make sure there are as many channels of communication open as possible. Otherwise everyone might spend an overwhelming amount of time trying to reinvent the wheel when there was already an easier but unspoken solution all along.
How do you see your experience as meaningful? This might involve skills you’ve gained, information you’ve learned, mentors you’ve connected with, or projects you’ve completed.
I will one day be a professional researcher myself, and knowing the process that papers must go through to be published will certainly provide me an insight on how to create noteworthy research papers and how to help others avoid the problems that I have encountered during this internship. Beyond that, I have gained many important useful experiences, such as learning how to advertise effectively, working with various groups of people, and fostering connections to research professors on campus who I might have not otherwise met.
Please provide a short quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / the internship placement process.
Over the years, UMBC has offered me many research opportunities, both in the lab and behind the scenes, and for this I am very grateful.
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