Name:Genevieve Ahearn
Internship, Co-op or Research Site:U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Position Title:Directorate Resource Assistant Fellow
Major(s)/Minor(s):Biology
Work Term:Summer 2018
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
The magnificent ramshorn is North America's largest air-breathing freshwater snail endemic to two counties in North Carolina. It is believed to be extinct in the wild with only two captive populations in existence and is a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act. I have had the privilege of working on a plan to reintroduce the snail back into the wild. I started out reading everything there was to know about the snail. I summarized different methods of deciding where and how to reintroduce the snail into one document. I then spent a lot of time speaking with experts on what they thought would be the best method and worked with partner organizations to come to an agreement on what the next steps should be. I cultivated relationships with land managers in order to spread awareness about the snails status and to broaden the snails horizons as to where it could be released. More recently, I've been visiting potential reintroduction sites to decide if the water has just the right chemistry to move forward with testing water suitability on the snails. We've found a few spots, but this snail's a tricky one!
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
A professor sent out an email to all students majoring in GES at UMBC about the opportunity in mid-February. I actually had missed the original deadline, but luckily it was extended. I had applied to lots of positions before this one, and my resume had been reviewed by a lot of older friends that had already gone through the process. Of course I still ended up submitting my application at the very last moment, which is very stressful and I would not recommend it. I got a phone interview, and I immediately booked a practice interview with UMBC's Career Center. I asked to be recorded for future reference and I'm so glad I did. I never realized how overly self-deprecating I sounded and how bad my posture was in an effort to be non-threatening. Not only that, but they asked tough questions and gave me feedback on my answers and tips for thinking on the fly in the future. It definitely boosted my confidence for the interviews and helped me during the interview for this position. It's worth trying if you've never interviewed before.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
If you love animals and ever want to make an impact, work for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They are on the front lines of protecting species habitats and cultivating relationships with all kinds of people to make protecting biodiversity a universal issue.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I had a few people ask me this summer how I justify what I am trying to do. Most people wouldn't care about a snail going extinct because they're not especially cute and cuddly and they do not strictly speaking perform an obvious service for humans. But that's exactly why I've liked this position. I've gotten to give a voice to something that normally gets overlooked. Snail diversity is diminishing at a very fast rate from mostly human causes, and that's all I need to know. Even if a species function isn't obvious, it more often than not plays a role in its ecosystem that would lead to a reduction in ecosystem function without it. Except mosquitoes. Nobody likes them.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Never give up! I applied to sooo many positions, and got so many no's but all it takes is one yes!
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Name:Ashley Batista
Internship, Co-op or Research Site:University Health Services/Office of Health Promotion
Position Title: Peer Health Educator
Major(s)/Minor(s):Biology/Africana Studies
Work Term:Fall 2017
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
As a peer, I work to reach out to the UMBC community through events, programs, and workshops to educate students regarding a variety of health issues. We work to provide students with information about sleep deprivation, alcohol and other drugs, sexual health and birth control, just to name a few topics. We teach common strategies to make better healthy decisions as well as bring awareness to the resources provided to them on and off campus.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I heard about this position through an email sent by the Internships & Employment Team in the Career Center stating that Peer Health Educators were wanted and that applications were being taken. I filled out the application and sent it in to my now supervisor by April 28th. One or two weeks later I was contacted in regards to making an interview appointment. I went to the interview and a couple weeks later, I received the "congratulations" email confirming my position for the upcoming year.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
I've enjoyed being able to educate students on critical health issues that are prevalent among college students and show them ways to better themselves and the UMBC community in the hopes of influencing lifelong healthy choices beyond their college years. I also enjoy being able to work with a supportive group of people who also believe in providing guidance within health.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe that I've been able to give students more of a choice when it comes to their autonomy over their health. We're so stuck in the everyday routine of school, work, internship, study, volunteer, etc. that we forget we have the choice to do something different and make healthy decisions for ourselves. We can make choices for the benefit of ourselves and for others.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
I would advise them to be diligent and persistent if they want to see results. I would also advise them to keep an open mind because these experiences may help shape whether or not this is a career area they want to be in.
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]]>Name:Romi Pal
Internship, Co-op or Research Site:International Rescue Committee
Position Title:Immigration Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s):Global Studies
Work Term:Fall 2017
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
Last fall, I worked directly with refugee and asylee clients to help them receive immigration benefits such as adjustment of status(green card), citizenship, and family reunification. In addition, I filled out United States Citizenship and Immigration Services(USCIS) immigration forms for clients, and wrote financial affidavits for fee waivers. My duties also included notifying clients via telephone or mailings about matters related to their applications and assisting the immigration team with tracking, filing, and mailing relevant documents, applications, and notices of action.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I obtained this position through the UMBC Career Center. With their help, I was able to make my resume stronger, and improve my interviewing skills.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
I enjoyed working with refugees from all over the world, and helping them obtain immigration status here in the United States. Working in such a diverse environment has inspired me to help others in the future adjust to the American way of life. As the daughter of immigrants myself, I am thankful for the sacrifices my parents made when coming to the U.S.Working at the IRC has emphasized the fact that America is a nation of immigrants, FOR immigrants, who continue to make positive contributions to our society.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
Unfortunately, more and more immigrants are being denied entry to the United States nowadays. America has always been the land of opportunity, and I believe that everybody should get the chance to succeed in our country. The refugees and asylees that came to the office are from war-torn countries and are grateful for our service. Through this internship, I gained insight into the world of international development and humanitarian relief work. I hope to use this experience and my newfound knowledge to bring awareness to these issues individuals face everyday.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Reach out, and do not be afraid to show your achievements to a potential internship/workplace. Networking and being able to communicate effectively are the keys to success!
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]]>Name:Vincent Brown
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Towson University
Position Title: Research Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s):Biology B.A/ Ancient Studies
Work Term:Summer 2018
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
I am conducting research at Towson University in the Devadas Lab. My research consists of synthesizing and characterizing gold nano-clusters which can be used for energy responsive applications such as light harvesting and theranostic applications with specific aims: (i) to enhance light collection efficiency using quantum sized clusters, (ii) to develop better labelling agents with enhanced two-photon cross-sections, and (iii) to generate efficient nano-vehicles for targeted drug delivery and cancer therapy. My day-to-day responsibilities include synthesizing the gold nano-clusters, and purifying and washing the products before characterizing them with UV-Vis Spectroscopy.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I was able to obtain this research position because my brother attends Towson University and has been apart of the research group since the spring semester. He was the one who told me about the opportunity to work in the lab for the summer and told his research mentor about me. I then scheduled a meeting with Dr. Devadas and she allowed me to join her lab for the summer.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
What I have enjoyed most about my position is the fact that I am learning something new everyday. I am a biology major working in an inorganic chemistry lab so I didn't understand a lot of the things I had to do in the beginning. However, after performing my day-to-day responsibilities and reading research articles, I have gained a strong understanding of the reasoning behind my research. Reading so many various research articles has also helped me to learn how to efficiently read a research article and genuinely understand the material. It has been very enjoyable to go through this process and I look forward to continuing to learn throughout the summer.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe that I have brought in my hardworking character and my love for learning to my research lab. I hope that my biggest impact I make through my work is that I accomplish all the tasks I have been assigned for the summer and fulfill what has been asked of me to the best of my ability. Along with this, my intentions are that other researchers will believe the data I have collected is significant and will want to try to reproduce my results and improve my methods.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Don't be afraid to ask for internship or research opportunities! The easiest way to get involved is to simply ask a professor or faculty member if they are looking for an intern. The worst thing they can say is no.
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]]>Name:Justine Cataneo
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Inside Broadway
Position Title: Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s):BFA Acting
Work Term:Summer 2018
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
Every day I am involved in completing different tasks at my internship. I travel from Middletown, NJ to New York, NY on the train and go to 130 9th Avenue. When I come into the office, I am usually given a list of tasks. These tasks can include: delivering checks to actors and/or teaching artists, making Playbills for school programs, researching items for our silent/live auction. I also inventoried all of the items in our stockroom and created an Excel sheet of each individual item. This sheet was sent to every teaching artist so that when they need costumes, they can easily see what we have and what needs to be ordered. This saves Inside Broadway from having to continuously pay for items that they already have stocked.
One of the most exciting parts of my job are working at our Creating the Magic events. This summer, I was able to go to Chicago and Phantom of the Opera for these events. Each Creating the Magic involves busing students from each of the boroughs to Manhattan. The students see pieces of the show and learn about the backstage jobs involved in running a show. Usually, the stage manager, lighting operator, musicians, sound engineer come onstage and do a demonstration for the children that explains their job title. The actors perform 3-4 numbers from the show. Most of these students have never seen a Broadway show, been to a Broadway theatre or have even been to Manhattan!
My favorite part of these programs is seeing how excited all of the students get at each of the demonstrations. They sit on the edge of their seats and clap and cheer for the cast members. It is rewarding to see that all of the time, effort and money that goes into these programs makes thousands of children incredibly happy. I am usually lucky enough to receive a backstage tour of the theaters and meet the actors after their performance. I love being able to introduce myself to people in the industry and to start making making connections.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
When I was in high school, I interviewed for this position. One of the schools that my company works with is my father's school. My boss was speaking to my father about how they needed an intern and he recommended me. I submitted my resume and did a phone interview. This summer, I re-submitted my work and acting resumes. Since my boss had worked with me before and was pleased with my work, she hired me immediately for the summer.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
I have greatly enjoyed seeing children's reaction to theater and performance. When I go to schools and see elementary students singing and dancing for their community, it reminds me of the joy theatre brings to my life.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I am an organized and efficient worker. I think I relieved some stress off of my supervisors by always completing tasks in a sensible and timely matter. I was able to be given a list of tasks and each item would be crossed off and taken care of before I caught the train home.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
I would suggest making sure your internship is in your field of interest. Seek out companies who you would want to work for one day.
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]]>Do you have an interest in Becoming a Nonprofit Leader or Social Entrepreneur?
Are you ready to intern within a Nonprofit or Social Venture this Fall?
If yes, apply to the Shattuck Family Internship Program for
Entrepreneurship Innovation and Social Change. DEADLINE TO APPLY:
Wednesday, July 11th
The Shattuck Family Internship Program for Entrepreneurship
Innovation and Social Change prepares UMBC students for the rigors and
rewards of entrepreneurship and social innovation. This program places
highly-motivated students from diverse backgrounds in mentored
internships to better prepare them to launch nonprofit or social
ventures. Students get training and experience to empower them to become
the next generation of social entrepreneurs–working largely in the
not-for-profit world, developing and delivering innovative solutions to
some of our region’s most urgent social problems.
Internships last one semester (15 weeks) and students will work, on
average, 8 to 10 hours per week. Students receive a stipend of $1,500
toward their compensation. In addition to the internship, students
engage in projects and activities that further expose them to the social
entrepreneurial mindset.
Why Participate?
- Earn a competitive stipend of $1,500
- Gain valuable experience in your career field by interning 120 hours over the course of the semester (8-10 hours per week)
- Be exposed to the knowledge, skills, and mindset required to successfully launch and manage a nonprofit/social venture
- Develop a network of contacts in the nonprofit community for future references and opportunities
- Apply classroom knowledge in a realistic work environment and apply lessons learned in the workplace to academic coursework
TO APPLY:
Interested students are asked to submit a Resume and a Cover Letter answering the following questions:
Discuss your interest in social entrepreneurship/nonprofit leadership
and this intern program. What has been your entrepreneurial involvement
thus far such as coursework, seminars, etc. (if applicable)? What type
of nonprofit would you like to intern for and why?
REQUIREMENTS: 2.9 GPA or above, Undergraduate student status, Open to ALL Majors
Credentials can be submitted via UMBCworks, position 9299903.
Christine Routzahn, Director
Career Center, UMBC
routzahn@umbc.edu, 410-455-3671
Name:Amina Mahmood
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Huntress Labs
Position Title:Junior Malware Analyst
Major(s)/Minor(s):Computer Science
Work Term:Spring 2018
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
On a daily-basis, I hunt for malware on different computers. After I find something suspicious, I will do either static or dynamic analysis to figure out the behavior of the malware. Finally, I will write a report on what the malware is and how the customer can remove it.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
During the second week of the Fall 2017 semester, I went to the on-campus jobs career fair. The CEO of Huntress Labs sent me an email, and I followed-up swiftly to schedule an interview. After submitting my resume and going through the interview process, I was offered a job as a Junior Malware Analyst. The Cyber Scholars Program also supported me by encouraging me to pursue the opportunity and preparing for the interview process.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
I enjoy the cybersecurity field because there is no "end" to learning. As a malware analyst, I enjoy learning something new every day whether it's related to new malware or analysis techniques.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe that until I can articulate my knowledge to others, I don’t think I have truly learned what I think I know. I like to teach other people about coding and skills in cybersecurity to spread the wisdom. By sharing knowledge to other people, I can help them learn while reinforcing my skills and expertise on a topic.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
If you are passionate about seeking an internship, definitely seek out your opportunities by getting help through events like career fairs or going to UMBCWorks.
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]]>Name:Simbiat Odeshina
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Code Red Technologies
Position Title: Cable Technician
Major(s)/Minor(s):Information Systems
Work Term: Summer 2017
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
The organization I worked for during summer 2017 is named Code Red Technologies. It is an information technology company that specializes in tech support and has recently ventured into cabling. During my internship, I shadowed the Vice-President of Operations and was given other jobs to do based on daily demands. This gave me insight to the behind the scenes workings of an information technology company at multiple levels of production. Some of the assignments given to me included: making weekly schedules in Microsoft Excel, policy research, creating filing systems for contractors, reorganizing existing files systems, and sorting papers which included receipts I later scanned into the company's “cloud.” I also watched many job interviews in which I gained insight into being a better interviewee and whom interviewers want to hire.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I obtained this position through the Department of Employment Services’ (DOES) Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP). I have known of SYEP for many years through friends who have worked in the program during the summer. This was my first time attending this program. I got advice for my resume from the Career Center to help obtain this job.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
I have enjoyed the organization’s culture. Code Red Technologies' culture is much different from a more formal cubicle job. This job makes you interact a lot with other employees, which is a good thing. This has made me become more outspoken to better communicate with others inside and outside the workplace. This company is like one big family to me!
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe I have made an impact through helping the Vice-President of Operations with work that may take longer to be completed. She was able to delegate specific jobs to me throughout the summer. She has an extensive “to do” list and is always busy doing something important for the well-being of the company. I benefited from the experience and was able to provide her with more time to directly manage employees and interview new hires.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
I would advise them to do their best at this job. It is okay to make mistakes as long as your supervisor or boss knows that you tried your best. Also ask questions if you are unsure about anything, so you will not make a mistake in the first place. An internship is the perfect place to preemptively learn what is required for specific jobs and to use the resources of staff/supervisors to build skills needed to be better employees in the future.
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]]>Name:Ciara Christian
Internship, Co-op or Research Site:SNLP- Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance
Position Title:Sondheim Nonprofit Leadership Fellow
Major(s)/Minor(s):Applied Sociology w/ P.C.B. in Nonprofits
Work Term:Summer 2017
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
Last summer I interned at Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (BNIA). At BNIA, I was primarily responsible for organizing Baltimore Data Day -- an annual workshop that brings together over 300 community leaders, community groups, nonprofits, gov't entities, and socially minded technologists to build capacity. Members of the community will learn how to access and utilize available public data about their neighborhoods to advocate for change. My tasks included preparing promotional materials; preparing panel participants; talking with and recruiting community organizations to attend the event; managing the logistics of the event; as well as curating one of the sessions and recruiting participants --particularly a panel on data related to issues of social justice and racial equity in Baltimore. I was also responsible for creating the final report after the event to be shared with sponsors.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I heard about the Public Service Scholars Program through other work I was doing in the Shriver Center as a Peaceworker Fellow. I was particularly interested in the Sondheim Nonprofit Leadership Program, as I was earning my Pcb in Nonprofits.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
Being able to utilize the skills I've developed in the classroom as a graduate student, and at my service placement as a Peaceworker Fellow. Additionally, one of the greatest experiences in my internship was the freedom granted me. My mentor had faith in my work ethic and skill level, giving me lots of independence and agency. Baltimore Data Day is an annual event, and my mentor, Dr. Seema Iyer, gave me so much creative freedom in helping theme the event as well as theme and curate one of the panels. I was also allowed to create a lunch session (which had not be scheduled in previous years). This, among other things, helped me to feel like a truly valued member of the BNIA staff.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe I'm making an impact in my office by lessening the load of my colleagues and helping keep the event organized. Additionally, I believe I'm making an impact on Baltimore residents by helping ensure that they are aware of Data Day and the benefits they might reap as a result of participating. Furthermore, as a result of my participation, we were able to register 300 participants for the event, with nearly 100 more on the waitlist, a significant increase from the previous year. Additionally, the event survey data suggests that participants were well pleased with the panel I curated, which was very well attended.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Believe in yourself! Too often we allow fear and/or intimidation to prevent us from trying new things, exploring new opportunities, and ultimately having growth inducing experiences. This is true at every level. Though most of my peers in the program were undergraduates, I am a graduate student and I nearly let imposter syndrome prevent me from having an amazing experience. I would also tell students to be willing to try something that’s outside of their comfort zone. As a qualitative researcher, I was worried about interning for a quantitative data gathering Nonprofit. What I learned, however, is that both methods help tell richer stories. As a result of working for BNIA I am (somewhat) less intimidated by quantitative data, and at the same time, they saw value in my ability to see the qualitative story behind data points. Do the unexpected! Lastly, I would encourage students to lean into the relationships with those they work with at internships and similar experiences. I established great relationships with people at my internship that have continued to support me nearly a year after I began working with them.
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