Name: Allie Smith

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Semester of Internship: Summer 2023 

Major: BTA

Current Class Level: Senior 

This semester I completed a(n)...: Internship 

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): T. Rowe Price

Location of the Organization (City, State): Baltimore, MD

Title of position: Intern with the GCAS department 

I interned within the Global Client Account Services (GCAS) department within T. Rowe Price. Within this department I worked in the strategy and planning team, which does a mix of business admin and data management work to support all of GCAS globally. This team aligned perfectly with my BTA major since I was able to do work with both the business side and the technology side. Most of my day to day responsibilities included working on my projects. I can't get into specifics, but I was able to create a best practice guide for social media use for all of GCAS that I was able to present to our London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, and North America locations. I also conducted a technology review to determine the tech that GCAS associates have in and out of the office. With this review I was then able to work on a "tech starter pack" for new GCAS associates based on title and level. On the data side I worked on a project with Power BI to create a visual dashboard for managers to get multiple different views of their processes in order to see room for improvement. This is a project that I am still currently working on since my team asked me to stay on until the end of the year. 

I heard about the internship positions at T. Rowe from an event that UMBC had. It was towards the beginning of the semester last year, they had an event where T. Rowe employees and previous interns came in to share their experiences and discussed the different internship opportunities. From here I applied online for an internship, and went through a series of online interviews in order to obtain the internship. 

Networking events (UMBC Connects, Info Sessions, Arts With a Purpose, etc.)

I have enjoyed the networking opportunities because I was able to learn more about T. Rowe and the investment industry through the eyes of different associates with different backgrounds. I also enjoyed that I was given meaningful work and projects where I was able to learn things that related to my major and interests. 

I believe that my work has been impactful for the GCAS department because I aided in creating a social media best practices document that is housed on the landing page for all associates to see globally. Also my technology review aided the department so that the lead team is aware of what technology GCAS associates have and gives them a better way of looking at that information. And also through the dashboard that I created, this will be something that GCAS managers will actively use to visualize trends within their processes to see room for improvement. Overall, the work I was given was meaningful and are things that the department will benefit from having.  

Don't be scared to apply. I was hesitant at first to apply to an internship within the investment industry because it was an industry I did not have a lot of knowledge on. But I was still able to get this internship with my current interests, and then I was able to learn more about a field I may have never gotten the opportunity to learn about. 

Two of the main things that I learned from this internship that I will take with me wherever I go next in my career / education are the importance of continuous learning and the importance of networking and communicating with new people. 

Unlock Better Communication and Leadership: Join the Interact Dialogues Program to enhance your skills in discussing challenging subjects with diverse perspectives. Experience small group sessions led by fellow students, happening weekly and discover vital dialogue abilities, nurture empathetic listening, exchange cross-cultural stories, and explore your own journey."

The "INTERACT" program is a 5-week dialogue program at UMBC for students. It consists of 4 short sessions where participants learn and practice skills to become inclusive leaders and engaged community members. Completing the program means joining a community of students dedicated to making UMBC an inclusive place. Dialogue in this contest is a purposeful conversation where participants listen deeply and share authentically. The program will have small groups of up to 15 participants, held at different campus locations, and participants will receive i3b swag, like a free t-shirt. Participating offers the chance to develop leadership skills, build community, and enhance a sense of belonging at UMBC.

Please use the QR code or click HERE to register. 

Hope you are having an amazing first day of school! Today is the first day of Lap A Day! You can meet at the Retriever statue in front of the RAC at 5. The schedule is shown below, and you can follow lapadayumbc on Instagram for updates. Have fun!

Olivia is a senior majoring in Psychology and also a member of Psi Chi, the National Residence Hall Honorary Regent Scholar, and a URA Scholar.

Title of your research project: 

Impact of Stress and Trauma on Learning and Decision-making in Psychosis

For my project I am examining the connection between childhood abuse and performance on a learning task in people with and without schizophrenia.

Who is your mentor(s) for your project? 

I have two mentors for my senior thesis, one at the MPRC, Dr. James Waltz, and one at UMBC, Dr. Raimi Quiton. I met Dr. James Waltz when I got an email from UMBC's Psychology Department that the MPRC was looking for an intern to work in the IDRIS lab. I wanted to work for Dr. Waltz because he does neuroscience and psychology research. I formally met Dr. Waltz in the second round of interviews. I met Dr. Quiton when I was looking for someone to sponsor me for my Psych 397 research credit for research I was doing in translational toxicology at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine. We were introduced through Dr. Etopio who had sponsored my 398-internship credit the semester before. After deciding to do a senior thesis I asked Dr. Quiton to be my UMBC mentor because we already had a connection and she also does neurobiological and psychology research.

I have always been interested in the impact of childhood abuse and neglect across a person's lifetime. This interest, as well as my position working in a lab studying schizophrenia, ultimately led to my decision to study the intersection of these topics. Over time, I became more interested in specific questions such as the differential impacts of childhood abuse and schizophrenia on win-stay and lose-shift responses within the task as I became more acquainted with the task.

The hardest part of my research has been listening to clinical interviews and scoring questionnaires. Many people with psychotic disorders like schizophrenia have experienced trauma in their lives that you learn about through interviews and questionnaires. I want to research child abuse because I love children and I want to help and protect them. It hurts to know what the many study participants have gone through, especially when they were children.

The most rewarding part of doing research for me has been working on projects that I know are going to help patients and in being a part of someone getting help for their mental illness. The people at the MPRC really care about everyone that comes into the center, even those who are coming in as controls.

I am planning on publishing my senior thesis as well as presenting it in a poster URCAD and at UMB's research day. I will also be presenting this research at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Research in Psychopathology in St. Louis, Missouri.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?  

Don’t be afraid to be told no. All no means is no, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. If you see something you want, ask for it. If you see someone doing research you want to be doing, ask them if you can be a part of it. It’s much easier to get a position that was created for you than it is to apply to the position 100 people are applying for.

Currently, I am applying to clinical psychology doctoral programs that focus on neuropsychology. It's rare to be accepted directly out of Undergrad, so I will likely take up a full-time research position after I graduate and apply again next year. I want to work with children with traumatic brain injuries as a result of abuse and neglect and research/ develop treatment plans to help them regain functioning.

To learn more about how to become a URA Scholar: https://ur.umbc.edu/ura/

Name: Thomas Hammond

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Semester of Internship: Summer 2023

Major: BFA in Graphic Design

Current Class Level: Junior

This semester I completed a(n)...: Internship

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): The Historical Society of Harford County

Location of the Organization (City, State): Bel Air, Maryland

Title of position: Intern Graphic Designer

As an intern for the Historical Society of Harford County, I have several responsibilities and tasks to complete throughout the week. On Wednesdays, I meet in person to discuss topics such as creating flyers and social media posts, new signage, and a wide range of other design-related tasks. During the meeting, I lay out a plan of action for what deliverables I will work on for the next 7 days. During this time, I will  periodically send updates of designs virtually. After a week has passed, I attend the weekly Wednesday meeting to provide the final designs and proceed to discuss the upcoming week's plan of action.

I found this position through their website over my winter break. They posted that they needed interns, especially a design intern, and I decided to apply. I emailed the director and set up a time to come into their main building for an interview. The interview process was very smooth and I had the chance to provide my graphic design portfolio. 

LinkedIn or other social media

What I enjoy most about this position is the experience to practice professional skills and receive helpful feedback. I have had to take a lot of initiative in-order to schedule meetings, set personal deadlines and develop new creative ideas. Overall, this internship is a nice glance into what I will be doing with my degree in the future.

The biggest impact I've made through this experience is helping engage my community with my designs. The Historical Society of Harford County works to preserve records and artifacts and serves as a way for Harford County residents to learn more about local history. My designs help spread exposure of our resources to members of the community.

My advice for students seeking internships is to be proactive. Do research on what places nearby might need the help of an intern. Sometimes there will be a place on a company's website about open positions. LinkedIn, Handshake and the Career Center are great tools as well. Overall, do some digging to find an opportunity that is right for you.

The Career Center has been a huge help with setting foundational guidelines to get the most out of your internship. Don't be afraid to reach out to the Career Center and the additional resources UMBC has to offer.