April is only 2 weeks away, and that means it’s almost our favorite time of the year! April is Career Month here at the Career Center. Throughout April, the Career Center will be hosting a different event or workshop every single day of the month (excluding weekends)!

The purpose of Career Month is to explore what options are available to students in the professional world, while also expanding students’ perspectives by introducing them to environments or customs that they’re not used to. To learn more about what Career month is, click here.

I remember graduating from high school and thinking that coming to college meant I was stepping out into the real world. I still think that’s true, but only to an extent. From my work experience, I can say that I don’t think that college is anything like the real world. While it has provided me the technical knowledge to thrive, the reality of practicing a career requires you to go above and beyond what you learn in the classroom. This means actively trying to develop your professionalism, and that’s what Career Month is for!

Career Month isn’t just a month filled with workshops. The Career Center is also hosting a clothing closet, a full-on dining etiquette dinner, information sessions, and bringing employers on campus, among many other events!

One of my favorite events we’re hosting this year is an interactive panel discussion on the topic of being LGBTQ in the workplace (April 6, from 12-1). As a student, I sometimes think that we have to separate our personal lives from our professional lives, in the sense that anything that’s not remotely related to work shouldn’t be translated into our careers. Discussions like these have broadened my perspective, and have allowed me to understand that we should embrace what makes us diverse, in all aspects of life.

Career Month is comprised of three different types of events; networking, career exploration, and professional skill building. If you attend at least one of each type of event, you can earn Career Month Road Swag! Here’s a complete list of all of the events we are offering during the month.

There’s a wide variety of resources available to you during Career Month, especially. I strongly suggest that you take advantage of as many of them as you possibly can! Now is the time of year when applications for summer internships and positions are fast approaching. Attending these events can teach you how to market yourself and your experiences in the best way possible.

Name:Mary Aronne

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Position Title: Space Weather Forecasting Intern            

Major(s)/Minor(s): Environmental Science and Geography, B.S.

Describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.

I analyze space weather, which means I look at satellite data of the sun and watch for solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and other events that could lead to a geomagnetic storm at Earth or impact NASA robotic missions throughout the solar system. My day to day responsibilities include maintaining a log of events, communicating with other space weather analysts, analyzing data, and running simulations if needed. I also have a research project that I work on with my mentor relating to space weather, which I do in conjunction with my regular space weather analysis.

Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.

I found this position through the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative (OSSI). In addition, I completed an internship with the same group I am with now as a high school in the summer of 2012.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?

I enjoy being able to look at the Sun and observe what is happening on it in almost real time. It is exciting to be one of the first observers of an event, such as a big eruption on the Sun or the start of a geomagnetic storm at Earth.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

My work has an impact on NASA robotic missions throughout the solar system and at Earth, because we alert them to space weather activity.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

My advice is to apply early for an internship and get strong letters of recommendation that are relevant to the field you want to go into. Internships are competitive and there are often several rounds of the selection process.

Like the Career Center on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram

#UMBCintern

Want to be the next Intern of the Week? Make sure to fill out this form and stay tuned. New interns are announced every Friday!