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Student Comments and Advice
Katia Evans '99, Biochemistry major
As job and graduate school placements become more competitive, it is a good idea to have more marketable traits than just grades and classes. I have been doing internships since high school. It is very important to do an internship for two reasons. One, if you know what you want to do in
the future, then an internship would help you increase your skill level in that particular discipline. Two, if you don't know exactly what type of career you want to choose, then an internship will allow you to explore many options.
As far as advice, start looking early in second if you have not done so already. Many placements have deadlines before March. Talk to upperclassmen...we've been through the process and may have contact at different places. Use every source, especially the internet. Many interships offer downloadable and electronic applications. Good luck!
Amity Gann '99, Biochemistry major
Before I did my internships I had no idea what I wanted to do. I was interested in everything! I like chemistry. I like biology. So, what can I do with that? I asked myself. As I found out from my internships, a lot. I applied for a variety of internships, from genetics lab work to teaching to cell biology. In the end, I found that internships won't only tell you what you like to do, but also what you don't like to do. And it is equally important to know both!
My work lead me to realize I think more like a biochemist than a geneticist. And then over the summer my last internship made me realize exactly what I wanted to do for grad school! I would never have thought I would have had such a clear idea as to what I would want to do, not even nine months ago!
As for how to find an internship, this is as unique as the person looking. I tried the CDC, but it didn't help *me*. So I went through the biology, chemistry and biochemistry internship listings and found internships that not only offered interesting programs, but paid me enough
to survive for the time I would be away.
Primarily, however, I looked at the types of research, and asked myself if this sounded like something I would want to do. This was a great process for me, especially when I later used it to choose grad school programs to apply to!
In the end, I learned a lot of valuable lessons. First, I learned what fields are right for me. Second, I not only learned to be independent, but also believe in asking for help. I had learn to be willing to ask questions, even if I was afraid of looking "stupid." You only look stupid if you don't know what you are doing! Third, I learned to believe in myself. If anything, that was the most important lesson I could learn! I hope students find this helpful. Internships aren't so much what they have to offer you, but what you have to offer them and yourself!
Beth Pierz '99, Chemistry major
Before sending out the internship applications remember not to dwell on the five rejection letters, but praise the one acceptance. Many of the schools sign on their own undergraduates and only have 2-3 openings for students from other schools (while others have all openings for outside students-SEB). Discouragement is not an attribute during this process! Another hint of advice is to work at a graduate institution if you are interested in pursuing the graduate path. It is also important that things happen for the right reason! Internships help you to explore other fields of chemistry. For the past two summers I have participated in research. First at Colgate University for an Organic professor and this past summer at the University of Vermont in Burlington for an Analytical chemist. This has furthered my interest in Analytical Chemistry and I will be continuing my education to earn a PhD. My summer internships have helped me appreciate chemistry at a different level.
Jean Manes '99, Chemistry major
My most successful search was done over the internet. I went to different university sites and checked for internships. I had a great time with my last one. It was in CA (Harvey Mudd College). My research is in the process of being published and I got to travel cross-country!
They also helped me with my travel expenses and housed me at the school. I highly recommend internships because they are quite different than working at school in a lab class. You get more hands-on and thought provoking experiences. You also get to see what other people are researching and why. You also never know who you might meet and how userful they might be in a job search later on.
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