Spring has finally sprung, and Career Month is in full swing! There have already been so many fantastic events, like IBM-UMBC Day, and the CAHSS Careers Conference. There is another upcoming event I’d especially like to highlight: Arts with a Purpose! This event is made just for our creative majors, including visual arts, graphic design, cinematic arts, film/video, theatre, dance, music, MCS, and INDS. If you fit these majors, come to this event to gain advice from professionals and get a chance to network with them!
UMBC has a strong undergraduate liberal arts foundation, but it’s no secret that there is a pretty strong STEM presence here. Biology is the largest department on campus, and it seems like employers are only looking for students with lab experience or tech experience. I understand that trying to pursue your passion in the arts can be disheartening at times, but here at the Career Center we want to ensure you that your career goals are valid and you will achieve them!
Arts with a Purpose is an event that Career Center has held for several years now, and it is not only a place to hear the stories of people who have succeeded in making a living creating things they are passionate about, it is also a great opportunity to network and make connections with those people. Personal networking is one of the best way to find jobs AND land jobs. This event will have 20 employers, including several offices here at UMBC looking to hire students in the arts. How can you best be prepared?
Make a 30-second commercial: this should be a clear and concise tool to communicate the skills you have and the goals for your future. Make sure you practice it so you can convey yourself with confidence!
Do some research on the employers: we have a full list of the employers attending, so check out who you might be interested in so that you go in with a game plan.
Have your resume and/or portfolio ready to go: Bring plenty of copies of your resume to give to employers, and you can even sign up for a 15-minute portfolio review! All students in relevant majors will be sent an email about the event that includes a sign-up for the portfolio reviews.
Be ready to listen: We are bringing in some great panelists that have endless advice to give, so make sure you are taking it all in - and take notes!
We want ALL students at UMBC to feel they have a chance at success, so this event is designed for all of our creative majors to have that chance. Keep a lookout for all the other great events happening this month as part of Career Month!
Name:Pravin Pande
Internship, Co-op or Research Site:Laureate International Universities
Position Title: ETL Software Engineer
Major(s)/Minor(s):Information Systems
Work Term:Spring 2018
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
I’ve been working at Laureate since June 2017 and it’s an amazing experience. I’ve learned niche technologies and expanded my professional network. The job responsibilities are exactly what I was looking for. We are working in Scaled Agile Framework(SAFe) which makes work more fun. I work closely with my colleagues and it gives me a sense of more responsibility. I've some amazing mentors and teammates who help each other and learn from each other. I've worked on various projects which include loading data from various source systems using SSIS and Informatica ETL tools. ETL (Extract, Transform & Load) is a process of extracting data from source systems, transforming it as per business requirements and loading it into various databases. We use Snowflake, MS SQL Server, Azure, Oracle and MySQL databases. We work in Agile environment so we plan work every two weeks and divide it in stories. Some of my daily responsibilities include:
- Creating mappings in Informatica Cloud to extract data from Oracle and load it into Snowflake DW. This is an ongoing project with interest from top management executives to build a global data warehouse and reporting suite for all the 70 universities owned by Laureate.
- Creating mappings in SSIS to load and transform ticketing system data from MySQL into MS SQL Server and Azure. Then building reporting on this data using Tableau. The aim is to keep all the teams informed about current ticket queue and track performance of various systems.
- Automating Cognos and Tableau access request process using MS Flow, Azure and MS Form cloud applications.
- Optimizing Informatica mappings using various optimization techniques such as Pushdown Optimization(PDO), buffer block size changes etc.
- Loading data from Banner to ODS using Oracle PL/SQL procedures. Modify and fix issues as and when needed.
- Working on tickets to fix issues in reports, data or jobs developed.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
Career fair in February 2017 was my starting point where I got in touch with Laureate recruiters. Then I applied online and was called for three interviews. I was consistently in touch with Beth Rudoy from Career Center to get my resume reviewed and learn some tips for interview. It's important to know what industry needs and plan to build your skills. I attended various workshops and seminars organized by Career Center to learn industry requirements for my profile. UMBC Connects is an amazing networking event and I strongly recommend everyone to attend it and talk to professionals.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
I enjoy work environment, freedom to think and act, people and technologies used at Laureate. It's fun to explore new technologies when you have enough time to think critically and build new and innovative solutions by your own. We are always appreciated and inspired to develop efficient & innovative solutions. This helped me in developing automated access approval process solution which will be implemented at global level. Agile approach is fun to work in.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I seek for feedback from my boss and colleagues which helps me in understanding about my work and progress. It also helps me in setting up priorities. I use Trello.com to keep track of my daily tasks. I engage with folks from different teams to learn and understand how we are helping each other. We work very closely as Agile methodology suggests doing so. We test each other’s work and appreciate if someone is doing something out of the box. Certificate of achievement which I received in August 2017, appreciation from my team and boss makes me believe that I’ve made an impact.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
I would suggest working on technologies/skills you love and build resume before applying. Learning a technology just because there are many job opportunities in the market won't help you. You should think about what you like doing and what not. Finding a right internship starts with knowing what you really want to do. Networking is extremely important and keeping in touch with people helps you a ton. Attending various events organized by Career Center should be the starting point for networking. Then start using LinkedIn and make sure your profile is updated.
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]]>What does it really mean when someone says, “study abroad changed my life?” Can a semester outside of the United States really make that much of an impact on your future self? We unpack this commonly heard statement below by highlighting some scenarios that show how study abroad can lay the foundation for important life skills:
Independence
You are studying abroad in Berlin, Germany, a city with a complex public transportation system (seriously, look at this map!). You’ve only been in country for a few days. You have a 9:00am class and live in a part of the city where few people speak English- the metro is your only option to get to campus on time, but you haven’t taken it yet. You haven’t even bought yourself a metro pass! Oh yeah, and in your rush to get ready, you’ve misplaced your guidebook of the city. What do you think you would do in this situation?
Adaptability
You are studying abroad in Bangkok, Thailand. You’ve never traveled outside of the U.S. and are a commuter student at UMBC, living at home. You’re very comfortable with your lifestyle and routine. Bangkok, on the other hand, is significantly different than your life at home. Since being in the country, you have been served rice for breakfast, you have a hand-held water sprayer in your bathroom shower, and you just can’t seem to find the kind of deodorant that you are used to using. How do you think you would react to these seemingly small, but nonetheless, differences from your home life in the U.S?
Cultural Competency
You are studying abroad in São Paulo, Brazil and staying with a host family close to campus. There is also an international student from France living with the family. A month into your stay, you are all sitting around the living room one night and a conversation forms between the French student and your host family regarding customs and traditions in Brazil versus France. Even though you’ve been thinking a lot about the cultural differences between Brazil and the U.S., you’ve been too timid to discuss them with your host family, because you’ve never had a conversation like this before with someone from a different cultural background. How do you think you’d approach this situation and what might you gain from having this type of conversation with your host family?
Independence, adaptability, and cultural competency are only a few examples of ways that study abroad can have a long lasting impact on a person.
It’s important to remember that studying abroad isn’t life-changing just because you went. In many ways, it’s what you do to carry your experiences and lessons-learned forward. For example, a person does not become culturally competent from one conversation- it takes multiple conversations and actions to develop this skill. It is an ongoing commitment to learning who you are and what your role in the world is meant to be. But study abroad is a great place to build this foundation.
If you’re starting to think study abroad might be in your future, we’ll end on three important tips to keep in mind as you consider whether or not study abroad is right for you:
UMBC’s Study Abroad Office: http://studyabroad.umbc.edu/
*In order to meet with a study abroad advisor, you must first attend a Study Abroad 101 Information Session*
These take place:
218 Administration Building
Mondays, 12-1pm
Thursdays, 3-4pm
Tips for Making Study Abroad Work for Any Major:
http://www.diversityabroad.com/study-abroad/articles/tips-for-making-study-abroad-work-for-any-major
]]>Should you have any questions, please write to us at <GAAC@umbc.edu>.
Happy filing!
The GSA/GAAC Team
STEM BUILD at UMBC is an undergraduate success initiative and research study at UMBC funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). UMBC is investigating ways to enhance the success and persistence of students who have the goal of pursuing baccalaureate degrees in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The STEM BUILD at UMBC Initiative is looking for Peer Mentors to assist with the a six-week summer internship program on the UMBC campus (June 11-July 20, 2018) for non-UMBC students from local community colleges and four-year institutions.
Position Description:
Minimum Qualifications:
Compensation: $10/hour (20 hours min/ 40 hours max)
Apply via UMBCworks Job ID: 9297332Deadline: Friday, April 30, 2018
Questions?: Email: Lucie Blauvelt at blauve@umbc.edu
]]>Who’s in your network these days? Sure, you have plenty of Instagram, Snapchat or Facebook friends-- but are you connected with professionals within your career field of interest? Networking and developing relationships with professionals are some the most effective ways of learning how to navigate your career path. Who knows -- someone in your professional network may have an opportunity for you to take your first or next career step!
Below are a few tips on how to go beyond your social network and make professional connections!
Tip 1: Ask everybody for advice, ideas, leads and referrals
You may gain a lot of insight just by listening to the fascinating and inspiring career stories from professionals in your field. Many professionals (new and seasoned) are happy to talk about their career pathways with aspiring professionals just like you! Politely asking them if they could share a little time with you in person (preferably); or via email –could open up the opportunity for you to discover key facts and details about someone who is “actually doing” the things you are considering doing in the future. Furthermore, they also might help you find “insider” opportunities for internships, part-time jobs or high-profile volunteering assignments.
Tip 2: Create a professional email and/or professional networking profile
LinkedInis a social network created primarily for building professional connections. Your profile serves as an interactive resume, where you can list your professional experience and educational credentials. You can join professional groups and search and apply for jobs. There are more than 51,800 UMBC alumni currently on LinkedIn! Sign up here: https://www.linkedin.com/
Tip 3: Start Connecting at UMBC!
Build Your Network - http://careers.umbc.edu/students/network/
The Career Centerhosts networking events and job fairs on a regular basis. Participate in informational interviews, Networking 101, LinkedIn 101 or join the UMBC-Alumni Student Networking Group on LinkedIn!
April is Career Month – http://careermonth.umbc.edu/
Are you ready for the Career Road Trip Challenge? This month, you can attend events/presentations, grab badges along the way, get connected to the rest of the world and explore professional options!
Shriver Center – http://shrivercenter.umbc.edu/
There are many career networking and professional mentorship opportunities which are available through the range of services, programs and initiatives sponsored by the Shriver Center – especially with respect to civic engagement and community based service delivery.
And Remember…
Follow up, follow up, and follow up (you get the point) – with your professional contacts! Whether it’s sending them an email every few months, or a message through Linked In, or placing a call to check in – it’s important to maintain all of the connections you make. They’ll be sure to come in handy when you are ready to make your next step!
Name:Olivia Soudry
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Lieber Institute for Brain Development
Position Title: Research Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s):Biology
Work Term:Summer 2017 to Spring 2018
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
I work at the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, and I am researching psychiatric diseases including Schizophrenia and Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome through stem cell research with induced pluripotent stem cells. I reprogram human fibroblast into induced pluripotent stem cells and then differentiate them into neurons. I am specifically interested in the development of neural progenitor cells. I also grow mouse embryonic fibroblasts to use for cell culture plates. On a day to day basis, I assess my cell cultures and decide whether to passage them, expand them, conduct molecular analysis, or to freeze them. The goal of my research is to understand how stem cells from patients with psychiatric disorders develop in comparison to stem cells from patients without these disorders.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
Two summers ago, I shadowed a psychiatrist at Hopkins. The experience went very well and he became a mentor for me. I mentioned that I was interested in research and he suggested I apply to work at Lieber. With his recommendation, I was able to submit an application and the stem cell group decided to take me on as an intern. The UMBC career center was also pivotal to my success by helping me tremendously improve my resume.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
The part that I have enjoyed the most about Lieber is the welcoming environment and the encouraging members of the lab. When I first started my internship, I knew almost nothing about cell culture. The scientists I work with were patient and supportive through my entire learning process. They continue to challenge me every day, and support me through my successes and my failures. This is the reason that I have learned so much in my time at the lab. I have loved working with a group of people who are always happy to teach, guide, and support me and everyone else in the lab. I have loved being a part of such an amazing team of scientists.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe I have made an impact in my work by joining a team and helping our team be successful. More importantly, I feel that I have found my niche in the lab. For example, I quickly grasped the skill of culturing mouse embryonic fibroblasts, which are essential for growing stem cells. By growing these cells for the lab, I have saved the lab money that can now be spent in new ways to improve our research.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
I would urge students seeking internships to seek environments with great people who are willing to teach. The best advice I got when looking for an internship was to ask "Who is the most fun mentor?" Thanks to this advice, I was paired with the most enthusiastic scientist in the lab. He is always happy to explain concepts and experiments to me, no matter how simple or complicated.
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