Name:  Sushruta Shetty

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site:  Maryland Department of Health

Position Title: Data Engineer 

Major or Program: Data Science

Current Class Level:  Master's Student

Work Term: Spring 2023  

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities. 

 Currently, I have been assigned to work on various Maryland Datasets including violent crime dataset in Maryland from 1975 - 2020 to State Loans and Grant Dataset.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application? 

 I saw an open position for this role on Handshake and applied for it. Within 2 weeks of applying I received an interview call.

Which of the following resources did you use to find your current experience? 

 UMBC Career Center, Career Fairs, HandShake

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

 I enjoy the creative space that is provided to interns. We are not pinned down to certain daily tasks rather are encouraged to get our hands-on various technologies that can be implemented while we work on datasets.

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

 My work comprises of exploring Maryland public data, such analysis help understand trends that happen within the state (or a county). These observations help Government build policies and implement services that are to the advantage of public. So I am indirectly trying to make life easier for Marylanders :)

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

 Do not lose hope, keep applying, take your chance; best things are right around the corner!

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.

This position has helped me get my hands dirty with vast forms of data. Implement all my learnings and earn transcript recognition at the same time. 

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As a second-year grad student in the Public Policy department at UMBC, I remember clearly applying to grad school and all of the anxieties that came with it. It doesn’t have to be so scary. With a little confidence in yourself and plenty of preparation, you can make applying to grad school as stress-free as possible. In addition to this blog post, consider going to the Grad School 101 workshop the Career Center is hosting on October 17th in the Skylight lounge from 4 pm to 8 pm. You must register to get in, but it is a free conference for all UMBC students that are considering applying for grad school. More information here. Also, we have a graduate school guide available on our website!

The first step in applying to grad school is to do your research. What kind of school are you looking for? Do you need to take standardized tests beforehand? If so, which tests? Looking for the right grad school is very similar to looking for your undergrad. What programs are you interested in, is the school the right environment for you, are they nearby or will you need to relocate? These are the questions you should ask yourself when looking for your school. Once you’ve found your school, familiarize yourself with the required documents and applications that the school asks for. 

For example, when I was applying to grad school through UMBC’s BA/MPP Accelerated Learning program, I didn’t need to take standardized tests to apply. Medical schools, however, will likely require the MCAT. So, knowing what you need to start is the most important first step. Make a list! Don’t scramble at the last minute to gather everything you need. You should also consider reaching out to the faculty and staff in your program of choice, ask for information, scout for a potential mentor you can connect with, and become informed of how the program is run.

The next step is to consider your letters of recommendation. Choose the mentors and faculty that you feel will give you a good recommendation and connect with them at least a year in advance. Discuss your school choices and programs with them. Be sure to bring a copy of your unofficial transcript and your resume to these meetings. Take advantage of the Career Center to polish that resume! If they agree to write a recommendation letter for you, give them the due dates that their letters should be mailed or emailed by and to whom they are sending them. Be sure to send a reminder a few days before and always follow up with a thank you letter!

When it’s time to apply, prepare for, and take your standardized tests with plenty of time to take them over again. Gather your resume, official transcripts, and personal statement (the Career Center helps with those too!), fill out any online applications and finalize your application. Be sure to stay consistent, use the same legal name on all documents, triple-check for errors, and be knowledgeable of where you’re sending your applications.

Finally, take the leap. Send your documents, test scores, and completed applications to the schools you’ve chosen. With all of the preparation and hard work you’ve put in, you’re sure to get in!

Are you a freshman? Do you want to get your Masters or Ph.D.? Are you looking for a summer job in your field? Do you want to go into academia? If the answer to any of these questions is yes (or even if it isn’t), you should consider applying for research programs over this summer! I did one between my freshman and sophomore year. It was an amazing opportunity. I got to make professional connections in my field, work under a mentor on one specialized project, and explore possible career paths. It’s a lot of fun and a great alternative to the more traditional industry internship.

So, what are summer research programs?

They are typically 12 weeks, starting in late May and ending in early August. You live on site and work every day on your own project. At the end of the summer, you present your research to your peers and other professionals! By the end of the summer, you’ve learned an incredibly specialized skill (mine was virtual reality in a web browser), and have a great experience and project to add to your resume.

But Emily, you might ask, this sounds very STEM-y. And you’re right; there are a lot of STEM opportunities (like this one, where you research space robotics). But there are also a wide range of non-stem positions to explore. Maybe you can study behavior at College Park. Maybe you want to study population health at Brown. There are so many choices; don’t discount research just because you don’t think there are options available for you.

If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably at least a little interested. So what now? As a rule of thumb, most research program applications open around now (what a coincidence) and close around February or March. That means you have all of winter break to work on your applications without having to sacrifice finals studying! When you’re looking to apply, be sure to check out the Office of Undergraduate Research website. They have a huge list of all available programs and a step by step guide to getting your first offer.

Finally, before you apply, be sure to stop by the Career Center to get your resume and personal statements reviewed! And once you land a research internship, be sure to make the most  of it (and add it to your UMBC transcript) by signing up for the Career Center's Intern Success Practicum. The Practicum is zero-credit, free of cost, and can often be paired with a for-credit internship or research course.

Good luck, and have a great Thanksgiving break.