The Career Center has been an invaluable resource on my professional journey. The accessibility of drop-in sessions and the personalized meetings for resume reviews have been instrumental in my career development.

"Public health is an adventure between health for all and all for health." -Kerkar

Just showing up makes a bigger difference than you could imagine.

I have had an incredible experience working with the UMBC Career Fair. The staff members provide great insights about your application approach, fine tune your application documents like your resume and cover letter, help you prepare elevator pitch, and lastly help you ace the interview. I am glad that I got the right guidance and mentorship from the UMBC Career Center to find this role.

Participating in this internship process has shown me that I'm more capable than I initially thought. Being an intern pushed me to work hard and to further develop my craft. Being on the field like this, surrounded by amazing supervisors and my mentor, has further affirmed my desire to teach. I wouldn't have changed this experience for the world.

Name: Atharv Amit Abhyankar

Pronouns: He/Him

Semester of Internship: Summer 2023

Major: Engineering Management

Current Class Level: Master's Student

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

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): Maryland Technology Internship Program @UMBC Career Center

Location of the Organization (City, State): Catonsville, Maryland 

Title of position: MTIP Intern

I report directly to the Program Director for Workforce Development at UMBC's Career Center. My internship revolves around grasping the intricacies of managing the Maryland Technology Internship Program. I've been actively involved in recommending improvements to current workflows, employing data analytics to ensure accurate reporting between students and employers to the State of Maryland, and laying the groundwork for the Airtable Automation tool for future projects.

I found this position while exploring on-campus job opportunities on Handshake, discovering it in the final week of April. It immediately piqued my interest due to its alignment with my background and professional expertise, offering a valuable opportunity to refine my data analysis and process improvement skills. The job description provided a clear reference point for crafting my cover letter. I submitted my application on the same day I discovered the opening. Within a week, I received a response from the Program Director, leading to an interview and ultimately securing the position within another week.

Handshake

In my role as an MTIP intern, the most rewarding aspect has been gaining a comprehensive understanding of the entire process and witnessing the positive impact of the program on employers, students, UMBC, and the State of Maryland. The staff at UMBC Career Center, particularly my supervisor, have consistently provided unwavering support, guidance, and assistance throughout my internship and professional development. The exposure and values acquired have significantly contributed to my academic journey at UMBC and prepared me for future professional roles.

With the backing of my supervisor, I successfully formulated and presented to the UMBC Career Center team a functional framework outlining the migration of the entire MTIP workflow to Airtable. This proposed shift is expected to yield significant benefits, including time savings and the alleviation of laborious efforts associated with handling extensive data. In the current Fall term, I've made substantial progress in implementing this transition, leading to a more streamlined experience for everyone engaged in the MTIP process.

For those delving into on-campus, internship, or full-time opportunities, I strongly recommend maintaining an open, alert, and prepared mindset. Often, valuable resources like the Career Center's resume review, job postings on Handshake, and the MTIP website are overlooked. These channels, along with career fairs, can serve as unexpected gateways to potential opportunities.

My own experiences during the fall career fair at UMBC underscore the significance of staying receptive. As an international student seeking CPT/OPT accepting employers, the Career Center's career fair directory became an indispensable tool in creating a personalized list of prospective employers. This allowed me to systematically approach each employer on my list. Subsequently, I expanded my interactions to engage with other employers in my field, refining my elevator pitch and gaining insights into their organizations.

This proactive approach yielded tangible results as I secured two interview calls. One came from a prominent pharmaceutical company that actively welcomes international students, while the other, although typically not open to international candidates, made exceptions in my case.

Building upon the philosophy of 'Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water,' this mindset has been instrumental in fostering adaptability and a flexible approach to challenges. In the ever-evolving landscape of my internship, much like water taking the shape of its container, I've embraced a dynamic and open-minded perspective.

Through this internship, I've had the opportunity to expand my professional network significantly. The guidance provided by the Career Center staff has played a crucial role in overcoming my communications and confidence shortcomings. Their support has been transformative, enabling me to navigate not only the technical aspects of the internship but also the interpersonal and communication challenges that often accompany professional growth.

Name: Sylvie Downin

Pronouns: She/her

Semester of Internship: Fall 2023

Major: Geography & Environmental Systems 

Current Class Level: Junior

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

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): US Geological Survey through Virtual Student Federal Service 

Title of position: Student Intern

For the 2023-24 school year I am interning with the US Geological Survey through Virtual Student Federal Service.  I have been researching the ecology and geography of National Parks to be shown on the USGS website.  I just recently finished my first write-up on New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and am now beginning Catoctin Mountain Park.  Since the internship is completely virtual, I check in with a mentor every week, who guides me through the writing and research process. 

I had heard about VSFS through social media and applied over the summer to one of their internships.  There were so many to choose from-lots of opportunities! 

LinkedIn or other social media

I get to research the places I want to travel to and obtain college credit at the same time. 

I hope to educate folks on the little parts of National Parks that go unnoticed, like flora, fauna, rocks, minerals, etc. 

A virtual internship gives you great experiences while still allowing you to focus mainly on your school work.  Do not overlook a virtual internship just because it’s virtual.

I enjoy getting to work independently to produce information for the public.  Educating the public on the importance of our environment is vital. 

Name: Anurag Varshney

Pronouns: He/Him

Semester of Internship: Summer 2023 

Major: Engineering Management

Current Class Level: Master's Student

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

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): Baltimore Aircoil Company

Location of the Organization (City, State): Jessup, Maryland

Title of position: Product Engineering Intern

The way of working defines the future of the organization and with the pace of change in technology, this has become an imperative part of any organization. 

My role at BAC helped me deep dive into SharePoint document-sharing practices that can change the outlook of document-sharing practices across the organization. Collaborating with suppliers and protecting intellectual property is one of the major challenges organizations face. But, after a lot of user interviews and brainstorming, we focused on redefining the structure, refining the sharing practices, and preparing the work instructions. With 3 successful pilot sites and 3 additional sites, we ended the project with flying colors ahead of schedule. The name of the project, "Aurora," did justice to the dawn of a new way of working and collaboration amongst 14 engineering teams and 27 product teams.

Day to day activity: My usual day consisted of a lot of meetings to gather requirements and feedback from the users. Researching SharePoint best practices and prioritizing the needs and wants of the users following MoSCoW and other prioritization techniques comprised the rest of time.

I will break down the process of obtaining a position into 3 categories.

Resume Preparation: 

I started applying for summer internships in September 2022 one month after landing in the US but I started updating my resume in the first week here in the US. I got my resume reviewed by the UMBC Career Center, professionals in the industry, peers, and professors to get a good amount of feedback.

Lead Generation: 

Applied to 400+ roles and didn't hear back from any of the recruiters. No emails or interviews were bothering me a lot. I changed my strategy to mass applying to a focused approach by following a 5-step process:

1. Understanding the job requirements clearly (at least read it thrice)

2. Ensuring all the skills required are well catered in the resume 

3. Tailoring the resume accordingly

4. Networking: This is the key. I connected with recruiters, employees, and alumni to understand more about the role, and culture and asked to connect with relevant stakeholders.

5. Consistent Follow-up: This is the difference between average and excellent candidates. They keep on following unless they get some kind of answer.

Cracking Interviews: 

Keep your seat belt tightened because this is where the journey starts taking off. This is not something that could be learned in a single day or a week, this takes time. But two words that can make the difference are: environment and practice.

Stay connected with fellow colleagues who are applying for jobs and learn from each other. The tools, platforms, and opportunities keep on changing, but staying in the environment provides the motivation and guidance as and when required. 

Last but not least, keep practicing; tools like Big Interview provided by UMBC for free were the game changer in this whole journey.

UMBC Career Center, Career Fairs, Networking events (UMBC Connects, Info Sessions, Arts With a Purpose, etc.), Alumni Networking, Student Organizations/Scholar Groups, Faculty Connections, Handshake, LinkedIn or other social media

Cross-functional collaboration

Three teams started using the templates I created for them, and there were three additional teams looking forward to it. In product management, we discuss customer satisfaction, repeat customers, and conversion rates. I served three customers (internal teams) and there were four other teams asking for it. This shows the impact that was created in just three months of time. 

Research, practice, network. Just keep doing this and that's it. 

Consistency differentiates the average from the excellent. Just do it and keep doing it, believe in the process and fantastic results will be waiting for you.

Name: Anasia Mickle

Pronouns: she/her

Semester of Internship: Fall 2023

Major: Media and Communication Studies

Current Class Level: Senior

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

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): Super Purposes

Location of the Organization (City, State): Remote

Title of position: Social Media Marketer

I crafted and put into action social media strategies that boosted our brand's presence and got people talking.

I juggled various social media accounts, from coming up with content to planning posts and examining results. We amped up our followers and interactions on social media by tailoring our content, engaging with our community, and targeting specific audience groups.

I had a blast creating eye-catching  visuals, videos, and blog posts.

I used tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and other social media management platforms to keep tabs on how we were doing and share the scoop on our progress.

I stumbled upon the internship listing on Handshake during the summer, and it struck me that I needed an internship to fulfill my graduation requirements, so I decided to give it a shot and applied.

UMBC Career Center, Handshake

I've loved meeting fellow interns aiming for careers in marketing and discovering what it really takes to market yourself on social media.

I believe I played a crucial role in elevating Super Purposes' online presence, enhancing engagement, and fostering meaningful connections with their audience.

I loved the dynamic nature of my role; every day brought new challenges and opportunities for creativity, which kept me engaged and inspired throughout my internship.

Name: Jagadish Dammala

Semester of Internship: Summer 2023

Major: Cyber security

Current Class Level: Master's Student

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

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): Maryland Department Of Information and Technology

Location of the Organization (City, State): Crownsville, Maryland

Title of position: Cyber Operations Analyst Intern

Monitoring and Analysis: I closely monitored security alerts generated by the Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system. This involved reviewing logs and data to identify potential security threats.

Triage Analysis: I conducted triage analysis on these security alerts to determine their validity. It was important to distinguish between real security threats and false positives to ensure efficient resource allocation.

Collaboration: I worked closely with senior technicians and members of the security team to investigate and escalate potential security threats. Effective collaboration was crucial in responding to security incidents promptly.

Incident Response: I assisted in implementing containment, eradication, and recovery measures in the event of security incidents. This often required quick and decisive action to minimize the impact of security breaches.

Monitoring and Alert Response: In addition to SIEM, I also monitored and responded to events and alerts from various other security monitoring tools, ensuring a comprehensive approach to security.

I applied through Handshake and received an email from Mr. Donnie Green stating that my resume got shortlisted and scheduled an interview. I cleared the interview and received the offer.

UMBC Career Center, Handshake, LinkedIn or other social media

In my position within the organization, what I've enjoyed the most is the opportunity to actively contribute to the organization's cybersecurity efforts. Monitoring and analyzing security alerts provided a real sense of purpose as I worked to identify and address potential threats, and collaborating with experienced technicians allowed me to learn from seasoned professionals. The dynamic nature of incident response and the need for quick thinking and decisive action made each day engaging and intellectually stimulating. Additionally, the organization's commitment to continuous learning and professional growth in cybersecurity aligned perfectly with my own aspirations, fostering a supportive and growth-oriented work environment that I found highly rewarding.

Through my work, I believe I have made a significant impact by enhancing the organization's overall cybersecurity posture. By monitoring and analyzing security alerts, I helped identify and respond to potential threats promptly, reducing the risk of security breaches. My contributions to incident response and containment measures aided in minimizing the impact of security incidents, thereby safeguarding critical assets and data. Additionally, my involvement in updating incident response procedures and security documentation improved the organization's preparedness to handle future security challenges, leaving a lasting positive impact on its security resilience.

I would advise aspiring interns to be proactive and strategic in their search. Start early, research organizations that align with your interests and career goals, and tailor your applications to each position. Networking and attending career fairs can open doors to opportunities. During interviews, emphasize your enthusiasm for learning and your willingness to take on responsibilities. Once you secure an internship, approach it with a strong work ethic, open-mindedness, and a commitment to learning, as this will not only benefit your professional growth but also make a positive impression on your colleagues and supervisors.

While my internship provided valuable hands-on experience, what I liked most was the sense of purpose and contribution to a meaningful cause. It wasn't just about earning credits or a paycheck; it was about actively participating in the organization's cybersecurity efforts and working alongside dedicated professionals who were passionate about safeguarding digital assets and information.