How to Write a Personal Statement for Summer Research

The Purpose of a Personal Statement 

First Steps

The Basics

Experience in the Field

Your Proposed Contributions to the Program

When you have finished drafting your statement, ask yourself:

Some common mistakes to avoid:

CSEE’S Dr. Marc Olano, Director of the Computer Science Game Development Track and Co-director of the VANGOGH Lab, talked with the Baltimore Sun’s Scott Dance about fluctuations in the local video game industry.

In recent years, the local gaming industry has been subject to major upheavals, resulting in the closure of several well-known gaming companies. Fortunately, the local gaming industry finally seems to be on the uptick, with announcements of new titles from two studios. Firaxis released “Civilization: Beyond Earth” on October 24th, and the newly resurrected Big Huge Games will be launching “DomiNations” in 2015. These announcements signal a rebirth of sorts for the Maryland gaming industry.

The Baltimore Sun article can be found here.

Channel your ideas, passions, and interests into creating a research project!

You'll develop professional skills, relationships with peers and faculty, and a better resume'. You might even get an opportunity to travel and/or present your work!

Check out some of the things other students in your field have done and get involved today!

Also, there is a How To Get Started in Research Workshop  THIS FRIDAY, November 7, 2014 at 12 pm in SONDHEIM 103. Come out and learn more about becoming a student researcher!!!

Halloween was this Friday (as if you didn’t already know that– I know, I’m still recovering from my candy coma, too) and I’ve been doing a lot of self reflection on the past year. Most people do their reflecting in January at the start of the new year, but Halloween is my “new year.” I started my medical transition on October 31, 2013, so as Friday rolled around I began thinking about all the things that have happened and who I’ve become since last Halloween.

guhhh…This Halloween definitely paid for my dentist’s vacation.

I am so much happier than I was 18 months ago. I have a group of very dear friends who care about me. I have made my own family and my own home here in Baltimore, and my family’s house back in Frostburg feels much more welcoming. I feel joy again. I’m doing well in school. I feel validated in my work and I feel like I have the ability to make change not just at UMBC, but in the larger community.

If you had told me all of this before I went on testosterone, I would have said, “Wow! It’s amazing all the things testosterone can do for me!” Now, I’ve realized that the testosterone had nothing to do with it. It wasn’t some magical elixir like a Felix Felicis potion. It didn’t fix something that was broken. It didn’t give me friends or make people like me more. All of that was me. I did that.

“Bottled good fortune. Brewed correctly the drinker of this potion will be lucky in all their endeavors…” –J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

It’s amazing the things you can discover about who you are and what you’re capable of once you stop putting all your energy into hating yourself. Being on testosterone didn’t make me hate myself less– just like losing 20 pounds isn’t going to make your body image issues go away. It removed the thing I was using as an excuse for hating myself. It’s easy to say, “I’ll love myself once I’m on testosterone,” but I realized that self love doesn’t come in a 10mL vial. You can’t diet your way to self love, either. You have to work towards it and it’s hard, but it’s totally worth it.

What I’ve learned in the past twelve months is that I am worthy of my love unconditionally and let me tell you, that Halloween candy tastes so much sweeter now.

Name: Stephen Moore

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: GE Oil & Gas

Major(s)/Minor(s): Computer Engineering, Mathematics

Expected Graduation Year: May 2015

Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service-learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.

As an ITLP intern, I was tasked with managing my own goals for the summer. Examples include developing a new project methodology to use as a standard, contributing to staff meetings and developing new websites, applications and tools for the office.

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

My interview with General Electric was set up through UMBCworks. That single, in-depth interview was followed up immediately with an official offer.

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

UMBCworks

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

Working at GE has been a very diverse experience. I was entrusted with tasks that made a significant impact on the office I was involved with. Being able to gain real experience in project management and product development was a fantastic part of my internship.

What have you gained from your experience that you could not have gained from another opportunity?

The trust GE places in us interns was astounding. I was treated as a fellow manager instead of "The Intern." This unique atmosphere was something I have not experienced anywhere else. As such, it allowed me to gain experience working in a high-risk position with actual responsibilities - something that most internships do not offer.

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

If you are interested in joining the ITLP program, enter it with an open and inquisitive mind. There are no set tasks for you to perform, no standard job responsibilities to fulfill; this is a position wherein you define what you want to take away from GE.

Please provide a short quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / the internship placement process.

I received an email about an interview that I "may find interesting," and decided to follow up. That surprise interview turned into my most rewarding summer yet and changed my entire job outlook for when I graduate. So yeah, that was pretty cool.

Dustin Eby

Role at the UMBC Career Center: Graphic Design, Web Development, Photography, Data Management, Technology

 Q: Where have you earned your college degrees?

A: I got my B.S. in Digital Media from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA.

Q: What program(s) did you study? How did you choose your major?

A: Growing up I was always drawing, creating, and interested in figuring out how things worked. I took art class every year and two television production classes in high school.
I started my college career wanting to do 3D animation and special effects, but became much more interested in the graphic design and programming aspects of web design and user interface development.

Q: Tell me about the job and internship process when you were in college. Were you able to find job/internship positions that were related to your major or your career interests?

A: Drexel is a co-op school, so everyone had to do co-op to graduate. If your major was a 4-year program (like mine), your sophomore year consisted of 6-months classes and 6-months on co-op work experience, then junior year was a full year of class. I also took an internship position the summer between my freshman and sophomore year, which I found through a friend of my father's. (Networking is key.)

Q: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

A: "Never stop learning."

Since graduating from undergrad, I have kept my skills current by taking classes through UMBC, UMUC, and Teamtreehouse.com and attended D2WC (Designer, Developer and Workflow Conference) and edUi Conference.

Q: Why should students visit the Career Center?

A: I visited my Career Center in college only when I had to in order to get credit for my Co-op, but not when I was graduating and looking for a full-time job. That was a mistake. Looking back and knowing what I know now after having worked in the Career Center at UMBC for years, is that I should have started earlier to look for a post graduation job, and sought advice from the Career Center. I should have learned the art of networking, and learned to research companies coming to the Career Fair before attending.

Q: What is your favorite aspect about UMBC?

A: Coming from a university in a large city, I got the sense that everyone fended for themselves. When I started at UMBC, I was pleasantly surprised by how supportive the students were to each other - from holding doors open for someone, to making sure each other have safe transportation to and from social events, to random students offering to help me when I am outside replacing marketing posters in our poster holders.

And just about everyone I have met that works at UMBC has a real drive and commitment to student success, and the betterment of the University.

Q: What is one item on your bucket list?

A: Visit Hawaii.

Q: What is one aspect of the DC/Baltimore area that you often explore?

A: The various festivals that happen every year: Artscape, Fells Point Fun Festival, Maryland Renaissance Festival (www.rennfest.com), 34th St. Lights, etc.

Want to connect with Dustin or any of our great Career Center team? Call our office at 410-455-2216 or check out our contact us page here: http://careers.umbc.edu/aboutus/