Name: Kara Seidel

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Johns Hopkins Center for Learning and Health

Position Title: Trainee

Major(s)/Minor(s): Psychology / American Studies

Work Term: Fall 2016

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

Working as a trainee, I am directly involved in two NIH-funded projects. The first one deals with drug addiction and unemployment, and the second project deals with HIV education. Both projects use the therapeutic workplace, which require participants to come into the clinic everyday. Within both of these, I directly administer intake assessments including, but not limited to, informed consent, ASI-lite, Beck Depression Inventory, Wide-Range Achieving Test, and Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults.

In addition to administering these assessments, I have also learned how to score them appropriately. Beyond assessments, I also administer and communicate privacy practices, HIPAA forms, demographic information sheets, as well as determine if a person meets inclusionary and/or exclusionary criteria. Throughout these tasks, I use Qualtrics programming and registration software. I also interact with clinicians, as well as the research coordinators and Principal Investigator.

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

I found my internship through UMBCWorks. I applied, then I received an email about coming in to interview.

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

My favorite part of this position is the pace. I had to learn everything quickly and hands-on within my first week of being there, and that's exactly what I love! Some days are slower than others, but most days are fast-paced. Working with this population, I am learning that I can never be ready for what situations may arise. Everything that I have learned in my classes relates to what I do at Hopkins, and vice versa. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to learn about the integration of research, IRB, working in a clinical setting, and lab procedures in this one position.

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

Working as a trainee continually challenges me to learn how to take initiative and prepare for the unexpected situations. Some clients are going on job interviews, so I am going to be running an interviewing skills and professional dress workshop next week. These little opportunities make such an impact on at least one's person's progress, whether it is my personal progress, those of the coworkers, or the success of the participants.

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

Do not be afraid to take advantage of the resources available to you. I applied to this internship through UMBCWorks because I think it is important to go for positions that are different from your previous experiences, and I was really struggling in finding summer opportunities. I was looking for an experience to help me transition closer to my field of interest and when I saw this position, I figured I would try and go for it just to learn about the process of interviewing for clinical and research settings. I think that a lot of people take for granted how draining it can be to go through the whole application process, especially if you have not done it in a while.Take every experience, good or bad, as a learning opportunity.

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Want to be the next Intern of the Week? Make sure to fill out this form and stay tuned. New interns are announced every Friday!

Integra LifeSciences is coming to UMBC to interview students for multiple summer internships in Finance, IT, Marketing, Product Development and Engineering.  Housing is provided. 

To be considered, please submit your resume via UMBCworks to position 9287877 by this Sunday.  A 3.2 GPA or above is required.  Full intern descriptions are posted in UMBCworks.

The Internship program is designed to help you start a rewarding career in the medical device industry.  Our program allows for bright, talented individuals to develop through high-quality work assignments in Finance, Information Technology, Marketing, Product Development, and Global Operations. Located at our corporate headquarters in Plainsboro, NJ.  Housing is provided for the summer.

Finance Intern:
The Finance Intern will develop an understanding of investment management, equity markets, peer benchmarking and revenue forecasting by working with Integra’s Investor Relations and Corporate Analytics group.  Learn the importance of predictive modeling, financial measures, and corporate strategy in communications with internal and external audiences.

Information Technology Intern:
The Information Technology Intern will report to the Help Desk Supervisor or IT Operations Manager and will provide first level support to Integra’s end users and support IT operations in an intern capacity.  Troubleshoot hardware, software and perform other duties noted below and assigned by the IT Manager.

Global Operations Intern- Engineering:
The Global Operations Intern will be directly involved in the processes to manufacturing life- saving products, performing all required duties in compliance with company policies and procedures, U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations, ISO 9001 and 13485, the Canadian Medical Device Conformity Assessment System (CMDCAS), the Medical Device Directive, and other applicable regulatory agencies.
•    Undergraduate majoring in Biomedical Engineering or life sciences, Mechanical, Chemical or Industrial Engineering (biology, chemistry, etc.)
•    Minimum GPA of 3.2

Global Neuro Critical Care Marketing Intern:
Global Neuro Critical Care Marketing Intern will report to the Senior Product Manager – Global Neuro Critical Care and will work on the marketing plan for two new global product development projects. These two new development products are new platform systems that would address un-served global markets and increase Integra’s global leadership position in intracranial pressure monitoring. The intern would work closely with the Senior Product manager in capturing global customer feedback and building an initial 5 year business plan.

Specialty Surgical Solutions Commercial Operations Intern:
Integra is looking for an intern to prepare Analytics, Business Reviews and Sales Support requirements for Integra LifeSciences Corporation Specialty Surgical Solutions Commercial Operations Department so that each efficiently achieves established goals.  The successful candidate is responsible for but is not limited to developing sales revenue reporting and analysis, GPO and Contract Compliance, Incentive compensation reporting and assessment, and assisting with QC and standardized reporting.  Provide ad hoc analysis and reporting for national and sub national level as requested

Orthopedic and Tissue Technologies Marketing Intern:
Integra is looking for an intern to support Integra LifeScience’s Orthopedic and Tissue Technologies (OTT) Marketing team.  This position will report to the Senior Global Product Manager, Regenerative Technologies and assist with the development of marketing plans for our global product portfolio.  Integra is a market leader in regenerative medicine.  We have the only product FDA approved for 3rd degree burns and complementary technologies for wound, nerve and tendon repair.  These marketing plans will address new product launches as well as under penetrated global markets and outline a plan to increase Integra’s overall global leadership position.  The tasks below are representative examples of the types of work the intern may experience.

Some URI Spring semester internships still available; positions open until filled

URI Internships with the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks and the Parks & People Foundation

PROJECTS WITH THE BALTIMORE CITY DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION ANDPARKS

Pigtown Main Street seeks a veteran to serve as a part-time Communications and Special Events Coordinator, through The Mission Continues Fellowship.  The position is a six-month assignment: from April to October 2017.  Pay is $11.53-$13.46 per hour.

Pigtown Main Street is a 501c3 community development nonprofit organization in Pigtown, a low-to-moderate income neighborhood of Southwest Baltimore.  Our mission is to revitalize the Washington Boulevard commercial corridor, Pigtown’s main business artery.  We believe that all great neighborhoods have thriving business districts. These locally-owned restaurants, shops and nightlife create jobs for the local community and memorable places that improve quality of life and support property values for surrounding residents.  We are an accredited member of the National Main Street Center and a founding member of Baltimore Main Streets.

Responsibilities:

·        Provide administrative and logistical support to the organization’s street festivals and community events.

·        Manage the organization’s social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Nextdoor.

·        Produce e-mail newsletters.

·        Promote local businesses and events to print, radio, tv and online media outlets.

·        Attend and prepare minutes at committee meetings.

·        Assist with various other marketing and promotional activities, as needed.

Qualifications:

·        Applicants must be strong writers.  Experience in any of the above areas is a plus.

This position is offered through The Mission Continues Fellowship.  Applicants must meet the following criteria:

·        Honorably discharged veterans having served a minimum of 24 months (total) after September 11, 2001, are eligible to apply. Applications with less than 24 months of service will be considered if serious injury and or extenuating circumstances prevented further service. Various characters of discharge will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

·        Veterans applying for fellowship must have completed all military obligation and no longer serving with the National Guard or Reserve. Veterans on terminal leave or part of the IRR/ING may apply.

·        All applicants will be subject to a background check as part of the application process. Individual circumstances will be discussed on a case-by-case basis. Host organizations may also require their own background screening as a condition of service.

For more information about The Mission Continues Fellowship, please visit missioncontinues.org/fellowships/

To apply, see UMBCworks post 9287982

 A blog reflection by Women’s Center student staff member Shira Devorah

So I really love to talk about sex. It’s probably my favorite topic ever. I used to work for peer health education and with the sexual health committee at UHS here on campus. I’m considering becoming a therapist focusing on sex and relationships within the LGBTQ community.

I’ve always considered myself to be sex positive. But now I’m worried that identifying as such can be problematic.

Sex positivity, in a really bare-bones sense, is a movement that unpacks our taboo notions of sexuality and embraces and promotes human sexuality and personal exploration. There is a huge emphasis on safer sex and informed consent, encouraging respect for people’s personal preferences and boundaries.

I’m definitely here for all of this.

But what are the limitations of this movement?

At surface level, sex positivity is a really cool thing. I feel confident discussing birth control options and my needs with friends and partners. Sex positivity has really allowed me to open myself up as a person and not deny my interest and care about this subject. The fact that this movement exists means that I can one day work in a field devoted to improving sex lives for LGBTQ people.

But sometimes I wonder if I really want to call myself sex positive anymore. Is being sex positive actually accessible to other people? 

Although in theory sex positivity creates space for all people to explore their sexuality, in reality these conversations are not always accessible for everyone. There are many reasons sex positivity isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, even though it may be mine.

It’s difficult for women to be open about sexuality without some sort of pushback, and it can be especially challenging for women of color.

There are a lot of negative stereotypes surrounding women who choose to reclaim their own sexuality through sex positivity. First off, women who identify as sex positive often get sex shamed for their openness discussing these taboo topics. People tend to make a lot of assumptions about women who are open with their sexuality – that we’re ‘slutty’, interested in casual sex, unfeminine, or the object of male desire. These looming misconceptions may turn women off to the idea of being sex positive.

Although I may encounter some of these problematic assumptions, because I’m a white woman(ish) I’m not ever racially stereotyped based on my openness with sexual topics, which can be a reality for many people of color.

Many women of color are fetishized based on their race, and so they may feel more conflicted about associating with this term. For example, black women are often stereotyped as hypersexual, while Asian women are stereotyped as submissive sex objects. Since women of color are often already sexualized in troubling ways, sex positivity might make women of color feel more ostracized. Franchesca Ramsey has a really great video on sexual and dating racism you should check out here.

Feminista Jones from her website, feministajones.com

Some activists, like Feminista Jones, a Black feminist sex positive blogger, have helped counteract this narrative within sex positive circles. Jones has  written about subverting the idea that Black women are hypersexual. In her piece “From Slavery to Sexual Freedom,” Jones discusses embracing Black female sexuality is an act of defiance against the fetishization of women of color. This is one example of how sex positivity can be reclaimed as an intersectional term – but this still doesn’t solve the systemic issue of racial sexualization.

On a different note, I’m also mindful about potentially alienating asexual people and survivors of sexual violence. Sure, I absolutely love being an open book when it comes to sex and sexuality. This means that I talk a lot about sexuality in a variety of different ways; I feel comfortable discussing the educational aspects of sexuality, like teaching people about consent or how to use contraceptives.

Still, I sometimes find myself  discussing less ‘academic’ aspects of human sexuality. I am comfortable with pretty personal conversations, but a lot of people may not be. Some people may even be triggered by these conversations.

Of course, there is a vast difference between discussing safe sex and talking explicitly about sex with friends. Still, the line between informative sexual discussions and casual and potentially invasive discussions may be difficult to draw – especially if you’re like me and never stop the conversation. For close friends, I have a better understanding of what their boundaries are, and know what is and is not appropriate to say. These kinds of discussions are very different than those concerning contraception, which can be appropriate based on who is having this conversation, which spaces they are taking place in. In spaces that are more public, it is possible that people may overhear and be triggered by my discussions. Sometimes conversations that aren’t sexually explicit may still be troubling to some individuals. I need to stay tuned to the needs of all people who may be present.

I don’t know everyone’s stories, and it’s not my business to know their trauma or identity. It is, however, my business to be courteous and kind – and my loud, boisterous chats about contraception might not be as enjoyable to someone else as it is to me.

So how can I problematize sex positivity while continuing to associate with the movement?

I think I need to re-define what sex positivity is to me. It is all that I have grown accustomed to, but so much more. My kind of sex positivity is an inclusive one, accessible to all bodies. My sex positivity is open and honest, but should not be loud nor in-your-face. My sex positivity reclaims sexuality, but understands how sexuality can be misused and feed into rape culture and patriarchy. Most importantly, my sex positivity is my own, and I do not have have to expect other people to see things the way that I do. It does not make them any less of a feminist to feel uncomfortable with sex positivity, it just makes their lens different.

art by Ronnie Ritchie, for everyday feminism

I would really love to reconcile with the term “sex positive” while being mindful that this identifier is not always accessible, realistic, or even as positive as the title claims.

I must be critical of the limitations of being sex positive. I want to expand my awareness for who is included and who gets left out of this narrative. My sex positivity needs to include all bodies, all genders, and all sexualities. In order to reconcile with my own sex positivity, I must remember that it is not the one right way to be a feminist.