Name: Bradley Ingram
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Burson-Marsteller
Position Title: Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s):Political Science and Media and Communications Studies
Work Term:Summer 2017
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
I am working with the leading global public relations firm, Burson-Marsteller, as a participant in their Harold Burson Summer Internship (HBSI) program. I am specifically working with their firm's grassroots communication subsidiary firm, Direct Impact, who supports clients with localized public relations interests across the country. My work really varied, but usually included tracking media postings, preparing briefings, and coordinating national events with our regional field teams. The HBSI program also provided training opportunities to learn more about the public relations industry and the firm's varying practices, so I got to sit in on a lot of trainings.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I attended a job and networking training through my fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi, at our annual officer leadership training. There I met a former participant of the Harold Burson Summer Internship (HBSI) program who told me more about the application process. I then visited their website and applied online. Human Resources contacted me and set up several interviews. I actually submitted my application in late January.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
The positive office culture and the support I have gotten from co-workers to give me a stronger understanding of the public relations industry and the work done by a global public relations agency. Everyone was very open to talk and grab coffee so I could ask them for advice. A unique part of the Harold Burson Summer Internship is that I was assigned a mentor who was a junior-level associate who I worked closely with on all my projects, which really helped me get more comfortable with the office and work.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I have learned that the public relations industry is fast-paced and with many clients needing help at the same time. I believe I have been able to support co-workers by taking on client work and doing my best to be current on the industry to ensure timely and polished products for clients.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Talk to professors and students in your field of study.
Get involved with student organizations as they are a great resource to meet other students pursuing professional work and they give you experience in working with a team.
Don’t hesitate, just apply! Do not think that you are not ready for a position. I did not think I would get this internship, but I presented myself well and just went for it.
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As a tour guide, I always mention on my tours that one of the things that makes UMBC “an honors university” is our emphasis on undergraduate research. I take my tour group up the stairs on the pond side of Meyerhoff so they can see into the big windows and witness first-hand our students conducting important research. No matter what you guys are actually doing in those labs, it looks pretty impressive. I stress that UMBC makes the opportunity of research accessible to all students, in all disciplines. You can get class credit for it, or even get paid to do it! If you’re not sure how to join a research group, or not even sure you want to do research at all, allow me to share some of my personal experiences.
I’ve had two undergraduate research positions, and my first one I actually gained as a second-semester freshman in the linguistics department. At that point, was a linguistics major, and my academic advisor actually offered me the position during one of our meetings. I will say that my experience in that research group helped me figure out what I DON’T want to do. It was actually a great project, I just didn’t feel like it really aligned with my future goals. And honestly, I consider it a great step forward in my personal development, because figuring out what you don’t like is just as important as what finding what you do like!
Now as a psychology major, I have a new research position in the psychology department. You wanna know how I got that one? I looked through the faculty directory of the psychology department, and sent out a bunch of emails asking to join their team. And it worked! The lesson is: you have to go out there and find research, don’t expect it to come to you. I guarantee plenty of professors in your department are doing research, and if you show that kind of initiative and proactivity, they’ll want to have you. Still not convinced about how research can be helpful? Check out this article that actually features a student from Gaithersburg, Maryland!
Maybe you think that you don’t need to do research because you have no plans of doing research after college. I’m in the same boat. I want to use my degree to serve people directly, not work in a lab! But I know that in order to do what I want, I need to get into graduate school, and my application won’t make the cut unless I have some kind of research under my belt. On the other hand, maybe you’re super against the idea of research, but once you try it you find that you love it! Any experience is good experience, so you shouldn't immediately rule out the idea of research because you think it’s not for you.
The HACU National Internship Program (HNIP) has been a premier
student program for 25 years promoting diversity in the federal and
corporate workforce. We seek the best and brightest from across
disciplines to fill hundreds of internship opportunities per year. Gain
work experience, acquire new skills, and grow your professional network!
Federal and corporate internships are available in the nation's capital
and across the U.S. Be part of the more than 12,000 former interns who
have taken on the challenge and used their internships to launch their
professional careers.
In 2017, HNIP provided 457 internships: of those, 438 were with federal agencies while the remaining 19 were corporate.
Name:Michael Ogunsanya
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: GE Aviation
Position Title: Infra Engineering Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s):Mechanical Engineering
Work Term:Summer 2017
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
I was involved in two projects. For my first assignment, I was involved in a new tracking system the site is still implementing. As airplane composites are built, they must enter and exit through certain stations. MRAS purchased Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to attach to each piece, as well as sensors monitored all across the plant. With the information recorded to a database, my responsibility in the project was to analyzes their creation cycles and locations. In doing so, I was able to save the company hundreds of thousands of dollars by integrating better transporting routes, as well as informing Senior Manufacturing Engineers of airplane parts that were soon going to expire. Also, I was key in making the tracking program more useful for processes outside of just tracking airplane pieces.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
Fall 2016 Career Fair. I spoke with a senior engineer from Cincinnati who scheduled an interview between us and less than a month later, I was accepted.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
Everyday I come in, I have the choice of sitting at my desk, with software capable of revolutionizing the air industry, or, I could walk a few yards to the shop floor and see how all this hard work is enacted with 10+ feet airplane parts.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
With my work ethic and willingness to help, I saved hours of research and critical thinking that other engineers would have to figure out when completing each of my two projects. I also made contributions towards a $1.9 million tool cleaning proposal, which is now currently being integrated into the site’s everyday operations.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Don't be shy. As an engineer, you're supposed to pursue and advocate for excellence through design, manufacturing, and the overall community. Also, there's nothing you will be given that is "too hard". UMBC prepares you well for when a daunting task is given, but you know putting in the extra effort will result in success.
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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!
Well, the Career Fair has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean all hopes of getting a job or internship are lost! There are still plenty of opportunities for on-campus interviews and various networking events, so make sure you check out our calendar of events for October. Next week, there is an event being held to give students tips on how to use their social media accounts to their advantage when looking for a job. I’m sure you’ve all heard about the dangers of social media, especially in the context of applying for a job. But social media can also be extremely helpful in getting a job! How? I’m glad you asked.
Networking is a big scary word. A lot of us don’t know how to effectively network, but everybody says that it’s crucial for entering the workforce. People underestimate the use of social media in this endeavor, and the most underestimated social media site, in this case, is LinkedIn. So many college students don’t even have a LinkedIn account, but any employer will tell you that it’s the best way to network and communicate professionally. Here’s a little secret: your boss does not want to be friends on Facebook, and they DEFINITELY don’t want to see what’s on your Snapchat story. If you want to have a social media connection with professional colleagues, LinkedIn is the place to go. Here are some great ways to use LinkedIn:
You can search for jobs in your area and connect directly with employers through the site
You can put your LinkedIn URL on your resume so that employers can go directly to your page and see what you’re capable of
There is a UMBC Alumni-Student Networking group on LinkedIn where you can connect with UMBC Alumni and talk to them about their current jobs and their journey. This would be a great way to set up an informational interview with someone in your desired field!
If you need tips on how to set up your LinkedIn account, or how to make your existing account really shine, check out the Career Center’s page about LinkedIn for a step-by-step guide to properly advertising all of your skills and experience. If you want to learn all the special tips and tricks, you should attend the Keys to Success workshop specifically about how to use LinkedIn to your advantage, led by a UMBC Alumni who now owns a consulting group. Come to this lunch-time session hosted by Mike Shelah '95 to learn invaluable career management techniques that can lead to job offers, help you to to make connections, uncover job openings and get referrals. You will also learn the ins and outs of using LinkedIn. The event will be held in Commons 331 on Monday, October 9th at noon.
The Careers in Student Affairs conference is a one-day conference aimed at providing undergraduate, graduate and new professionals an opportunity to explore careers within the field and get connected to other professionals in the region.
The NASPA Region II Careers in Student Affairs Conference (CSAC) Committee invites you to join us in at the University at Albany, Morgan State University and The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) on Friday, October 6, 2017, to learn, to network, and be inspired.
Registration details can be found here.
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