Tag Archives: summer

Internship Highlight: Megan Job ’21, Assistant Researcher at William Montague Cobb Research Laboratory

Megan Job is on the far left.

Major: Neuroscience

Assistant Researcher at the William Montague Cobb Research Laboratory

“I think it is very important to introduce diversity in the various databases on the human genome. Many of the original genome projects centered on European-descended populations and this project is one of the first steps to unlocking questions like “Why are Black women 243% more likely to die in childbirth (compared to White women”? Or “Why are African Americans prone to hypertension, diabetes, etc.?”

How did you find your internship? Dr. Jeremy Ward.

What was your work like? One of the main projects I worked on was Petrous Bone Extraction of the bones in the William Cobb Collection. William Montague Cobb was the first African American to get an MD/PhD and went on to found a lab. He studied over 100 African Americans who died between the 1930s and 1960s and conducted autopsies on each of the individuals. My research included extracting over 200 petrous bones–a dense region on the side of the skull next to the ear canal–in order to sequence the DNA of the individuals who passed. After extracting the petrous bone, we found susceptibility genes for the diseases the individuals died from. Among the diseases were tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, and more. A lot of the diseases are still the main cause of death of Blacks today. After the DNA is sequenced, we cross matched their genes with the susceptibility genes to see if there were matches. In the future, we will be able to address the weaknesses that may or may not have to do with our genetic codes. Ideally, we will be able to have prenatal testing where we identify these genes and advocate a healthy lifestyle that will suppress the likelihood of these diseases manifesting and taking the lives of our people.

How did CCI help you find this opportunity? Funding, advising, moral support, EVERYTHING!

What advice do you have for Middlebury students looking for an internship? Think outside the box! Don’t think that the organized programs are the only internships you have available to you…there are countless others you can make up or find anywhere.

What was the most rewarding aspect of your work? Being surrounded by black scholars.

And to add to this question from Megan’s interview in the Cobb’s Corner News: Seeing people in positions of power in STEM that are Black is what I will cherish the most. Carter [Clinton, Assistant Curator] is a great example as well, with both of us being from Brooklyn. I’m reading a book by Elaine Welteroth called More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say) where she mentions that it is “important to leave signposts along the journey of success for those that come behind you.” I believe there will be another young girl like me who is obsessed with science like me but needs a role model to show her that women and people of color can succeed. I really want to be that guiding light just like this experience has illuminated my journey.

Did you have a mentor that helped you get to where you are today? If so, who? Jeremy Ward, Susan DeSimone, and much much much more.

You can read more about Megan’s internship in the Middlebury Newsroom and this WUSA9 news story.

Interested in getting help with summer internships? Come meet with one of the Peer Career Advisors (go/pcas) to learn more about how to search for internships, and how to apply for funding.

Are YOU interested in being in the Internship Highlights? Tell us about your internship experience here.

Internship Highlight: Nicky Johnson ’22, Legal Intern at United States Attorneys’ Office

Major: English and American Literature
Minor: Math and History

Legal Intern with the United States Attorneys’ Office in Boston, MA

“This past summer I had the opportunity to live in Boston and work at the United States Attorneys’ Office as a legal intern. During my time there, I was able to assist on many hot button cases in the Major Crimes and Civil Rights Units, conducting investigative research for the attorneys I worked under. I was able to hone my researching skills through the analysis of confidential evidence and government databases and by the end of the summer, was selected to do field research for the Civil Rights Unit. In addition to the valuable professional experience gained, I was also able to enjoy summer in the Seaport of Boston and explore all of the cool places and fun events that the city had to offer. “

How did you find your internship? I did some digging online and found the right person to email and the rest is history!

How did CCI help you find this opportunity? CCI was integral in my acceptance of this opportunity. As a native of New Jersey, I knew that I was going to need to have a pretty thought out budget that would allow me to have housing, transportation, and necessities in a completely different state many miles away. Through the funding process, the CCI requires you to write up a budget and think about all of the possible expenditures you would make in a summer. With a budget already complete, my summer felt a lot more structured and possible. Additionally, my internship was unpaid, so upon receiving the First Year Explore Grant from the CCI, I also felt that I would be able to enjoy my time in Boston instead of being stressed about my budget the whole summer.

What advice do you have for Middlebury students looking for an internship? I would say reach out to anyone and everyone. If you are interested in working in a particular place, all it takes is one email to create an opportunity that you might not have otherwise thought possible.

What was the most rewarding aspect of your work? The people I met this summer were what truly made my experience. I loved working with other college students from different institutions and getting to know who they are and how their college experience is similar or different to mine. I also happened to make one friend who I became really close with and spent a majority of my time off of work with (I will be visiting her at UMich and will be seeing her in Boston over winter break!). I also really appreciated the bonds that my mentors and I created. They really took the time to get to know me and even bring in my favorite food on several occasions. I am still in contact with them and hope to continue and expand my network through them as I continue down that particular career path.

What do you wish you knew before interning that you would like to share with Middlebury students? Don’t be nervous! Well… it’s hard to not be nervous at all, but try to remind yourself that you deserve to be there just like everyone else who is interning there. You made it through the interview process and they chose you, so be proud and arrive with confidence rather than timidity.

Interested in getting help with summer internships? Come meet with one of the Peer Career Advisors (go/pcas) to learn more about how to search for internships, and how to apply for funding.

Are YOU interested in being in the Internship Highlights? Tell us about your internship experience here.

Check Out These Summer Healthcare Opportunities!

Virginia Commonwealth University is Hosting Two Undergraduate Programs for Pre-Health Students

1. Summer Academic Enrichment Program

This 6-week residential program simulates the first year of Medical, Pharmacy, and Physical Therapy Schools with a rigorous schedule incorporating graduate-level classes, clinical experience, community service, fun, and preparation for your respective application season. This program is for Juniors, Seniors, and Post-Bacc students. The program is free to all accepted participants and includes the following incentives:

  • Stipend of $1500
  • Free Housing
  • Travel Reimbursement if needed

To apply please visit:  dhsd.vcu.edu/programs/college/…  

2. Allied Health Career Exploration

Many students are familiar with Medicine and Nursing, the Allied Health Career Exploration is to showcase those other parts that make up an interdisciplinary team. This two week program facilitates interactive experiences with the 9 schools  in VCU’s College of Health Professions including  Gerontology, Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Nurse Anesthesia, Patient Counseling, Rehab and Mental Health Counseling, Health Administration and Radiation Sciences! This program is for any college student or high school senior. The following incentives are offered:

  • Free Housing if needed
  • Modest Stipend

Please see promotional video here : AHCE Promotional Video  

Click here to apply: dhsd.vcu.edu/programs/college/…   

University of Tennessee Summer Undergraduate Research Education Experiences in the Environmental Health Sciences, Applications Open!

The University of Tennessee Summer Undergraduate Research Education Experiences in the Environmental Health Sciences provides students an opportunity to explore their interests in the environmental health-related aspects of biology, microbiology, and the biomedical sciences through hands-on summer research opportunities. Students will uniquely experience the breadth and depth of research that occurs at a major research […]

Summer Fellowship at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Application Deadline 1/31/20

The Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows Program is a highly selective summer institute for rising college juniors. The program (May 23 – July 4, 2020 ) offers unparalleled learning and networking opportunities at the home of America’s first president, located just outside our nation’s capital. Fully Funded Summer Leadership ProgramStudents spend six weeks living and learning […]

Internship Opportunity with ADEA Educational Pathways

The ADEA Educational Pathways department—the gateway to dental education—is looking for a 2019 summer intern.

The Educational Pathways Department is an essential resource for students interested in careers in the dental professions, students in dental education programs, counselors, health professions advisors, admissions officers and dental educators.

The ADEA Educational Pathways student internship offers a unique opportunity to learn about ADEA’s four centralized application services and support various recruitment programs and initiatives, including ADEA GoDental, the website for individuals interested in dentistry and dental hygiene. This internship is designed to help increase students’ interest in the dental professions. Visit the ADEA Enrichment Calendar for more information about the internship application process.

An applicant must be:

  • A student currently enrolled in a two-year community college program or a four-year undergraduate program.
  • Interested in pursuing a career in dentistry or dental hygiene.
  • Willing to work in Washington, DC, from May – August 2019.  
  • Able to work a standard 35-hour week (7 hours/day). ADEA is flexible in the arrangement of the five-week commitment during the specified time.

Learn more on their website. Deadline is May 7.

Are you a CS Major Without a Summer Internship? Consider Contributing to Open Source Projects.

If you are unable to find a CS internship or a research project, do not dismay! You can still be productive and add bullets to your resume while at home this summer!

Consider taking on side projects. They keep you moving forward with what you already know while also pushing you to learn new skills and tackle problems on your own. Working on side projects is the perfect excuse to learn new and upcoming languages or frameworks and stay ahead of the curve.

We recommend working on open source projects that make you more marketable. Open source projects offer powerful preparation for the real world. By contributing to open source projects, you cultivate an awareness of how tools and languages piece together in a way that personal projects cannot. You learn to collaborate and project manage. You build on your communication skills, teamwork, and problem-solving. All skills that hiring manager look for.

What do we mean by open source projects:

Maybe your goal for the summer was to learn enough Python to land a great internship or job. Don’t stop at Python, look into learning the graphics processing library, the web frameworks, or the scientific modules. This is a great way to test the waters and see what you really enjoy doing. Take the summer to play and learn at your own pace and really hone in on what you are most interested in doing.

If you haven’t already, open a GitHub account and check out
the trending list. Review this list of beginner-friendly projects and these six starting points to begin your open source journey.

Check out this opensource.com series “Young professionals find the open source way a good fit”