Duquesne University

Summer Intern in Division of Marketing and Communications

May - August 2023 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

I loved the people in the department. They all acted as the most supportive professor, giving me tasks that genuinely built my range and gave me to proper tools/skills to complete them!

What I wish was different

I wish I could have worked there longer! Maybe I would change the location of my desk, it was close to the kitchen so sometimes it was loud or I felt like I was in the way.

Advice

Be a go-getter. Take every experience that comes your way. I got this job by chance. I ran into my boss at a campus event, introduced myself, and said I was looking for a job in his department. Take the chances!

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Undergraduate Researcher

May - July 2022 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

I liked that a lot of my research project was independent, but I still had a very supportive PI. The program was a perfect match for my interests because it focused broadly on organismal biology, and I had the chance to collect my model organisms (salamanders) directly from a nearby forest (with PI license). This opportunity helped grow my confidence in the lab and gave me the chance to hone my public speaking skills in a casual, no-judgment environment. The stipend was greatly appreciated and reflected the amount of work I completed. Housing and dining were covered by the school. Ultimately, this is the best summer program I could have found because it was directed towards increasing opportunities for underrepresented minorities and first-generation students, and I'm so thankful for the experience and connections I've made.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Undergraduate Researcher

May - July 2021 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

What I wish was different

I wish that it wasn;t during a pandemic so that I could have more interaction with individuals outside the University.

Advice

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Biomedical Engineering Intern

May 2020 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

I liked utilizing lasers to develop and analyze photoacoustic waves to conduct frequency analysis to measure the optical properties of a direct red solution which acts as a target that’s similar to blood. Additionally, I gained skills in cell culture by growing melanoma cells that can be used to in optics to study skin cancer, burn injury, and other diseases and injuries in the fields of dermatology, surgery, and oncology. I enjoyed fabricating transducers, using Fusion 360 and 3D printing as well.

What I wish was different

Nothing at all

Advice

Learn to be comfortable outside your comfort zone

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residence life crew member

January - August 2020 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

Good pay, fair hours

What I wish was different

n/a

Advice

n/a

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Researcher

May - July 2018 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

I loved the practical experience I gained through this program.

What I wish was different

I wish I would have had access to more research events outside of just Duquesne.

Advice

I would say that everyone who is even remotely interested in pursuing research should apply and participate in the URP.

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Biomedical Engineer Researcher

May - July 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

Learned a lot of hands-on skills you don't learn in a classroom setting alone

What I wish was different

Advice

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Research Assitant

May - August 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

Try something even if you aren't sure you will like it! You may be surprised! Also, the contacts and networking from different jobs are always a bonus.

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Tour Guide

May - August 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

The faculty and the job

What I wish was different

Could pick up more hours

Advice

Be conscious of your clients

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Researcher

May - July 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

Furthering my research and having more time, uninterrupted by class, to complete research.

What I wish was different

More research, fewer other events like seminars. There is already not much time in the 10 week period

Advice

Use time wisely and plan ahead

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Undergraduate Researcher

May 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

I really liked being able to get hands-on research experience in my own department at my university. It brought me many opportunities to present my work and network with other professors and academic professionals. I learned that I really like doing research, and I think it will prepare me well for success furthering my career in medicine.

What I wish was different

I found my experience really awesome, so the only thing I could say here is that I wish the application and acceptance process was a little more organized and uniform. Overall I have very little complaints, I really enjoyed this program!

Advice

If you are on the fence about doing research because you aren't sure if you will like it, I would highly recommend applying for a program like this and just give it a shot for one summer! It is an ample amount of time to get a feel for things, and start up a project if you enjoy it. Or if it is not for you, a few months is not too long of a time to have to finish it out.

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Student Aide

February 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

Loved that I could get work done as needed!

What I wish was different

Wish more hours were available to work! Only 11 hours during the school weeks

Advice

Don't be afraid to put school before work!

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Particle Physics Researcher

May - July 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

The summer was very relaxing and helped me further my education while completing research.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have done research a little bit longer in my summer.

Advice

Be prepared to work! Yes, it is summer, but doing research will set you apart from other candidates when it comes to Graduate School

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Undergraduate Research Assistant

May - July 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

All you have to do is reach out to the professors about doing work - many of the Bayer school professors are happy to take students in, so it's just a matter of finding what interests you!

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Research staff

May - July 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

I loved the different types of experiments I got to conduct and then present my research at the end of the program.

What I wish was different

Nothing everything was great!

Advice

Just enjoy every minute of it because it will go by fast.

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Mathematics Research Assistant

May - August 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

The research in general. I learned about a variety of topics and found out that I really enjoy research.

What I wish was different

The schedule of events for the research program I was involved in could have been better planned out.

Advice

If you ever have the chance to do research over the summer try to make the most out of it. It is also a good thing to try if you are thinking about a career in research.

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Undergraduate Researcher

May - July 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

The program was super enriching!

What I wish was different

Better networking through the program.

Advice

Live off campus.

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Undergraduate Researcher

May - July 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

I liked getting to experience what full time research is like. I was continuing in the lab I am in during the school year, so I became very comfortable will the lab techniques and the background behind them. It also allowed me to mentor my other lab mates because they were all new to it.

What I wish was different

I wish there was a GRE prep or more career development aspects. I wish we had longer hours in lab because most of my days ended up being closer to 5-6 hours than the expected 8. I also wish we started doing lab stuff sooner. We could have done this if we were given articles to read before coming to campus.

Advice

When you do research always ask questions. There are no dumb questions and you'll do more harm not asking questions than asking questions.

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PURE Undergraduate Research fellow

May - July 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

Learning something new every day. Working on a project I had personal interest in. Working with fellow undergraduate researchers

What I wish was different

Having more time to get the projects done.

Advice

Make the most of the experience, learn as much as possible

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Undergraduate Researcher

May - July 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

The Duquesne URP provided the opportunity to learn hands-on lab techniques and advanced skills that usually are not introduced to students until their upperclassmen years.

What I wish was different

More opportunities to find out what other students had been working on throughout the summer through informal presentations and scheduled networking sessions would have been beneficial.