Lots of experience in problem-solving skill development
What I wish was different
The lack of organization within our department.
Advice
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Orientation Assistant
May - August 2018 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
It was a good job to improve social interaction skills and get to connect with a lot of new people.
What I wish was different
The organization within the orientation program could have been better.
Advice
If you are okay with working long and intense hours then this is the perfect summer job for you.
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Potato Pathology Laboratory Technician
May 2017 - September 2018 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
I was able to work with a people outside of my feild of study and learned a lot.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Researcher
May - July 2018 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
It was at times difficult but solving the problems that came up but also very fulfilling, like solving puzzles that no one had even looked at before. In addition, our findings seem to have a lot of surprising potential applications that we realized later on in the process! Also, there are a lot more avenues to explore and working on our problem has inspired more interesting questions than I have time to pursue answers to.
What I wish was different
Advice
Apply to things even if your not sure you're qualified enough. You may be selling yourself short and in any case you can grow a lot in a challenging environment.
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Research Expierence for Undergrads
May - August 2018 • Hickory Corners, MI
What I liked
I loved living in Michigan and getting paid to learn about microbiology, and perform my own independent research project.
What I wish was different
Nothing, I loved this entire experience.
Advice
It ok to speak up when you don't know something, and will save you a lot of time agonizing over trying to figure something out if you just ask.
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Host/Receptionist
May - August 2018 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
I enjoy meeting other students like myself and also having an employer that works with my schedule.
What I wish was different
I did not get as many hours as I would have liked for the summer due to the reduced hours of the dining halls during the summer.
Advice
I would recommend a dining hall job to anyone, it is not glamorous but you make good money with a flexible schedule and meet a lot of great people.
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REU Student
May - July 2018 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
I loved working in a small, nurturing lab environment where I had the opportunity to learn completely new skills
What I wish was different
Advice
Take advantage of everything your REU program offers! The MSU Plant Genomics REU has weekly research talks, and I used this as an opportunity to meet with professors and talk to them about grad school opportunities. The result was several important connections and a strong possibility of returning to MSU for graduate school!
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student employee
March 2018 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
I liked that the hours were flexible and I could work as much or as little as I wanted.
What I wish was different
The office was very slow during the summer since most students were gone, so here wasn't s much to do as I would have liked.
Advice
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Undergraduate Research Assistant
May - August 2018 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
I really enjoyed the setup of the EnSURE Program I was a part of, which guided me through the basics of university research and prepared me for a possible future in graduate school.
What I wish was different
I wish it could have lasted longer! The program was 10 weeks but it flew by.
Advice
Talk to any professor you’re interested in doing research with! They might have opportunities for you.
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Undergraduate Research Assistant
May 2018 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
The connections I made with my research mentor, and the autonomy I was given in the lab
What I wish was different
I wish I had started earlier
Advice
Reach out and find opportunities, and don't be afraid to seek new ones if you are not happy where you are
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Undergraduate Researcher
April 2018 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
I enjoyed the flexibility with my schedule as well as the relationship of my work to my passions.
What I wish was different
I wish that students at MSU could be paid for working more than 40 hours a week. Most people know that researcher have to work more than 40 hours to complete their projects. This opportunity has really showed me how much work is required of people in my field and I was happy I would rise and meet this challenge.
Advice
I would recommend looking into some information on lab equipment and how it works due to the complex nature of the machines. I worked with over 6 pieces of highly sensitive lab machines that do absolutely amazing work, but when troubleshooting issues it would only help the employee to know their equipment inside and out.
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Engineering Research Assistant
May - August 2018 • Lansing, MI
What I liked
I liked being able to travel around Michigan for research regarding transportation data collection.
What I wish was different
I wish i would have been full time rather than part time to make it my primary focus.
Advice
Handle your responsibilities and things will go well for you.
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Facilities Maintenance Worker
June 2018 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
The friendly faces and good working environment
What I wish was different
Advice
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Undergraduate Research Assistant
May 2018 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
I was able to learn more about my respective field and gain experiences that will inform my decisions on my future career.
What I wish was different
I wish that MSU made it easier for undergraduates to take responsibility for research projects (i.e. allowing lab access, spaces for undergrad researchers to work like the graduate students are offered)
Advice
It's what you make of it! You have to take charge and make it known how much work you want to do so your advisor can give you an appropriate workload/project.
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Department Aide
July - September 2018 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
I enjoyed speaking to students and getting close to the advisers I worked with.
What I wish was different
I wish I could have worked longer, but I had to focus on my classes so I had to cut my hours short.
Advice
I would advise those who apply for this job not to assume it will be easy or that there is no work to be done. It is still a job where students must perform adequately and not ignore their duties.
