https://umich.edu/

University of Michigan

Facilities Assistant

June 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

Flexibility of the schedule, diversity in work assignments, friendly coworkers.

What I wish was different

I wish I could've worked more hours

Advice

Sign up for shifts quickly
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Research Fellow

June - August 2019 • Cheboygan, MI

What I liked

I loved learning about different aspects of chemistry, as well as developing a research project that was meaningful for me.

What I wish was different

More time to do my research.

Advice

Be prepared to have setbacks in research, especially in the chemical sciences. Instruments will break, data will be skewed, and accidents happen. Make your goal to be learning more about the subject, not necessarily making a breakthrough discovery.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Undergraduate Research Assistant

May - August 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

Liked experiencing what full-time research was like, and seeing different aspects of how research works

What I wish was different

Preferably not working full-time. There were always things to do in the lab but became draining at one point when having to read papers.

Advice

Be diligent and keep up with your lab PI, and do not hesitate to openly share how your experience is or how to progress about doing things in the lab. The more questions, the better!
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Undergraduate Research Assistant

May 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

Hands on experience, helpful graduate coworkers, flexible hours and work

What I wish was different

There can be downtime, so it would have been nice to be able to get more experience.

Advice

The more you work, the better experience you will receive. It is helpful to take on more projects and help other researchers out in any capacity.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Research Fellow

June - August 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

Being able to travel to a new place for the summer. I liked meeting new people and the opportunity to research something new.

What I wish was different

I would have liked to have had a more constructed program. For the first few weeks there was not a lot for me to do.

Advice

There are few points in your life where you can just head off and leave to another university for the summer. Take advantage of summer internships.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Medical School Intern

May - July 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I loved the community that was built through this program.

What I wish was different

I wish I had a better idea of the schedule of the program prior to arriving.

Advice

I would recommend this to any prospective pre-med students. It gives you a little bit of everything regarding medical school admissions and certainly an inside-scoop of the other side!
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Undergraduate Research Assistant

May - July 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I loved being in Ann Arbor and doing research on a BIG 10 campus. I made great connections with faculty and staff on campus and it was a great networking experience.

What I wish was different

I wish it was longer!

Advice

Don’t be afraid to apply for something that you think you are under qualified for! A lot of times you will catch on quickly and there are many individuals willing to help you along the way.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Physics REU Intern

May - August 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

Experiencing a different area for a summer and gaining experience in Materials Science.

What I wish was different

Nothing.

Advice

Just get out and apply to internships!! They are very fun and incredibly good for your resume.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Orientation Leader

March 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I loved the community! My coworkers truly made the experience enjoyable. I spent over 30 hours per week with them, so I was very fortunate to work closely alongside some wonderful people. Some of them I would consider some of my best friends. In addition, it was cool being able to meet so many of the incoming students. Having been in the same place as the freshmen just a year ago, personally I saw how I've grown and could share my experiences and advice with them. In addition, I love seeing them around campus and seeing how they're doing!

What I wish was different

Some of the orientation sessions became repetitive. However, this was expected as we give every session the same experience; we just happen to facilitate every week whereas each student only comes once. This was manageable once I found little things to enjoy during the presentations.

Advice

Have fun! This experience has helped me grow personally and professionally. What makes this process possible is staying engaged in the work and looking for the positive in every situation.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Swim Camp Counselor

July - August 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I learned about the science behind sport I love from some of the best swim coaches of the country (and the world). I enjoyed the team culture amongst my co-workers as well as the culture transmitted to the kids. Overall, I love teaching and leaving my footprint to younger generations.

What I wish was different

That the camp lasted longer!

Advice

Be patient, enthusiastic and eager to learn!
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Media Assistant

January 2018 - September 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

Flexibility Casual pace of work Teamwork

What I wish was different

More money

Advice

It helps you learn places and technical resources on campus
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Computer Consultant

September 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

Great job in a pretty relaxed environment
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Academic Facilitator

June - August 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I enjoyed the workload and ability to enjoy my personal life outside of work. I also liked engaging with students and helping them understand things and prepare for their freshman year.

What I wish was different

I wish my interactions with co-workers / piers could have been more established and meaningful. Sometimes I felt as though I was working alone or only with other co-workers with the same position.

Advice

Working with academics and students is a very rewarding experience that teaches you soft skills and people skills. It is hard to obtain these skills from other positions you may hold.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Psychologist Research Assistant

June - August 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I liked that the internship allowed me to be involved wth multiple research projects and to see projects at different stages in research. I also found helpful the mentoring and the panels on graduate school applications and professional development

What I wish was different

Advice

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Research Assistant

July 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

Connections to potential mentors.

What I wish was different

N/A

Advice

Research is very beneficial to expanding on academic ability
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Student researcher

January 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I liked the flexible hours and opportunities to learn more about graduate school which is what research usually leads up to.

What I wish was different

Advice

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Research Assistant

June - August 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

When looking for a SIP placement for Summer research, I found it especially helpful to apply and email around as early as 6 months before Summer.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

FPHLP Intern/ Unified HIV Health and Beyond Intern

May - July 2019 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I got the chance to have a field placement experience before graduation as well as key information needed to build the foundation of my future Public Health career. The internship is also sponsored by the CDC, I got a chance to visit the CDC in Atlanta and will always be a CUPS scholar.

What I wish was different

More of a stipend so that we could explore the city and surrounding areas. I wish they had team bonding that gave us a chance to see the highlights of the city and more weekends off.

Advice

Apply and try to keep a level head. Network with the people there, I now have life long friends as well as life long mentors. Ask for what you want the worse they could say is no.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Research Assistant

May 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I liked that I was able to continue to learn about my lab while getting payed.

What I wish was different

I wish I would have explored other labs in the area.

Advice

I would tell other students to apply to everything! Internships, research, and co-ops. That way you have a selection to choose from.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Summer Research Undergraduate Student

May - July 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

This REU program was a great opportunity to learn about the field of academia in applied mathematics. I collaborated with amazing professors and post-doc students, and learned about biological questions that can be approached with math.

What I wish was different

More interaction with fellow students in the program would have made the experience more inclusive.

Advice

Definitely participate in an REU program like this if you are considering a career in academia, specifically in a STEM subject.
Be the first to mark this as helpful