University of Michigan

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.

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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.

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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!

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Student Researcher

June - August 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I learned a lot and had a lot of autonomy over how to approach the problem I had been tasked with.

What I wish was different

There wasn't as much supervision as I would have liked and I spent a lot of time being a confused about the research process and how to organize myself in approaching the tasks at hand. (though I learned a lot through the experience)

Advice

Be ready to be independent. Find your own papers, your own methods, actively check in with advisers to be sure you are on a decent path, and then implement confidently. Make sure to always test your hypothesis. Being formal about the research process can really help with keeping yourself grounded through this process. This mindset and these skills will keep you level headed in times of frustration and confident in times of confusion.

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Research Assistant

June 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I really enjoyed the work environment with the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Everyone was extremely kind and helpful.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Research assistant

May - August 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

Working in an academic research environment exposed me to vast new knowledge of career paths, topics, and methodologies for health services and intervention study research.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Library Operations

October 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I love just having a stable schedule and being able to learn and grow within a company that cares about its employees! Even though University of Michigan is a huge entity and network, I'm still confident enough to continue my employment here for the next couple of years. I'm also happy that I have benefits as well! I love being able to talk with my staff about anything and being in a place with so many other people, peers, and researchers checking out books that they are interested in. Overall: Benefits, Great Pay, Balanced Schedule, and other job duties particular to my department.

What I wish was different

I wish I would've learned how to negotiate my salary without being nervous since this was my first salary job outside of working part-time (but really working full time without benefits). Since I just started, I'm still learning day by day so everyday is a new day for me in the library.

Advice

Networking with people is how I got my current position. Trust me when they say it isn't what you know but who you know, its for the most part its correct. Always put your best foot forward and in a " non-cheesy way" believe in yourself to the best of your abilities! Never ever feel like you aren't good enough for any position no matter what the job is.

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Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow

May - August 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I liked how Calvin College had a connection with the University of Michigan. The research opportunities at the University of Michigan are career altering. I enjoyed working in a professional environment and the networking opportunities it offered.

What I wish was different

I wish I had been able to continue my research here at Calvin.

Advice

One piece of advice I have for students is to look into all the opportunities that Calvin offers. There are so many good opportunities for STEM students that calvin has connections to. There are Calvin alumni who are leaders within their perspective fields of research. Seek out these opportunities and grow from an off campus internship.

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Near Peer Facilitator

June - August 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I loved the ability to dialogue with students and work with a group of dedicated peers.

What I wish was different

I wish the program had been longer.

Advice

You may think you understand facilitation, and high schoolers; but you don't, you will learn more than you would think possible.

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Undergraduate Research Assistant

September 2017 - May 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I loved being able to receive experience in a field that I would like to work in for a career.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more resources for mental health because it really decreased my availability near the end of the school year.

Advice

Always try to gain some sort of friend-like relationship with your colleagues. They are always the ones to understand the most and will be the most willing to help. However, as always, professional relationship first and friend second.

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RA

June - August 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I was an RA for a summer program called M-STEM. It was a great experience! It was very laid back while allowing me to build my leadership skills and quick decision making.

What I wish was different

I want to go into the medical field, and so this isn’t super applicable to the science that they want in an application.

Advice

His is a good job for between your freshman and sophomore years. Other than that, you’re better off getting an internship.

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Researcher and Software Engineer

May - August 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

The monthly conferences, the opportunity to work with more experienced people

What I wish was different

Real workspace rather than working from home/wherever

Advice

It's very self motivated even though you report biweekly; make sure to stay on track and ask as many questions to your leads as you can when planning your tasks

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Researcher

May - August 2018 • Ann Arbor, MI

What I liked

I enjoyed the opportunity to work on my own project and employ the skills I 'd learned from working on a lab on my University's campus, while also receiving valuable input from my PI and mentor.

What I wish was different

I wish I had gotten the opportunity to talk to people in my cohort more. There weren't many events dedicated to helping us bond, so I never formed friendships that could have been enjoyable.

Advice

I encourage people to talk to as many grad students on campus as possible. They have a lot of experience and are always willing to offer great tips about how to pursue research and apply to graduate school

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