Northwestern University

Intern

June - August 2018 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

I had a huge amount of independence and creativity in how I accomplished a task

What I wish was different

Advice

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Research

June - August 2019 • Chicago, IL

What I liked

I really enjoyed the research. My lab was very small so my work played a big part. My PI was great and I actually got to interact with her a lot, which is sometimes rare in well known universities.

What I wish was different

I wish it had been longer.

Advice

The only bad part was that we lived in Evanston, which is about an hour bus ride to where we worked in Chicago. Granted, housing was paid for us and there was a food stipend for the first half of the program. Just get creative to do fun things on the weekends!

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Research Intern

June - August 2019 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

Amazing mentors and cohort of fellow researchers. Northwestern University has cutting edge technology available for researchers to use. Students being introduced to scientific research are able to explore a variety of techniques and fields.

What I wish was different

This was altogether an amazing experience.

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask for guidance, but also take every opportunity to grow as an independent researcher.

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Residential assistant

June - August 2019 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

I was able to work with kids, and I love working with kids.

What I wish was different

Working with some of the staff members were a little but difficult. Being able to have all of the staff members to enjoy their job wouldve been nice.

Advice

Be patient. With any job, you need to be able to have patience. Especially with a demanding job like this one.

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Astronomy Resea

June 2016 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

Learning about a field I was interested in on my way into college

What I wish was different

Advice

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Research Assistant

June 2018 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

My lab members were great--- so helpful and collaborative!

What I wish was different

Advice

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Researcher

June - July 2018 • London, England

What I liked

I got to do a lot of traveling - bookended trips to Morocco and Iceland. I also got to talk to doctors and policymakers in the National Health Service and Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health.

What I wish was different

It was kind of a lonely experience - independent research abroad meant that I had to do a lot of work to build social circles.

Advice

I was nervous that pursuing research opportunities rather than a traditional internship experience this summer would put me back in terms of recruitment for full-time jobs during my senior year. Over and over again I have talked to different people in the industries I am interested in tell me that it is so much more important to pursue what I am actually interested in. Then it just becomes a matter of showing how the skills and experiences I have developed through those experiences are relevant to the work I am applying for. So my overall advice would be to do what you want to do - also for the juniors out there, this might be the last time you can get someone to pay to send you to London - take advantage of it!!

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Teacher's Assistant

June - August 2020 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

I loved the work environment at Northwestern Academy for Chicago Public Schools. As a former participant in the program, I was given the ability to co-design and present in class. Some of my duties included: -Provided 1:1 and group workshop support to CPS high school students on topics such as academic skill development, career exploration, and mindfulness -Co-facilitated courses with CPS English teacher to support students (40+ juniors and seniors) in developing their writing skills and storytelling abilities -Co-designed an independent project to promote mental health awareness and self-care practices; surveyed program alum, compiled resources, and led discussions and activities for youth to center their own experiences -Provided facilitation support for a course titled “Negotiation with the Self, Others, and Systems”, leading discussions and activities on best practices for negotiation and conflict management -Collaborated with full-time staff to implement the annual College Transition Summit, leading virtual panels and workshops on money management, decision-making, campus climate, and accessing academic resources Since I was given the freedom to lead most of the aforementioned, I loved every bit of it.

What I wish was different

Nothing!

Advice

Come to work with a smile, encouraging words, drive, and care for community - you can't go wrong!

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Residential Assistant

June - August 2019 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

I enjoyed the relationships I was able to build with the 4th through 6th grade children that attended the 6 week program. The children were extremely smart and wanted to enhance their learning ability while enjoying time with their peers. I also worked with an amazing staff that communicated well with one another for all tasks that had to be done.

What I wish was different

I wish that RA's were able to give their contact information to the children after the program. I hope nothing but the best for these children as they progress through school and life, but the staff was not allowed to give any contact information to the students , so I have no way of checking on them.

Advice

For others, I would advise them to be patient with the children because they are not as mature or mentally developed as college students.

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Undergraduate Research Assistant

June - August 2018 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

I liked how I was able to have a say in which aspects of my labs research I wanted to put more or less focus towards.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have worked with some of the participants, instead of all behind the scenes.

Advice

Take initiative and ask for more work. Often times at an entry level position like this it is hard for your supervisor to gauge how long a task will take you. They are also busy with their own work and you can easily be forgotten about if you do not make yourself known.

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Student researcher

July - August 2018 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

Independent research experience

What I wish was different

More involvement in lab meetings

Advice

Be more open to opportunities

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Research Assistant

June - September 2018 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

I liked how I was able to explore my research interests with intelligent, dedicated, motivated coworkers.

What I wish was different

Advice

Try new things and show up every day - not just physically but mentally ready to work to get as much out of the experience as you can.

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Undergraduate Research Assistant

June - August 2018 • Chicago, IL

What I liked

I learned about what research means in an intellectual capacity, and got to go to a jewish theology seminar and see the result of research in action.

What I wish was different

I wish I had had more structured hours, as it was mostly me making myself do work, but I also gained skills in self motivation and structure

Advice

When working in an environment where you get to set your own hours, plan ahead, get to a space to do work, and treat the time you have set as work time as though you are in an office.

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Synthetic Biology Researcher

June - October 2018 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

It was a great opportunity to get introduced to research in synthetic biology. By being team-driven but professor-supported, the team got to make executive decisions on what the project would be and ways to complete it with the help of advisors.

What I wish was different

I wish the advisors gave a little more direction and background to the project. Sometimes it was just the team trying to teach itself, which was difficult when talking about synthetic biology.

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask questions!

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Researcher

June - August 2018 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

The independence

What I wish was different

I wish I had more guidance

Advice

Be sure to be ready to be very independent and make your own schedule.

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Academic Office Manager

June - August 2018 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

Challenging, great supervisor and coworkers, rewarding experience

What I wish was different

More orientation, more organization from others

Advice

The center for talent development is a fantastic program and place to work.

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Researcher

June 2018 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

Great lab environment.

What I wish was different

Advice

Research takes a while.

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Research Assistant

June 2018 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

I loved taking an active role in meaningful research that brings attention to a demographic that is not normally studied in the field. It was also a great way to think deeply about particular subject matters and sharpen my analytical skills. The people in my lab are also wonderful to be around and talk to.

What I wish was different

I honestly wish that there was more work to do sometimes. It was nice to be in a relaxed environment and have space between tasks, but I like to keep busy.

Advice

I would encourage all research assistants to share their thoughts with their mentors even if that means questioning what the mentor believes to be correct. My mentors valued my opinions and were always impressed when I did this because it showed that I was actively thinking and wasn't afraid to speak up.

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Research Intern

June - August 2020 • Evanston, IL

What I liked

I learned so much about conducting qualitative research and was able to work closely with renowned faculty. I felt supported in this position and was able to make lasting network connections.

What I wish was different

I wish there had been more variety in my responsibilities.

Advice

Networking is really important. This doesn't always mean reaching out to make new connections though. There are plenty of people that you connect with everyday. Recognizing and reaching out to these connections is valuable.

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