Every summer, Cornell student-athletes have the opportunity to embark on meaningful internships that provide real-world experience as they prepare for their future careers. Over the coming weeks, the Cornell Department of Athletic Communications will highlight some of these opportunities in our newest feature, "Student-Athlete Summer Stories."
Major?
Government
Where did you intern?
US Senator Mark Warner's D.C. office.
Describe your overall experience (duties, etc.) at your internship.
I spent half the day performing administrative functions such as answering calls from constituents, opening mail, running errands, and giving tours of the Capitol to Virginians. The other half of the day I worked with the press secretary to coordinate Sen. Warner's interviews, media opportunities, and scouring the news for stories and exposure.
Did your perspective on your chosen career path / major change?
I recently switched to Government and am so happy with the change. This internship only solidified in me a passion for public policy.
Was your internship what you expected? If it was or wasn't how so?
I knew a few people who had interned on the Hill so I had a standard idea of how things would work, but what I wasn't expecting was the fast pace. It was incredible how quickly objectives and projects changed and I was in awe at the adaptability of the public servants who dedicate so much time to making democracy work.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences on the job and what did you learn?
Fielding calls from constituents was really valuable because I got to interact with real citizens looking for policy answers or searching for ways to communicate their opinions to their elected official. It felt like I was helping them find solutions, which obviously was gratifying. It was also enriching and inspiring to be around all these smart and intense people in the Capitol itself.
What did you like most about your internship?
I went to a lot of briefings that the Senator was speaking at, including for bills benefiting the National Park Service and others addressing USA Gymnastics' dealing of Larry Nassar, and ones pertinent to 2016 election hacking. Senators work on so many varying and critical issues, and it was great to be exposed constantly to so many new things.
What inspired you to pursue an internship at this organization or what inspired you to go into the specific industry in which you are working?
I have always had an affinity for public service and knew that working on the Hill would open up a lot of connections and opportunities to better the country and the qualities of lives for its citizens.
Is there anything specific to your education at Cornell, or your experience with the volleyball team, that helped prepare you for success at your internship?
Being able to work in a team and communicate effectively is such a strong suit for athletes, and those skills carried over well in an environment as fast paced and ever changing as the Capitol.
Major?
Biology and Society, Double Minoring in Psychology and Inequality Studies
Where did you intern?
Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City
Describe your overall experience (duties, etc.) at your internship.
Implemented research protocol used in the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD. Provided behavior modification through a point system, individualized plans, social skills training and positive reinforcement. Assessed and track children's daily clinical progress. Designed and led activities to enhance self-esteem and increase athletic ability in children with ADHD, ODD, and other mental health diagnoses.
Did your perspective on your chosen career path / major change?
I definitely want to further pursue this path. I don't necessarily want to do behavioral modification with children, but I gained so much more respect and knowledge about the whole process. I think this experience will benefit me in whatever career I choose to pursue.
Was your internship what you expected? If it was or wasn't how so?
It was a lot more demanding than I had expected, because I also got assigned to data entry along with being a behavioral counselor, so I had to keep track of all of the kids' progress every single day as well as implement the behavioral modification protocol. I'm actually really happy that I got assigned an extra task because I realized that I can handle so much more responsibility than I thought was humanly possible, and I became so much more efficient. After a few weeks everything became second nature.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences on the job and what did you learn?
One younger black girl who was adopted was enrolled at the camp, and even though she was in a different group (meaning I wasn't her counselor so I didn't see her that often) she immediately took a liking to me. She told me that she liked my hair the first week, and the second week she came back and had a hairstyle just like mine. She would always run and hug me in the hallway, told me I was her favorite counselor, and made a beautiful flower for me in art class. I was so happy that I was chosen for the internship because those small interactions show me how much representation matters. Just by me being there, she could say "Hey somebody important here looks like me." She was able to identify with me and saw me as a good role model which is just so important for overall development. No matter where you are or what you're doing, you can have a huge impact on someone just by being you.
What did you like most about your internship?
The fact that I noticed just how much the children improved and how much happier the children and their parents were when we interacted with them. At graduation all of the parents came up to me and told me how impactful the camp was for their child and how much better things have gotten at home.
What inspired you to pursue an internship at this organization or what inspired you to go into the specific industry in which you are working?
I saw an ad for the job on blackboard and I thought it'd be great work experience and would help me figure out if I wanted to continue pursuing a minor in psychology. Turns out I definitely do.
Is there anything specific to your education at Cornell, or your experience with the volleyball team, that helped prepare you for success at your internship?
I worked with a group of five other counselors, and because I've been on such a big volleyball team it was easy for me to connect with them and keep the team dynamic flowing well. I recognized everyone's strengths and weaknesses and kept everyone on top of their game so that we didn't forget anything or make any detrimental mistakes that would affect the children's treatment.
Major?
Communication, Psych Minor
Where did you intern?
UCSF (University of San Francisco) Children's Hospital STAR Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. STAR stands for Service, Training, Advocacy, and Research.
Describe your overall experience (duties, etc.) at your internship.
I was a volunteer for the STAR clinic, which means I got to work with and interact with everybody in the clinic. This includes psychiatrists, social workers, speech pathologists, behavioral psychologists, researchers, clinic coordinators, and clinical psychologists. I spent the majority of my time observing. I got to observe patients of all ages and all kinds of severity on all psychological disorder spectrums you could think of: depression, autism, ADHD, OCD, psychosis, etc. I got to observe diagnostic testing, first intakes, therapy sessions, weekly clinical meetings, and feedback with all the doctors and each respective family. Whether I was in the room getting to interact with the patient and ask questions, or watching through a camera due to safety or privacy concerns, the professional I was alongside always asked for my insight afterwards. I was asked to take behavioral notes and email each doctor after my observations. I also was trained on how to do scoring for the surveys and questionnaires families fill out before they come in to see a doctor so when I wasn't observing, I was scoring answers on those. Lastly, I got to do some childcare, which is basically entertaining and learning to interact with/connect with all ages and all spectrums. On the side, I would read articles and watch informative videos that the doctors recommended for me.
Did your perspective on your chosen career path / major change?
I've always been interested in how people behave and psychology, so if anything this experience I had over the summer just affirmed my goals in the field clinical psychology. After talking with the doctors and hearing how each of them got to where they are today and seeing them in the workplace, I am so excited to get my career started as well.
Was your internship what you expected? If it was or wasn't how so?
There's no way to be prepared for any sort of psychological work, I think. I knew I would enjoy it, but I didn't know to the extent I would. I think it's pretty rare to get this experience I did, being able to sit in on such intimate and important scientific interactions. I could never have expected the amount I would learn while being a meager "volunteer".
What were some of your most meaningful experiences on the job and what did you learn?
The most meaningful thing was seeing how the team of doctors and other professionals worked as a cohesive unit. Everybody must be on the same page at all times, which as you can imagine is not easy. They have to meet constantly and communicate effectively and in a timely manner to agree on every patient, what their next step is, and what the diagnoses should be. It was truly inspiring to see such work happening.
What did you like most about your internship?
It was so beneficial for me to see how every patient is so truly different. One diagnoses of autism is extremely different from another. You truly have to look at every case objectively, not taking into account any stereotypes, and make a best judgement. I loved learning about the complexities of disorders and how our perception of them have changed over time.
What inspired you to pursue an internship at this organization or what inspired you to go into the specific industry in which you are working?
I've always been fascinated with the complexity of the human mind and it's led me to my goals and aspirations in the field of psychology. As everyone knows, there's so many fields in psychology so at first glance, it's hard to decide. As our knowledge of disorders increased, so did my interest. And the coolest thing about clinical psychology is that we will continue to learn about things like OCD and depression, because people never stop changing.
Major?
Communication (CALS)
Where did you intern?
Sard Verbinnen and Company (Century City, CA)
Describe your overall experience (duties, etc.) at your internship.
Sard Verbinnen and Company (SVC) is a public relations firm that provides strategic communications advice and services to help clients manage overall positioning and specific events affecting their reputation, business, and market value. As an intern, I was able to work on several client relationships performing new business pulls, rollouts, reporter briefing packets, media lists, general research and resolution proposals. Additionally, I had a summer project on cryptocurrency. SVC made me feel like a part of a working team. It was a great experience.
Did your perspective on your chosen career path / major change?
I would love to pursue a career in the public and investor relations field. My experience at SVC really strengthened my choice of a major and career path. The multi-faceted exposure to so many different companies coupled with the wide range of varying client engagements kept the job fresh and unique.
Was your internship what you expected? If it was or wasn't how so?
My internship was an amazing experience. I loved Los Angeles and the exposure I received to the public relations field. The talent at SVC is impressive. They are outstanding at what they do and they take such great care of their clients.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences on the job and what did you learn?
My most meaningful experiences at SVC were just being a part of the team. From the day I arrived, the whole office all the way to the managing director treated me like a part of the family. I worked on confidential engagements and really experienced what it is like to be in the industry. My project on cryptocurrency and how technologically-based companies approach communication differently was very interesting.
What did you like most about your internship?
SVC has such a diverse client base. I really enjoyed the variety of client engagements and the problems we tackled to help our clients provide clarity of message in the marketplace. I was also able to attend a company retreat at a vineyard in the Bay Area. This was a great way to bond as a group and have some fun outside of the office. The entire internship was well planned and a great learning experience.
What inspired you to pursue an internship at this organization or what inspired you to go into the specific industry in which you are working?
The LACOMM program through Cornell's Department of Communication took me to Los Angeles during our winter break. During this weeklong trip, I was able to meet with many Cornell alumni with jobs in the communication field. SVC was one of our client engagements as we explored more about what happens at a public relations firm. I really liked what I saw at SVC, and I used this opportunity to apply for an internship.
Is there anything specific to your education at Cornell, or your experience with the volleyball team, that helped prepare you for success at your internship?
I think any time you experience something new there is always some apprehension. I did not know anyone in Los Angeles prior to my cross county drive which landed me at an Airbnb in Beverly Hills. However, once I began my internship, I found that Cornell and the Department of Communication have provided me with a wonderful educational foundation to be a productive member of a company. I formed amazing friendships with my coworkers because of how I was able to carry myself as a team member at SVC. Volleyball has helped enhance my teamwork skills in this regard. I feel blessed to be a future graduate of Cornell University, as I know it leaves me in a strong position starting a career.
Major?
Biomedical Engineering
Where did you intern?
Cleveland Clinic Innovations
Describe your overall experience (duties, etc.) at your internship.
I worked on the Medical Device Working Group team at CCI. I helped my team look at ideas that physicians at the CC submitted and did price and market analysis and intellectual property research, information that was then presented to the office as a whole, and was judged to see if it would be a viable and feasible device to take to market.
Did your perspective on your chosen career path / major change?
My internship reaffirmed my interest in my major of choice, but also narrowed my criteria of what kinds of jobs I'd like to pursue within my field. For example, I have realized that I am not cut out for research, and am much happier doing jobs that involve a lot of social interaction and collaboration, and have short term tasks and goals.
Was your internship what you expected? If it was or wasn't how so?
I didn't have a lot of expectations going into my internship because I knew nothing about medical device commercialization. I was pleasantly surprised by all of the cool and relevant work I got to do.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences on the job and what did you learn?
The collaboration I had with my fellow interns and colleagues was so rewarding and helped me really get a good grasp of what the working world and its relationships look like.
What did you like most about your internship?
I absolutely loved that I had the opportunity to be exposed to the most state of the art and up and coming medical innovations of my time. The technologies that I saw at their earliest stages of development are from some of the greatest medical minds in the world, and I absolutely can't wait to see some of them on the market helping patients in the future.
What inspired you to pursue an internship at this organization or what inspired you to go into the specific industry in which you are working?
I actually sought out this internship at this particular department because during my freshman year of high school, we had a speaker come in and talk who put his invention through Cleveland Clinic Innovations. He brought in a prototype of an artificial heart he was working on and at the end of the lecture I got to hold it and from then on I knew I wanted to be a biomedical engineer and the name Cleveland Clinic Innovations stuck. So when I started looking for internships, CCI was the first place I applied!
Major?
Industrial and Labor Relations in the ILR School
Where did you intern?
Tramontina in Brazil. Tramontina is a company started in Brazil that produces cookware, houseware, and cutlery. Tramontina has now expanded all over the world and currently has an office in Houston, Texas.
Describe your overall experience (duties, etc.) at your internship.
I worked in the marketing department of Tramontina, specifically the international and digital marketing department. For the international marketing department, I did market research for certain countries around the world such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Germany, Singapore, and a couple of others. The goal of this project was to aid the company in discovering ways to increase their presence in different markets around the world. For the digital marketing department, I focused on new ways for the company to use Instagram such as introducing them to new features and comparing what other companies have been doing. I had other small projects that I worked on, but these two projects were the main focus of the internship. Overall, I absolutely loved my time at Tramontina. The projects that I worked on did not feel like work because of how interesting it was to learn about how markets in one country are completely different from the market in the US. Also, my coworkers made me feel right at home even though I was in a completely different country. The best part of my time there might have been game days. Since it was the World Cup this summer, the entire office, including the VP of the company as well as the CFO, would stop working to watch Brazil play.
Did your perspective on your chosen career path / major change?
I have always been a little unsure on what I want my career path to be. However, this internship showed me that there is a whole world out there that is completely different from what I am used to. I think now I know that I want to look for a job where I can use my ability to speak Portuguese in order to help a company expand into Brazil or something along those lines.
Was your internship what you expected? If it was or wasn't how so?
I grew up hearing about what Tramontina is like in Brazil and the United States, but I did not realize how well known and successful it was in Brazil. This reflected in the size of the factories in Brazil, how smoothly everything ran, and the talent of the workers. So to answer the question, no it wasn't what I expected. Despite the company being large and very successful, I was treated like family there so it made going to work enjoyable.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences on the job and what did you learn?
My most meaningful experience was learning about how different countries' markets operate very differently from the US market. It was an eye-opening experience because sometimes we forget that there are so many other countries out there, so it was an experience that not many people get to have.
What did you like most about your internship?
I would have to say without a doubt my coworkers. I quickly became friends with all of them through conversations we would have from our desks to hanging out and watching Brazil play in the World Cup.
What inspired you to pursue an internship at this organization or what inspired you to go into the specific industry in which you are working?
My family is originally from Brazil and my father currently works for Tramontina in the US. My mother has worked for the company, as well as my grandfather, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I just felt like it was my turn to experience what Tramontina is like.
Is there anything specific to your education at Cornell, or your experience with the volleyball team, that helped prepare you for success at your internship?
I have grown up speaking Portuguese, but I took two semesters of Portuguese here at Cornell in order to refine my writing skills. Taking the two semesters definitely made writing emails so much easier!
