Name: Yao Sun
Pronouns: She/Her
Semester of Internship:Spring 2024, Summer 2024, and Fall 2024
Major:Applied Developmental Psychology
Current Class Level:fourth year graduate student
This semester I completed a(n)...: Internship
Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): ACT Inc.
Location of the Organization (City, State):Iowa City (Remote)
Title of position: Research Intern
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities:
During my internship at ACT, I had the opportunity to work on a range of projects that allowed me to delve deeply into both research and industry practices. My day-to-day responsibilities included examining the validity and reliability of assessments related to social and emotional skills, refining existing items to improve their effectiveness, and analyzing data on SEL and ACT scores, including data specific to students receiving special education services. Additionally, I was involved in analyzing qualitative focus group interviews on equity-based test items, providing me with hands-on experience in both qualitative and quantitative research methods.
What made this experience particularly valuable was the emphasis the team placed on my training and professional development. I was encouraged to engage with a variety of projects, which broadened my skill set and gave me a taste of industry work after having primarily worked in academic environments. This exposure allowed me to produce significant research outputs, some of which I submitted to a conference for presentation. Moreover, the insights I generated contributed to the development of a shortened version of one of the company's assessment tools, demonstrating the impact of my work within the organization.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?:
I began my search for an internship position by exploring numerous opportunities on LinkedIn and applying to many that caught my interest. I applied for this particular position on March 26th and received an invitation for a digital video interview just a few days later. During this digital interview, I recorded myself responding to a series of questions. Subsequently, I was invited to an interview with the team on April 29th. Later that same day, I received an offer. I enjoyed the conversations with the team and found the opportunity compelling, so I decided to accept the offer.
What resources did you use to find your current experience?:
What have you enjoyed the most about your position and organization?:
I really enjoy working at ACT because the team prioritizes my training, allowing me to develop my skills across a range of projects, from assessing the reliability of social and emotional skills assessments to analyzing data and focus group interviews. Coming from an academic background, this experience has also given me valuable insight into industry roles, broadening my understanding of applied research in a professional setting.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?:
I believe I’ve made an impact by generating research outputs that contributed to the development of a shortened assessment tool, providing data-driven insights to refine our approach. I also submitted my findings to a conference, sharing our work with a wider audience and further strengthening our research outcomes.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?:
When seeking an internship or similar experience, it's essential to find a position that aligns with your current skills and experiences, while also ensuring the organization’s mission resonates with your values. Additionally, consider the company culture before accepting the position, as a supportive and positive environment is crucial for your personal and professional growth. This alignment will not only make your experience more fulfilling but also increase your motivation and commitment, leading to greater success and development during your internship.
Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center:
What I appreciated most about my position at ACT was the chance to engage in diverse projects that sharpened my research skills, all within a supportive environment that prioritized my professional growth. The Career Center's resources, particularly those for resume building, were instrumental in helping me secure a role that aligned with my values and career goals.
]]>We’re excited to announce the upcoming Women in CyberSecurity GBM happening this Monday, September 16th at 4 PM in Commons 332!
Join us as we discuss our future plans for the semester, get to know each other, and dive into what’s next for our group. Whether you're a returning member or new to the community, this is a great opportunity to connect and contribute!
Date: Monday, September 16th
Time: 4 PM
Location: Commons 332
Looking forward to seeing you all there and kicking off an amazing semester together!
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. See you on Monday!
]]>It’s time for our Fall 2024 Career & Internship Fair! Before you join us on Wednesday, September 18, from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM, we wanted to share some recommendations on how to make the MOST of your time at the Retriever Activities Center.
MAP your route. Review the employer directory (you can also see a list of employers on Handshake) and determine who you might want to speak with at the Career Fair. Take special note of companies that are hiring within your major and/or your career trajectory of interest. Download the map in the directory and either print it out or notate electronically the booths where these employers will be located. That way, once you arrive at the Career Fair you’ll know exactly where you want to go and who you want to talk to.
OPTIMIZE your resume. Your route is planned, so now you want to make sure that your resume is in top shape prior to the Career Fair. That includes having it clearly and concisely list relevant information, accomplishments, skills, and experience, as well as the top keywords in your industry of interest. If you need some help knowing where to incorporate worthwhile edits, you can review some tips and samples on our website, or stop by our live drop-in hours Monday-Thursday 2-4 PM at the Center. We also have virtual/evening express hours on Fridays from 2-4 PM and one evening per week from 5-7 PM, which can be scheduled in Handshake. Once your resume is ready, print out 15-20 copies and keep them in a folder or padfolio the day of the Career Fair.
SELL your skills. Now that you know who you want to talk to and have an optimized resume, it’s time to practice what you’ll say to these employers. This is where your 30-second commercial comes in. A 30-second commercial (also known as an elevator pitch) is an opportunity to let employers know who you are, highlight a few of your accomplishments, and share how you might bring value to their organization. Before the Career Fair, think about your 30-second commercial. Write it down, and practice it a few times — either in front of a mirror or maybe even in front of family members or friends. You can also use the resource Big Interview and record yourself responding to the “Tell me about yourself” prompt.
TALK to your connections. Once you’ve passed out your resumes and sold employers on your abilities, the work doesn’t end there. After the Career Fair is officially over you want to take the time to follow-up with employers that you were most interested in. This could range from sending a LinkedIn connection request, sending over your resume, or sending an email with specific details about your conversation. With this in mind, it might be worth bringing a piece of paper or a notebook to the fair so you can jot down pieces of conversations you want to remember and draw from in your follow-up correspondence. This allows your messages/emails to be fully personalized, and will make you even more memorable.
By MAPPING your route, OPTIMIZING your resume, SELLING your skills, and TALKING to your connections, you’ll be making the MOST out of your Career Fair experience. Best of luck out there and see you soon!
]]>The Baltimore Ravens are partnering with the non-profit, Strength in Numbers, to create a Ravens Analytics Mentorship Program for underrepresented college students that attend the following local colleges & universities: University of Maryland-College Park, Morgan State, Coppin State, UMBC & Towson University. The program will begin in the Fall’24 semester (October).
Please view the attached flyer or click on the link below for more information and to apply.
Baltimore Ravens Analytics Mentorship Program Application- https://forms.gle/5nUxUGzQWiWZrSAq7
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