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At LEAP, nearly 300 Mount Holyoke students present about their internships and research experiences. You will hear from future policy makers, activists, entrepeneurs, data scientists, teachers, researchers, and market analysts. Most will tell stories of unmitigated success and transformative learning. Others will share details of unexpected challenges they faced, and how they were required to shift and adapt in response. Students worked in 42 countries in every imaginable field. They will discuss important issues of social justice, relate how they met challenges of communication and expression in new contexts, and talk about how to find and succeed in summer internships.

LEAP is designed to give students who aspire to undertake internships and summer research the opportunity to learn from their peers. It is also for the whole Mount Holyoke community where family, friends, faculty, staff and our alumnae come together to celebrate the work and contributions of the presenters.

We are hugely impressed by students in College 211 and inspired by their individual success and collective learning. Their work in bringing the LEAP Symposium to fruition was exceptional. We thank the faculty, staff, alumnae, donors, and internship and research providers whose contributions have make this event possible.

LEAP presenters: Congratulations.
Session IV [clear filter]
Friday, October 20
 

3:45pm EDT

Academia vs Technology: a Common Technology Crossroads
A very crucial moment in a student’s life is to make a decision regarding their career post-graduation. As students in computer science, the panelists have all faced the common dilemma of deciding between pursuing academia or industry. Researchers in academia lead cutting-edge innovations in labs and mentor young minds as teachers in various universities. Software engineers join companies of all sizes to design flexible and scalable solutions, and work on some of the most complex challenges in large-scale computing. As a panel with experience in gaming research, full-stack engineering at WalmartLabs, VR research, front-end engineering at Amazon and ubiquitous computing research, the panelists aim to create a discussion that will provide the attendees information regarding these common crossroads and how they tackled the dilemma. The panelists will also draw from their experiences and compare the skills learned at college and those that were required at their summer work.

Moderators
BL

Barbara Lerner

Associate Professor of Computer Science

Speakers
avatar for Xijie  Guo

Xijie Guo

Through Conducting a Research Internship in Germany: Challenges and Reaffirmation of Sticking with Computer Science, Computer Science Major
As a computer science major who loves experiencing new culture and lifestyle, conducting a research internship abroad was perfect for me. Through matching by DAAD RISE Program, I interned at University of Rostock and conducted research in the field of ubiquitous computing. The research... Read More →
avatar for Tracy Keya

Tracy Keya

The intersectionality of Roles: Product Manager and Software Engineer, Computer Science Major
Having spent previous summers involved in teaching high school girls how to code, it was time to gain some industry experience. Last summer, I was a software engineering intern at WalmartLabs in Sunnyvale, CA. This being my first technical internship, I was more than anxious to be... Read More →
avatar for Jenny  Lee

Jenny Lee

Virtual Reality is Real, Computer Science & Math Major
In recent years, virtual reality has become a new favorable technology because of its potential in gaming. Games in a virtual reality environment can bring players unprecedented experiences. This summer, Jenny worked on an independent research project on virtual reality game design... Read More →
avatar for Madeleine

Madeleine

US Fish & Wildlife IT Internship Provides Useful Perspective Between Government and Academia, Computer Science Major
My internship at the Hadley Regional Office of US Fish & Wildlife exposed me to a variety of real-world IT problems and issues. One of my main tasks was manning the Help Desk, where I interacted with people all over the East Coast, from North Carolina to Maine. I worked five days... Read More →
avatar for Aastha  Niraula

Aastha Niraula

Summer at Amazon, Computer Science Major
I worked as a software development engineering intern at Amazon this summer. Specifically, I interned with Amazon Video and worked on front-end engineering. Using languages like JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS and HTML, I designed, implemented and tested a real-time graph reflecting the... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Kendade 203

3:45pm EDT

Dive into a Finance Career from a Liberal Arts Education
If you are considering a career in the financial sector, you should really know what you are getting into. This panel seeks to take you on a journey through careers across financial institutions around the globe, from hedge funds in Hong Kong to bulge bracket banks on Wall Street. By reflecting back on our summer experiences, we will show you how to adjust to long working hours, real-time feedback and exceed expectations on the job.

Moderators
avatar for Margaret Robinson

Margaret Robinson

Julia and Sarah Ann Adams Professor of Mathematics

Speakers
avatar for Ani Gelashvili

Ani Gelashvili

A Problem Worth Solving: Summer on Wall Street, Math Major
As a mathematics student, I developed an aesthetic preference for theoretically elegant ideas that relate seemingly disjointed questions—hence my intention of pursuing a PhD program after graduating from Mount Holyoke College. But my summer as a Fixed Income Analyst at J.P. Morgan... Read More →
avatar for Haojie  Jiao

Haojie Jiao

Never Stop Learning in Financial Sectors, Economics and Math Major
Joanna Jiao interned at Hamon Asset Management as an analyst for 8 weeks. Hamon is a privately-owned investment manager in Hong Kong, founded in 1989. The firm launches and manages equity mutual funds for its clients and invests in public equity markets of Asia. Joanna did industry... Read More →
SQ

Sarah Qin

What Is Harvard Business School?, Economics Major
MBA is so cliche..why would anyone want to do a MBA? Why is business school still there? What is venture capital and private equity ? I'm a music / biology major, and I want to become an artist / scientist. Why should I care about business/finance at all?
avatar for Vincy  Yu

Vincy Yu

Beyond Numbers: Working for a Hedge Fund, French & Statistics Major
Working buy-side in the financial industry is generally less common for undergraduate students. I will share my experience working for a buy-side hedge fund that focuses on the global market and discuss the following questions more in depth: 1. What is a hedge fund like? 2. How are... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Cleveland L1

3:45pm EDT

Education Beyond the Classroom
This panel explores the field of education from multiple perspectives. Our experiences this past summer included: Fulbright research in education, interning with the executive director of a charter school, teaching English and completing educational research in Argentina, and working with an education reform nonprofit. Each of our diverse experiences expanded our collective understandings of the fields of education and education policy. We worked independently, experienced working in new office environments, and overcame unforeseeable challenges. In the end, we all grew individually and gained new insights into our future career goals. By bringing together global and local perspectives, our panel seeks to understand the various facets of educational policy and how each of our unique experiences contributes to our knowledge of the field. We seek to share our process of finding these internships and how they have ultimately impacted our plans for a future in education.

Moderators
Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Kalbourji

Jennifer Kalbourji

A Collaborative Approach to School Administration: Incorporating Student Experiences in Educational Policy, Psychology and Education Major
This presentation will encompass my experiences interning with the executive director of a public charter high school in Rhode Island. Bringing my experiences as a student, mentor, and administrator, I collaborated with faculty to address detention policies, curriculum development... Read More →
AL

Ariya Lawson

New Perspectives on a Flawed System, Psychology and Education Major
This summer, I worked in D.C. with a nonprofit organization, Democrats for Education Reform (DFER). DFER works at the local level to engage with elected officials to encourage conversation and champion reform projects that serve the public school students of those communities. Though... Read More →
avatar for Alissa Smith

Alissa Smith

The Intersection of Education and Culture: Teaching and Educational Research in Argentina, Educational Policy Studies Special Major
As an Educational Policy Studies major and teacher licensure candidate, I always seek to deepen my understanding of the field of education. I have had many experiences within the US in education but none in international education until this past summer. I had the opportunity to intern... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Reese 304

3:45pm EDT

Historiography of Material Culture at Mount Holyoke College
While working on campus over the summer, we utilized the connected resources of the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, Joseph Allen Skinner Museum, and Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections, in partnership with Mount Holyoke’s Antique Clothing Collection, to gain insight into the histories of these entities as well as the students, faculty, and staff who came before us. We will discuss everything from athletic uniforms to European currency, Japanese art, and Native American clothing. The disparate objects with which we worked revealed interconnected histories of different generations within the Mount Holyoke community, as well as connections outside the college. Building off of coursework that focused on the evolution of preservation, conservation, and exhibition, we gained insight into the progress of museology and archival work at Mount Holyoke College.

Moderators
CD

Christine DeLucia

Assistant Professor of History

Speakers
avatar for James  Collings

James Collings

Why Coins Give Me Nightmares, History Major and Nexus in Public History, Museums, Archives
I was given the opportunity to intern at the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum this summer and largely worked with the ethnographic collections. My main project was looking at part of the coin collection, which is largely made of Greco-Roman coins and updating records for coins that... Read More →
avatar for Cassie  Peltier

Cassie Peltier

From Data Entry to Display Cases: an Introduction to the World of Collection Management and Curation in Museums, History Major and Nexus in Public History, Museums, and Archives
Are the skills learned through history coursework really applicable in professional settings? Can research projects really lead to internships? Yes! As a Curatorial and Collections Intern at the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum and the Joseph Allen Skinner Museum I worked closely... Read More →
avatar for Emily Tarantini

Emily Tarantini

When Time Takes Up Space: Collections Management in a Museum, Anthropology Major
It has been said that museums are places where time is transformed into space. What happens when a museum has seen a lot of time, but has little (storage) space? This summer, I spent my time working at the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum as a collections management intern. Under... Read More →
avatar for Lillian  Williams

Lillian Williams

From Ball Gowns to Basketball: A Study of Antique Athletic Wear, Theatre Major
Imagine trying to move in a corset. It restricts your range of motion, forces your posture and even limits your ability to breathe. While these issues may seem archaic to the modern woman, it was not all that long ago that they were a reality for Mount Holyoke women. This summer... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Clapp 407

3:45pm EDT

Interdisciplinary Psychology: Animal, Vegetable, and the Human Brain
What do you think psychologists do in their research labs? How did we find internships in such labs? What did we take away from these opportunities? Each panelist will introduce you to a stunning example of student internship experiences exploring the psychology of animals, vegetables, and the human brain. Our collective experience comes from three labs focusing on four different branches of psychology: food and behavioral marketing, cognitive dissonance, music cognition, and psycholinguistic analyses of romantic relationship conflicts. From coding and preparing data for analysis, to interviewing global residents, to protocol development, we emerged from our internships with newfound confidence and perspective. Students and community members interested in the intersectional dynamics of psychology: our panel is for you.

Moderators
WD

William Davis

Visiting Lecturer in Psychology and Education

Speakers
avatar for Katie Gyenge

Katie Gyenge

Mixing Mount Holyoke Moxy with Princeton Psych: My Summer Experience as a Princeton University Research Assistant, Psychology Major
I spent my summer as a Lynk UAF recipient as a research assistant for Dr. Joel Cooper of Princeton University. I worked closely with Dr. Cooper’s graduate student, Lauren Feldman, as we sought to expand his research on cognitive dissonance. I wrote a literature review based on six... Read More →
avatar for Siobhan Norman

Siobhan Norman

HoofBeat: Music Cognition and Beat Synchronization in Horses, Psychology Major
Are horses able to synchronize their trots to music? This summer, I worked as a research assistant in the CAPS (Cognition, Attention, Perception, and Speech) lab at Mount Holyoke College. I mainly worked on a project called HoofBeat, which explores whether horses have the ability... Read More →
avatar for Natalia Provolo

Natalia Provolo

The Food You Choose: Understanding Our Eating Decisions, Psychology Major
How does the color of your plate affect your food consumption? How do your surroundings contribute to your food choices and eating behaviors? Through her summer internship at Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab, Natalia learned the answers to these questions, as well as how... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Clapp 206

3:45pm EDT

International Affairs and Development
In an increasingly globalized world, international affairs affect all of us in one way or another and shape the environment in which we live. This past summer, each of us worked for international NGOs and nonprofit organizations, working on a myriad of projects concerning different parts of the world. Our experiences include researching the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, working with the United Nations, researching Iran’s foreign policies, and working in the international development sector by providing support for elections in new and emerging democracies. Our panel will capture the range of experiences we went through as we tried to better the world from New York City and Washington D.C. Collectively, we gained valuable research experience as well as insights into the inner workings of international organizations and the realities of the world in which we live.

Moderators
avatar for Jenny Watermill

Jenny Watermill

Sr. Associate Director, Experience & Exploration, MHC Career Development Center
Jenny Watermill is the senior associate director for experiential learning and career exploration at the Career Development Center. She supervises advising and programming that aim to improve students’ abilities to explore career options, set goals, secure and succeed in experiential... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Romila  Hussaini

Romila Hussaini

Securing Peace: Advocacy, Education, and Community Building, Middle Eastern Studies Major
Before the disintegration of relations between the United States and Iran in 1979, the two countries enjoyed diplomatic relations for more than a century. After decades of estrangement, negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program brought the two countries to the same table, initiating... Read More →
avatar for Khadija El Karfi

Khadija El Karfi

International Relations and French Major, My Summer in Washington D.C
This summer, I interned at the Arab American Institute in Washington D.C. where I was also an external intern for No One Left Behind, an association that assists with the resettlement of Iraqi and Afghan interpreters who served American forces in combat. My time was spent between... Read More →
avatar for Minahil

Minahil

Promoting Democracy: My Summer in Washington DC, International Relations Major
This summer, I interned for the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, a Washington, DC-based international, non-profit organization that provides assistance and support for elections in new and emerging democracies. I worked specifically in the Gender and Elections department... Read More →
avatar for Habiba Shah

Habiba Shah

Junior Advior, Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations
This summer, I had the privilege of representing my country, Pakistan, as a Junior Adviser at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City under the supervision of Deputy Permanent Representative Nabeel Munir and Ms. Saima Syed. As a government organization, the Permanent Mission... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Reese 316
  Session IV

3:45pm EDT

Power of Problem Solving: Impactful ideas
“The greater the ambiguity, the greater the pleasure.” This summer four Mount Holyoke students leaped into the unexpected as they explored paths in economic research, management and marketing, which helped them get a better understanding of the professional world and themselves. Through conducting an independent research on the global tobacco market, performing market research for a communications company, analyzing marketing trends to expand the company’s business, and conducting trade and resource-allocation research for a newly-turned Federal Nepal, these four women have learnt that excelling at any job means having the courage to work with ambiguity. Come join them as they deliver how experiences in the liberal arts classroom helped them navigate through various new challenges and strengthened their problem-solving ability to come up with impactful solutions. They will not only deliver how they applied academic models and theories to the complex global world but also discuss what helped each of them to turn their summer works into enriching and fulfilling experiences.

Moderators
CM

Christopher Mitchell

Assistant Professor of International Relations and Politics, Mount Holyoke College

Speakers
avatar for Claire  Han

Claire Han

Global Tobacco Market: Applying Models from Neoclassical Economics and Analyzing Mergers, Economics and Math Major
In my independent research, I defined the global tobacco market through a comparison of the top 10 largest tobacco companies’ market shares, increasing or decreasing tobacco sales in developing and developed countries, and a rising competitive structure between emerging companies... Read More →
avatar for Sally  Hu

Sally Hu

The Art of Communication: Storytelling That Resonates Across Cultures, International Relations & Italian Major
My past summer was well-spent at a boutique communications firm in New York City. As a PR & marketing intern, I worked with travel sector clients, from spectacular destinations like the islands of Tahiti, to the traditional Japanese onsen ryokan (hot spring inn) operators and beyond... Read More →
avatar for Uyen Nguyen

Uyen Nguyen

Marketing and PR in Japan: Challenges and Impacts, Math Major
“What do I have to know and prepare to work for a company in a country that I have never been to?”, “What are the expectations and outcomes?” These are the questions that Uyen, who has had an impactful and engaging internship in Japan, kept asking herself before going for... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Kendade 305

3:45pm EDT

Presenting Information through Interpersonal Connections (across the Globe)
During each of our dynamic internships, we were responsible for researching and gathering information to present to our superiors and a specific audience, depending on the experience. Throughout all of our internships, we were required to formulate different creative platforms to present information. Our information was presented to a range of different target audiences, where ages and backgrounds varied depending on the internship. Although we did encounter challenges, they led us to learn new methods of conveying information to our designated audiences. Each internship required us to filter this information and exhibit this knowledge that we had acquired in an accessible and engaging form through either an online profile for an international university, a social media post, or an interactive lesson for younger children. This skill enabled each of us to learn how to engage with our desired audience.

Moderators
Speakers
avatar for Kyley  Butler

Kyley Butler

Creating Narratives: Learning to Communicate History Effectively, History Major
How do you condense pages of research into 200 words? What is the best way to engage an audience about material culture? How do I determine what information will be the most interesting to a broad range of people? These are the key questions I had to take into consideration as I wrote... Read More →
avatar for Virginia Guerra

Virginia Guerra

Lost in Translation: Navigating through Cultural Norms, International Relations Major
This summer, I interned at Università Ca 'Foscari in Venice, Italy in the International Relations Unit. During my internship, I evaluated international universities that were interested in entering exchange partnerships with the university. Once these partnerships were established... Read More →
avatar for Katrina  Meserve

Katrina Meserve

Creative Strategies for Children from Coast to Coast, Environmental Studies Major
Creative growth begins when one is able to transform the way they learn in new ways. This process of growth is constantly being seen in the way children problem-solve and strategize where play can be incorporated with deduction and reasoning skills as well as inventive and innovative... Read More →
avatar for Thanh Mai  Nguyen

Thanh Mai Nguyen

The World of PR/Marketing: That Agency Life, Economics Major
“So, what exactly do you do?” Working for a marketing agency, you’ll hear this question all the time. This summer, I was a Junior Executive Intern at Jolen Consulting, a full-service marketing agency based in Vietnam. Here, we handled all the PR and marketing activities according... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Kendade 303

3:45pm EDT

Protecting Rights, Advocating and Building Peace for the Other
Rights, advocacy, understanding and respect-- these are all difficult issues to navigate in the world today. Though we worked in vastly different areas, each of us worked on helping under-served populations navigate these issues either through non-profit organizations, criminal defense law firms or civil rights enforcement agencies. This summer, we all worked in the US, in an area that is related to a controversial issue in the present day-- religious extremism, Jewish affairs, criminal justice, and discriminatory practices in the workplace. Each of us used our internship experiences to create a more just and compassionate society by bringing our unique perspectives to the table.

Moderators
AS

Amina Steinfels

Associate Professor of Religion

Speakers
avatar for Samantha  Kell

Samantha Kell

Relearning the Past, Politics Major
This summer, I worked at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Southern New Jersey, a branch of the Jewish Federation, in the government affairs department. While my main task was planning a seminar for local legislative interns, I was also able to meet influential politicians... Read More →
avatar for Cymone Martin

Cymone Martin

Sociology Major and Nexus Law, Public Policy and Human Rights
Through Lynk I had the opportunity to intern at Cripps & Silver, a criminal defense law firm in Detroit, Michigan. Cripps & Silver represents clients across the state charged with various misdemeanors and felonies such as: parole revocation, driver’s license restoration, appeals... Read More →
avatar for Fareeha  Shamim

Fareeha Shamim

Bridging the Political and Religious Spheres in Support of Peacemaking: My Summer Internship at the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, Economics and International Relations Major
This summer I interned at the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy (ICRD), an organisation bridging religious considerations with the practice of international politics in support of peacemaking. As an intern, I contributed to the the training program of Pakistani imams... Read More →
avatar for Isabelle Tan

Isabelle Tan

Behind the Scenes: Enforcing Civil Rights, History Major, Computer Science Minor
The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) is a civil rights law enforcement agency which investigates cases involving discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation. As an investigative intern, I was primarily investigating cases of discrimination... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Cleveland L2

3:45pm EDT

Software, Product and Data across Small Startups and Big Corporations
What is it like in the tech industry? There is no single answer. During this past summer, we interned at startups and large corporations across different fields including travel, insurance, healthcare, search engines and social media. We experienced different work cultures, tried different roles from software/IT engineer to product manager, faced various challenges and all had great takeaways about what it is like to work in tech. Our panelists will explore the differences and similarities of each type of work environment and discuss the skills and preparation that they found most useful for their line of work.

Moderators
DS

Daniel Sheldon

Five College Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Speakers
avatar for Kat Aiello

Kat Aiello

Growing the World's Largest Social Network, Computer Science Major and Nexus in Data Science
Mark Zuckerberg announced in June 2017 that two billion people around the world use Facebook, double its size less than five years ago. How does a social network reach this unprecedented milestone and what do engineers consider when building products for such a massive and diverse... Read More →
avatar for Sara Harda

Sara Harda

Where Does Synergy Lie in the Product Development Process?, Computer Science & Anthropology Major
In the contemporary mythology of business, tech-entrepreneurship is usually synonymous with genius and self-reliance. Start-up moguls are stereotypically portrayed as solitary heroes who built their first product at the back of a garage or in a college dorm. However, the moment one... Read More →
avatar for Shirley Xu

Shirley Xu

Duplicate or Not? It’s Your Call., Statistics Major and Nexus in Data Science
When given "50 College Street MHC 1234”, “50 College St, Mt. Holyoke College, 1234”, and “50 College Street, Mount Holyoke College 1234”, we would probably realize that the three records of address refer to the same place simultaneously. But how would you train a machine... Read More →
avatar for Yu

Yu

A Leap from Classroom to Industry: a Summer as Mobile Feature Developer, Computer Science Major
I interned as a software engineer at Google. I worked as an Android feature developer for the Google Search app which has over one billion users. Prior to the internship, I only had one day of experience with Android mobile development at HackHolyoke. However, my partner and I quickly... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Kendade 107

3:45pm EDT

Teaching for a Difference
Education is found inside and outside of the classroom, which is something the four members of this panel, Ariel, Sabrina, Rachel, and Kathryn, will discuss as part of their reflection on their summer experience. Our experiences stretch from basketball courts in Vietnam to riding arenas in Reno, management in Kenya, and teaching in Argentina. Viewers will take away from our panel a broader understanding of different cultures, self-reflection, community involvement and how one internship experience can shape future career aspirations. Reflecting on their internships this summer, these panelists gained insight into how the work they did helped to shape how they wish to proceed in their future career aspirations.

Moderators
Speakers
avatar for Ariel Fry Demetria

Ariel Fry Demetria

Data Entries from the African Diaspora, Undecided
When I decided I wanted to major in economics, I felt relieved. I would live a normal life and have a normal job. The path of studying economics felt stable to me. Normal would be far from anything I was ever accustomed to, but it would be a change I could come to accept. My interest... Read More →
avatar for Rachel Dennis

Rachel Dennis

Connecting Argentina to the World: Lessons on Navigating the Classrooms of Argentina, English
Language learning through an intercultural approach transforms the traditional classroom experience through its emphasis on using language to access a culture. Over the summer, I had the opportunity to be involved with this method of teaching through the work I did as a teaching and... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Clapp 218

3:45pm EDT

To Our Internships and Beyond: Our Futures in Biology and Chemistry
Learning does not end with academia, and the world of science is so much larger than the classroom. This summer we pushed the boundaries of the research we were familiar with and learned how it can have practical applications. Chemistry helps us develop drug delivery methods and improves industrial agriculture. Biology allows us to understand disease and design new medications. Our internships helped us understand what we love about science and what we want to focus on in the future. Some of us realized our love for pure academic research, and want to pursue graduate school immediately. Some of us want to go into the industry and continue applying our knowledge. Regardless, our internships honed our scientific interests and increased our confidence. We are not the same people we were at the start of the summer. We’ve come far, and we aren’t stopping here.

Moderators
MG

Maria Gomez

Elizabeth Page Greenawalt Professor of Chemistry

Speakers
avatar for Tina  Le

Tina Le

The Industrial Side: My Summer Internship Experience at Ball Horticultural, Biology Major
“Academia or the industry?” is a perpetual internal debate for many aspiring scientists in their college years, the answer of which would determine their choice of education and work experience later in life. Before my internship, I was also among the individuals struggling to... Read More →
avatar for Kate  Maziarz

Kate Maziarz

A Taste of the Chemistry World, Chemistry Major
During my internship at Mount Holyoke College, granted by the Lynk Program, I immersed myself in an environment that further developed my chemical background. Working under the mentorship of Kyle Broaders, I explored chemical techniques and advanced my skills by operating analytical... Read More →
avatar for Madelaine  McAlister-Raeburn

Madelaine McAlister-Raeburn

Fear and Loathing and Antibiotic Resistance, Biology and Music Major
This summer, the Lynk funding enabled me to work in a lab in my hometown in the Biology department of Eastern Michigan University. The project I worked on was EMU’s application of the Small World Initiative, a program started by Yale University in 2012. The SWI is an effort at “crowdfunding... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Clapp 306

3:45pm EDT

Welcoming and Empowering the Next Generation from Coast to Coast
This summer, each of us participated in internships that tackled the overarching issue of inadequate resource access across the United States. Our panelists held internships at an immigration law firm, immigration nonprofit organizations, and a federally-funded program that assisted first-generation and low-income students in navigating the college process. As we supported clients, assisted them with legal and health services, and facilitated workshops, we realized that there is more work to be done in terms of ensuring that immigrants, refugees, and first-generation and low-income students are given the tools to succeed in society. Our internships have inspired our future goals as we work towards a future that affords everyone the same opportunities, whether it’s the opportunity to become a citizen or to go to college and change the world.

Moderators
avatar for Liz Lierman

Liz Lierman

Executive Director, Career Development Center, Mount Holyoke College
Liz Lierman directs the Career Development Center at Mount Holyoke College. She leads a growing CDC that prepares students to navigate through careers that will include transitions and positions that don’t yet exist; provides opportunities for students to connect with employers... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Iliana Enriquez

Iliana Enriquez

Empowering and Mentoring the Youth Today to Lead Tomorrow, Psychology and Education Major
This past summer I interned as an Assistant Academic Coordinator at an organization called USC Upward Bound. The program Upward Bound (UB) is an academic college preparatory program for high school students funded by the U.S. Department of Education and sponsored locally by the University... Read More →
LJ

Lysandra Joseph

Social Service to Social Action: A Multifaceted Approach to Immigration Reform, International Relations Major
The Latin American Coalition, a non-profit located in Charlotte, North Carolina, is dedicated to ensuring the success of Latin American immigrants in Charlotte. The Coalition provides access to resources through services such as crisis intervention, job assistance, and legal aid... Read More →
avatar for Kimberly Mota

Kimberly Mota

From Classroom to Law Office, Architecture Major
My academic career was greatly impacted by the Latinx studies program at Mount Holyoke. With time, I realized the influence that Latinx studies had on my academic career and goals. I was then challenged to figure out how to draw on my education in Latinx Studies in the service of... Read More →
avatar for Jody  Phelps

Jody Phelps

Santa Fe Dreamers Project: DACA, Detention and Navigating US Immigration Law, Geography and Spanish Major
This summer, Jody interned in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with the Santa Fe Dreamers Project. They are a nonprofit immigration law firm whose mission is to provide pro-bono legal services to Dreamers, and they have recently expanded to provide services to detainees who are petitioning the... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Carr 102

3:45pm EDT

When There is More to Tech than Software
Each of us explored different dimensions of the technology industry, ranging from a social media hub (Facebook) to a tech giant (Google), a networking industry (Juniper Networks), and healthcare (Oscar Health). Over the summer, we developed professional and technical skills. We were able to navigate a male-dominated industry as international women of color. In particular, we found that our liberal arts education aided in making us more independent and outspoken. As a result, we emerged as better computer scientists, communicators and thinkers.

Moderators
HH

Heidi Holder

Visiting Lecturer in Theatre Arts

Speakers
avatar for Shanzeh Agrawala

Shanzeh Agrawala

Navigating the Network: a Summer of Growth, Computer Science Major
Technology surrounds us. It is an inevitable part of our lives. But the technological world is multi-dimensional, ever-changing and, in truth, very interdisciplinary. This summer I was exposed to a part of computer science I had no prior experience with: networking. Working with Juniper... Read More →
avatar for Linh  Dang

Linh Dang

Are You Ready to Work for a Tech Giant Like Facebook?, Computer Science & Math Major
I spent the summer developing features of Facebook Live on Android devices. I expanded to the new Live UI the feature of setting posts’ privacy to fixed “Public” privacy, adding audience restrictions to target live videos to certain ages, genders, languages or locations of viewers... Read More →
avatar for Najwa El Khamlichi

Najwa El Khamlichi

Modernizing a $3.2 Trillion Dinosaur, Computer Science Major
The Affordable Care Act bill, also known as Obamacare, has created the opportunity for 50 million americans to buy health insurance in the exchanges for the first time. This tiny bill has allowed the birth of a new type of health insurance that is member centered. I will be talking... Read More →


Friday October 20, 2017 3:45pm - 4:40pm EDT
Cleveland L3
 
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