Incase you missed it, in our previous post we talked about steps to take to get an internship. In this article, our guest writer (Jane A.), will tell us how to ensure you get the most out of your summer internship.

Remember to share with your friends and comment on the post. Lots of good tips in here!

Navigating a summer internship far away from your school

Question: Was your internship far away from school?

Response: Yes, all my internship programs were out of state, and luckily they all had designated living areas for the interns. We were paired up in apartments with fellow interns in these living quarters. And often these living quarters were a walking distance or just a few minutes’ drive to the working area.

Question: What was your first week like?

Response: My first weeks were all different, so let’s highlight my first internship experience. I was nervous being in a new place, but was very excited to connect and share my love of science and engineering with new colleagues (#nerdalert).

We were paired up with mentors to get started, then we had lots of welcome activities to help us get acquainted with each other. After the initial introductions, I was given lots of reading materials to inform me on my project background. These materials were instrumental in forging my ability to contribute.

About the projects/summer internship role

Question: What was your specific role as an intern during your first internship?

Response: To lead projects that would help with process optimizations as well as research on novel technologies. I spent all my internship experiences in laboratories, either conducting research or working on process development projects for the team.

Question: Did you have a specific project?

Response: My projects varied throughout my internship years. Two internships had highly successful projects with great results that were incorporated after I left. However, one project was not fully achieved in a short time, and the company had to take over after the summer.

This sometimes happens. 8-12 weeks of summer is sometimes a short period to make an impact. Sometimes the most important achievement during the summer can be mapping out the problem and solution space for the company.

Question: Did you need to learn new tools to solve a specific problem?

Response: I learned several new software and tools pertinent for many technical processes. I also learned a lot about data analysis, presentation and communication of my results to a wide audience.

Mentoring and talking with older people

Question: How was it interacting with other people who were much older than you? Given that a lot of international students are brought up in an environment where we are expected to not challenge elders. However, the exact opposite skill is expected in corporate America.

Response: My interaction with older people in the field morphed as I got more comfortable. I learnt that most people were happy to help but I had to learn to be comfortable asking questions and being forthcoming. I had a lot of informal summer lunches with coaches and mentors. These lunches were very helpful to provide guidance and information towards my success. 

Question: Did you have a specific mentor during the internship?

Response: Yes, I did have mentors in all internship programs. Some were organized officially by the program. Others were employees I looked up to, who volunteered their time to advice and coach me on presentations and project milestones.

Experience during the Internship: Challenges and Contributions

Question: What was your biggest accomplishment?

Response: At the end of three months, I had jumpstarted a modern technology for improving product shelf life. This led to me developing a protocol of operation for the equipment to be used while I was gone. This was a HUGE revenue stream for the company and easily one of my favorite projects of all time.

Question: How did you deal with challenges?

Response: I had a few challenges that came up, one which involved me accidentally breaking an expensive lab equipment. I immediately communicated to the project lead, requested an order of replacement an owned up for the problem. I then requested for a new cleaning procedure to reduce the probability of more accidents from other operators. This taught me accountability, and learning that mistakes are part of the process. We can gain lots of knowledge and growth from our mistakes.

Question: Did the internship help/influence your career decision?

Response: The various internship experiences granted me an opportunity to explore my interests, discover my passion, and enlightened me about the various career paths in my field. Particularly, I really enjoyed research and biotechnology and this helped inform the major I pursued in graduate school. After graduate school, it opened doors to the wonderful career I enjoy so much in my current life.

Final Question

Question: Did you get a chance to explore the city?

Response: All my programs gave us plenty opportunities to enjoy and explore the cities. We had evening activities scheduled for interns every week, and weekend events. Some of these included food tours, camps, and museum explorations. Richmond Virginia was particularly a memorable food city for me.

Final words of advice:

I would recommend internship experiences for all undergraduate and graduate students who have the summer off. Any type of internship, co-op, or fellowship program is beneficial even if it’s not a traditional academic or industry role. An internship is a great stepping stone to help you discover your likes and passion, and this discovery is pivotal in finding one’s career path.

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