Hannah Steinman worked as an intern in the TRC during the fall semester of 2016, and is currently in the Criminal Justice PhD program at Temple University in Philadelphia. Thank you to Hannah for updating us!
What did you do after your internship?
I continued my education at UARK post-bachelors in 2018 with a master’s in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology and graduated in 2020. I have since been at Temple University in Philadelphia working on my PhD in Criminal Justice, working as a teaching assistant and focusing on GIS and environmental criminology.
What do you like most about your current program?
There are always opportunities to explore areas of interest and integrate them into coursework. I have enjoyed getting to learn new skills, programs, and my colleagues’ research as well as applying things that I had learned throughout my studies at U of A.
Did your internship/student research experience shape your post-graduation career path?
I had not considered getting a master’s or PhD before working with professors in the department on research projects. I got to see the hard work and collaboration that goes into solving problems and answering questions surrounding areas that I find important and interesting. Similarly, in interning with the TRC I learned a lot about data/media collection and coding cases which really sparked an interest in research and data in general. Interning with the TRC gave me insight into what I wanted to do and learn more about as a scholar; it opened the door to interning with the USMS which has all led me to working on my PhD and refining skills that I think are important to accomplishing my goals.
How can current interns make the most of the experience?
To get the most out of your internship, show up, be present, and ask questions! You should see this as an opportunity to learn what you like or do not like about the environment or the work. Asking questions is very important when you do not understand something or want to know why something is being done a certain way, it also shows your engagement with the tasks and that you are interested in learning, and I know it really helped me understand the work better.
Seeing everything as an opportunity to learn a new skill really helped me change my way of thinking and work ethic surrounding tasks that I otherwise would maybe not be as interested in.
What do you miss most about U of A or Fayetteville?
The U of A is a wonderful community that I hold dear; I really miss the routine that I had and they people and friends I would see every day!