When were you with the TRC?
I started an internship in the TRC during the summer of 2019. Upon completion of my internship, I was offered a position as an undergraduate research assistant while I finished my senior year. I couldn’t figure out how to get out of the basement of Old Main – the hallways are very confusing – so I decided to apply to the master’s program in 2020 with the hope of continuing to work in the TRC. Although my master’s was completed almost exclusively through the worst of the COVID pandemic, the faculty and staff in the TRC did an excellent job of making sure we stayed connected to the university.
Where are you at now? What do you like most about it?
I continued my graduate education after graduating from the U of A in a PhD sociology program at The Ohio State University during autumn of 2022. I have really enjoyed getting to know the faculty and my fellow graduate students at OSU. This university houses amazing scholars from all over the world, and it has been a joy working with them. Also, since it is such a large university, there is an abundance of opportunity to explore new topic areas or specialized methods.
How did your experiences in the TRC shape your decisions about school or jobs after graduation?
My experience at the TRC, along with the encouragement of mentors, was my primary motivation for the continuation of my graduate studies. I applied to the research internship at the TRC because I needed the credit hours. I did not have any intention of pursuing a graduate degree, let alone two, but working in the TRC gave me the confidence and experience to change the goals I had for my life. You never know when opportunity will knock, so take your internship seriously.
Do you have any advice for current interns regarding how to get the most out of their internship?
Internships are both about building skills and building relationships. If you treat the opportunity as a chance to add tools to your tool kit while getting to know cool people, you will get the most out of the experience. Also, lean into the uncomfortable feeling of not knowing what you are doing. This is the space where you learn the most. I have managed many cohorts of interns, and I can tell you that those I have been most impressed with are the ones who are genuine and ask a lot of questions.
What do you miss most about U of A or Fayetteville?
Believe it or not, I really miss the parking situation around campus. Other than that, I miss the colleagues and friends I made in Fayetteville. The U of A has some of the best people I have ever met. It was a pleasure working with them, and I hope to continue collaborating with them in the future.