Hello All,
After finishing my junior year at UNH in the civil engineering program, I was accepted as an intern with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. I have been with the department for two months now as a construction intern and have learned a great deal. An intern orientation was held at the beginning; it was a great opportunity to meet other interns and learn all about the other bureaus of NH DOT. A slide show was presented about the program and how important it is to the department. It was encouraging to know that they wanted me there as much as I wanted to work for them.
The project I am working on currently, is a reconstructing and widening of interstate I-93. The project consists of roadway construction, blasting, work on a few bridges, and much more. I cannot stress how much this has impacted my learning and increased my knowledge of the civil engineering field. My favorite part of my experience so far is being out in the field and learning about all of the different tasks that go into rebuilding the roadway; also the people that I work with are extremely friendly.
- Karen H.
July 29th, 2010 | Category: Internships | Leave a comment
I am interning with Starwood Hotels at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers. So far, my experience has been amazing…
On my first day, I had a short orientation. I met with Human Resources to fill out paper work and to watch a safety video. My internship began in the housekeeping department. When I met with housekeeping they did an excellent job of showing me around the huge hotel (941 rooms). They showed me different rooms and hallways I would need to use often. They explained to me what my duties would be during the internship. After a month, I left housekeeping and began working at the front desk. On my first day there, I got a tour of different places I would need to know about. I also received computer training on the system we use at the front desk. My orientation from the Starwood company is planned for August 16th -when I will learn more about the values and standards of Starwood and the Boston Park Plaza that I haven’t learned through my daily interactions and earlier training.
The best part of my experience, so far, is that I had to the opportunity to see two different departments. It’s very eye opening to see how a hotel functions from the housekeeping side and then from the front office side. I have learned a great deal in a very short summer and am looking forward to what I can learn next. During August, I will return to the housekeeping department and learn more about it from the management side. I will also attend executive meetings and learn about the financial matters of the department. I feel that this internship has been so helpful to me because of the amount of information I am learning! I can’t wait to see what comes next!
July 26th, 2010 | Category: Internship Resources, Internships | Leave a comment
I’m interning at Revolution Energy – through the Green Launching Pad Program. I am learning a lot not just about marketing but also clean and renewable energy.
1 – If you had an orientation during the start of your internship, what was it like? How was it helpful?
I’m not sure if it would be considered an orientation, but Mike Behrmann discussed the business with me as well as provided me with many documents to read up on. If I had any questions at any point he was more than happy to answer them until I fully understood what was being discussed. I learned about what the company does, its progress, its current standing, where it needs improvement, and where I fit in. It still is a learning experience everyday and I am excited to keep learning more!
2 – So far, what’s been the best part of your internship experience?
Many aspects contribute to my positive attitude towards working at Revolution Energy. The company is easy going and flexible, which is important for students, especially in the summer. All the employees are very knowledgeable and love discussing their field, so its great learning something new everyday! What I love most about working at Revolution Energy would have to be their love and passion to their work. Mike, Clay, and the others at Revolution Energy are 200% committed to their cause. They are not doing this to make money, as they are still starting up and that is not the case. They are making clean, green, alternative energy solutions becuase they know it is the right thing to do. Working for people who are passionate about what they do makes it extremely easy to come to work everyday. I look forward to the second half of my internship this summer and can’t wait to see what else I will learn!
July 21st, 2010 | Category: Internship Resources, Internships | Leave a comment
As you gain experience each new day in your internship, you should start to think about how you will explain and highlight those skills and experiences on your resume. Highlighting valuable transferable skills on your resume - multitasking, communication, analytical - is important to get the most from your internship experience.
Instead of writing a generic job description that begins with, “Responsibilities included…” use active language and verbs to create effective bullet points for your internship description. The more effectively you can show a potential employer that you have the skills they are seeking, the more likely it is you will be called for an interview.
Your internship(s) will be where you get your expamples and stories to back up your resume claims in your entry-level job interviews, so if there are still experiences that you have not had, and skills that you want to develop, there is still time to get those things done before the end of your internship.
If you need assistance explaining your internship experience on your resume, please use the resources at the UNH Advising and Career Center www.unh.edu/uacc or make an appointment with a career advisor during the fall semester.
July 19th, 2010 | Category: Internship Resources | Leave a comment
Everyone who visits the house asks if it’s haunted. To which I reply, “Thank goodness it’s not!” For the past month and a half I’ve been working and living in an old colonial house in Bridgton Maine. The house was granted to the Bridgton Historical Society in 1986 and it is currently set up as a “living museum” with historical decorated rooms.
I’ve gotten two different reactions from people when I tell them about this house. Some people think it’s crazy to live anywhere without TV, internet, or even a shower (there’s a claw-foot bathtub instead). However, it has been kind of a secluded getaway. The house sits on a hill overlooking the white mountains. There are fields of blueberries and wildflowers, as well as a small herb garden. The experience has been a very new one for a child of “the digital age.”
I really didn’t have much of an orientation. In fact, upon arrival almost nothing worked: the water heater, the alarm system, the telephone, etc. However, everyone connected to the historical society has been very helpful and quick to give me their card stating, “If you need anything at all, please call.” The town is small and the historical society is a tight knit group.
My duties include taking care of the house, giving tours to visitors, and completing a variety of different tasks (for example last week I made three mannequins to hold some historical dresses).
Overall, I think my “best experience” may be the kind of freedom the Society has given me. They’ve made me feel like an equal and given me jobs that many larger institutions would never allow an undergrad to perform.
July 16th, 2010 | Category: Internship Resources, Internships | Leave a comment
I had my intern orientation down in one of the Boston offices my first day of work. Myself and the other 5 interns met for the first time and were given tours of the office and design center in Boston. We were then brought on a tour of the office building and met everyone there. We did the same at the Design Center around the corner. There we also learned more about the company and how they give back to the community through their Kids Foundation. I had no idea that Life is good was such a philanthropic company. They explained to us all they do for kids with fundraising and their annual kids festivals. They showed us that Haiti relief shirts that they created in response to the earthquake. They showed us around their different product lines, explained that they use higher quality materials, including a line of clothes made from organic cotton.
We were then treated to a company lunch where we met even more people. I was standing there, and this tall red-head comes up next to me and starts chatting away, asking me where I go to school, who I will be interning with, etc. – completely down to earth. I figured out a few minutes later that I was talking to John Jacobs, one of the founders, and I had no idea. He was just an ordinary guy talking about the company Ultimate Frisbee team. The last part of the afternoon was spent with John Jacobs giving us a pep talk – telling us to be creative, not be nervous to speak up, and just generally encouraging us.
The Orientation in Boston was extremely helpful. I walked in the office in the morning slightly nervous, but left with a huge grin on my face. I was (and still am) so excited to work for a company that does so much good in the world and has such a relaxed, but motivated atmosphere. I met so many friendly, helpful people during the orientation and learned more about the company I was going to be working for.
So far, my best internship experience cannot be nailed down to something specific. Honestly, this whole internship has been such a good experience. This internship was perfect for me, because I am learning more about my major (Business Admin. with an Information Systems Management Option) everyday. I am meeting wonderful people that are friendly, hardworking, and helpful. Every time I meet someone new, they always offer their assistance and a friendly smile.
July 13th, 2010 | Category: Internship Resources, Internships | Leave a comment
Greetings from the balmy Durham campus of UNH. I hope your summer is going well and that you are beating the heat. If you are interning with an organization or company this summer, you are hopefully feeling comfortable with your responsibilities, peers, and supervisors/mentors and enjoying the new experiences. In order to get the most out of the experience here are a few things you should do:
Act like a professional.
Ask questions and learn as much as you can.
Network with the people around you (consider requesting a few informational meetings to gain insights).
Most importantly – Exceed expectations and take initiative.
Doing all of these things will help make you more competitive for entry-level opportunities that may open up later. I have worked with many students who have excelled in their summer internships and received job offers at the end of the summer as they began their senior year at UNH.
Any advice or stories you would like to share about your summer internship? Please contribute to the blog or comment on posts.
July 8th, 2010 | Category: Internship Resources, Internships | Leave a comment
In addition to having a tremendous experience during my time at the University Office of Sustainability, I have also been fortunate enough to partake in not one but two semesters of SIP. It may seem obvious, but its worth expressing that the greatest takeaway for me in SIP is how sustainability has percolated into all directions of the workforce. And this not just a haphazard happening; I fully anticipate that having skill sets and experiences with sustainability will be valuable assets to bring to any job. Now if only I knew what that job is….
So, farewell for now to fellow SIP’ers. I’m sure that our paths will cross again. And thank you to Jason for coordinating the round table discussions, I really enjoyed them. I can only imagine how admirably SIP will grow in the years to come. Perhaps I and other SIP alumni might one day return as guest speakers?
May 3rd, 2010 | Category: Sustainability Internship Program Students | Comments (1)
In starting to prepare my presentation for the URC I realized that there is no way to capture everything that I have learned about sustainability in my internship in a 10 minute presentation. So, what are the most significant things I’ve learned? Prior to my internship and the subsequent courses I have enrolled in this year, I viewed sustainability solely as “meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” Yes, this stems from the Brundtland Commission. However, collecting data for STARS has exposed me to a rich array of dimensions to sustainability. STARS spans from transportation to local food purchasing, human resources to diversity, energy to water conservation, and much more.
One thing I’ve come to further understand about sustainability this year is its social implications (respect, equality, diversity, social justice, etc.). Molly Hodgson from NH BSR also helped me to understand this. So, this is something I plan to give significant attention to in my presentation. Not say that I won’t brag about things like how we get up to 85% of our energy from a landfill!
April 15th, 2010 | Category: Sustainability Internship Program Students | Leave a comment
This is a difficult time for so many people all over the country and the world. While the issues of world hunger can be complex, multifaceted and at times overwhelming, we would like to make an honest effort to help those in our own community. A good meal gives comfort, supplies energy to get through the day, and can mean a more healthy and productive future. We believe in good wholesome food while supporting our local farmers and protecting our natural resources. It is our belief that everyone should enjoy the benefits of this wonderful fresh food.
Food pantries are shifting their reliance on traditional ” non-perishable canned goods”, while improving their ability to store and distribute fresh vegetables and meat. Seacoast Eat Local encourages food pantries and other organizations to have a table for collecting fresh food donations. Pantries collect and distribute these items; but they also create a presence at the markets which will hopefully change the average citizen’s perceptions of what can be donated to those in need. The most exciting development is the proposal for an Electronic Benefit Transfer program being available at the SEL farmers markets! EBT cards are issued by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamps) and are used to purchase food at approved locations. It is a win-win situation involving increased access to fresh produce for low income families and more customers for NH farmers.
April 15th, 2010 | Category: Sustainability Internship Program Students | Leave a comment
