Internship Highlights -From Chatham Students
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Travis Dinsmore – M.S., Biology, August 2012
Internship: UPMC Shadyside, Summer 2012
Travis interned in the urologic care program and the urgent care departments at UPMC Shadyside, Pittsburgh. According to Jennifer Brown, his internship supervisor, “The interns are a huge help in visiting the patients to say hello or see if they need anything.” Travis assisted the nursing staff and says that through this experience he developed his skills in one on one patient interaction and gained an understanding of the processes and protocols used with patients in these sections of the hospital. When asked about his experience, Travis said, "My internship at UPMC Shadyside was an informative, fun experience that provided me with knowledge I wouldn't have been able to obtain in the classroom alone. My time at the hospital allowed me to see how each member of the staff works together to provide patient care, and it gave me an in-depth look into the Emergency Department, the Urologic Care Clinic, and the Urgent Care Clinic. My experiences in the hospital provided me with new insight into the healthcare field, and gave me a variety of topics to research and blog about. The internship program was a great addition to my curriculum at Chatham, and has helped propel me in the direction of my goals."
Brittany Goncar – B.A., English, Creative Writing, 2011; M.F.A., Creative Writing, 2012
Internship: Pittsburgh Penquins, Spring 2012
Brittany was a Sports Writer intern for the Pittsburgh Penguins and attended the team’s home games and practices. While there, she learned from the media and seasoned writers and wrote articles for the Penguins website and ICE TIME, the game program. She transcribed Dan Bylsma's and Ray Shero's press conferences and took photographs at practices and games. Brittany also worked with the Communications, Marketing, Community Relations, and Youth & Amateur Hockey departments to produce written features and the best quality coverage of all hockey related events. She covered the unveiling of the Mario Lemieux statue and the first round of the playoffs. She managed fan tweets during all games and edited the 2012 Playoff Media Guide. Brittany was present for Sidney Crosby's return and the February trade deadline. Brittany says, “Interning for the Pittsburgh Penguins was a dream come true. I gained invaluable experience by interacting with professional athletes and their staff and through the opportunities I was given to write for ICE TIME and the Penguins official website. I have truly never been happier.”
Taylor Hall – B.A., Professional Communications, 2013
Internship: Chatham University Admissions, Spring 2012
Taylor worked as an enrollment marketing intern for the Director of Enrollment Management at Chatham University. During her internship she assisted in the development of social media initiatives by reviewing documents and providing feedback on the University’s recruitment marketing materials. Her duties included organizing online research, writing, editing and proofreading in preparation for marketing strategy feedback reviews.
Taylor said that her exposure to new research methods was the most important thing she learned during her internship: “In the communication field things are always changing so researching trends is the best way to stay current.” Her advice to other students is to learn as much as they can about the internship site and be as committed as possible to the work.
Kirstian Jacobs is Chatham’s Director of Enrollment Marketing and served as Taylor’s internship supervisor. She said, “Taylor helped to compile a media plan/flow chart, which was detailed and helpful to the Admissions Department. By doing so, she learned various aspects of media buying and the details we needed to look for and track students. She played an instrumental role in assisting with marketing online, event offers, and virtual open houses. Her work on a student ambassador directory and campus virtual tour will be used in the campus visit experience for prospective students.”
Clara Kitongo – B.S., Mathematics, 2012
Internship: Tree Pittsburgh, Spring 2012
Clara interned with Tree Pittsburgh where she worked on a public campaign to survey community members who shared tree stories that would serve to inform a city-wide urban forestation master plan that has been in the works for two years. Through her work with Tree Pittsburgh, Clara achieved one of her main internship objectives - to gain a greater understanding of the role of public participation in creating an urban forest master plan for the City of Pittsburgh.
“Some of the best experiences I had during my senior year were a result of the amazing opportunity I had as an intern. My internship was with Tree Pittsburgh in the spring of 2012, my last semester at Chatham. During this internship I learned a multitude of skills and made invaluable connections while learning from some of the most passionate environmentalists in the city of Pittsburgh. This opportunity opened my eyes to a different way of thinking, but also provided me with soft and hard skills that have proved valuable to the work that I continue to do around the city. I became a certified tree tender with Tree Pittsburgh and also continued to work with them as a part-time volunteer way after my internship ended. The photo included with this statement was taken at one of Tree Pittsburgh's events on the Eliza Furnace Trail. The event was called Mulch Madness. I worked with Tree Pittsburgh and other volunteers from around the city to maintain the trees along this trail and even planted my first tree, shown in the photograph.”
This fall Clara will teach math at Yeshiva Girls School in Squirrel Hill, and plans to seek a Master of Environmental Engineering degree in the fall of 2013.
Photo credit Andopogon
Elaine Kramer – Master of Landscape Architecture, 2014
Internship: Phipps Conservatory and Botanic Gardens, Summer 2012
Elaine learned about the design and construction of sustainable landscapes at her internship with Phipps Conservatory. She developed a thorough working knowledge of the Sustainable Sites Initiative criteria for landscapes, and developed familiarity with the LEED and Living Building Challenge programs. "Phipps is committed to sustainability in everything it does, especially with the new Center for Sustainable Landscapes which is going to be a showpiece of sustainability that Pittsburgh can be very proud of,” Elaine said. “I hope everyone interested in sustainable practices goes to visit as soon as it opens to the public. I feel very, very fortunate to have been able to spend two months working with people who know so much and care so much about sustainability, and to contribute to the effort, if only in a small way by helping to document how 'green' the site is.”
Heidi McDonald – B.A., Film & Digital Technology and Professional Communication, 2012
Internship: Schell Games, Fall 2011 and Spring 2012
As a Game Designer intern at Schell Games in Pittsburgh, PA, Heidi learned about video game marketing and production. She wrote the content for video games based on client specifications, including stories, locations, dialogue, and characters, and then used digital animation and programming to bring the game to life. She accepted employment from the company at the conclusion of her internship. Heidi says, “There is more work that goes into making a video game than I ever imagined, and I found that incredibly exciting. Every object you see in a game has hours behind it put in by dedicated designers, artists, and programmers; I loved games before I worked here, but now I have a whole new appreciation for the detail and work that goes into them. My internship with Schell Games not only prepared me for my current full time position, which I began after graduation, but, it offered me opportunities to travel and to network within the gaming industry and to represent the company in the community. We work hard, but we also play hard, and the fact that I've found a creative position that is both challenging and fun has made me a much happier and productive person.”
Lyndsay Minnich – B.S., Biology, 2013
Internship: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden; Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, 2011 and 2012
Lyndsay’s goal is to be a marine biologist. She has interned at several zoos and aquariums including the Cincinnati Zoo/Botanical Garden, the Newport Zoo in Kentucky, and the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. She has worked alongside zoo keepers and zoo biologists and learned about water quality testing, diet preparation, and habitat maintenance. Through these internships, Lyndsay has worked with polar bears, sea otters, sand tiger sharks, penguins, sea turtles, river otters, and manatees. Lyndsay says, "These internships are helping me shape my future plans to work at a zoo. I'm getting to know people from these zoos and see how different zoos and aquariums do things. Also, when zoos look at my resume they can see that I have interned in several cities and have experience working with a wide range of animals. By working with a variety of animals, I'm getting ideas about which types of animals I would like to work with regularly in my career.”