July 2012 Archives

It is only fair to you, the reader, for me to begin by making you aware that the title of this entry is quite misleading.  First, it implies that my days at my summer internship with New Pig Corporation are typical or mundane.  The title also pegs me as an intern who works directly with the methods that deliver products to customers as quickly and efficiently as possible.  While both descriptions are occasionally true, they are not sufficient.  Instead, I have provided an informal look into one of numerous plausible days as an intern at New Pig:

7:15 A.M. - Drag myself to the company gym and sculpt my beach body for the ladies.

9:00 A.M. - Drive to the other end of the company campus where the warehouse and traffic office (mine) are located.  Log in, catch up on email, open MS Excel/Access in addition to internal software applications, and definitely do not quickly check Facebook and Twitter (shhh).

9:15 A.M. - Depending on the status of my project(s), either continue collecting and investigating data or check in with my supervisor to discuss my next objectives.  My long-term goal is to identify sources of profit loss in the entire order fulfillment process and develop solutions to these problems.  Thus far, I have collected a sample of data from 2011 and analyzed it to find missed profit opportunities between what New Pig representatives have charged customers for shipping and what the carriers themselves have billed New Pig.  I am currently putting the finishing touches on a numerical demand-based analysis for inventory optimization in our Reno, Nevada, warehouse.

10:00-11:30 A.M. - Either continue my assignment or attend a meeting.  Often times I am meeting with my boss to review my work and discuss what to do next.  This project is very fluid and can change directions at any moment.  I enjoy being able to have a significant say in what I think are the most valuable subsequent actions in the process.  Other days, though, I meet with colleagues from my previous internship (also with New Pig) to keep in touch and maintain important relationships within the organization.
 
12:30 P.M. - Lunch time!  I usually eat at my desk and take a few minutes to read news, listen to music, and develop my LinkedIn profile (connect with me).
 
1:00 P.M. - Resume or begin working on the most current phase of the project.  Later this week, I will begin work on a cost/benefit analysis of opening a new warehouse in the Midwest.  This particular job incorporates many of the techniques any senior economics student at Penn State would have learned up to this point (theory of the firm, cost curves, regression), so I am looking forward to getting started. *A quick side note: While it may seem like I get a heavy workload, it's only because I ask for one.  I would encourage any intern not to be afraid to say something such as, "Here's that report you wanted. (Briefly explain results and observations).  It seems to me like it might be worth looking into ________ next.  What would you suggest?"  Every bit of effort will only benefit you later.

3:00 P.M. - As things begin to wind down around the office, I will often grab some coffee and sit down to observe my coworkers so I can gain exposure to the nuts and bolts of logistics.  They perform vital tasks that get items to the right customers in the fastest and most cost-effective way and serve as a liaison between New Pig and transportation companies.   My supervisor emphasizes that this is learning experience as much as it is work experience.

4:00 P.M. - Finish working on data.  Make a list of objectives for the following day.

5:00 P.M. - Leave for home.

I could probably write a different one of these every day for two weeks and it would never be the same. Hopefully this puts to bed the notion that interns can't be trusted to do valued work for a firm.  My next post will be a proven effective guide for the Career Fair.  I'll talk to you then!

In my 21 years on earth, I've come to realize a few vital things about life. While I would love to sit here and tell you about, among other things, how I'm convinced that everything tastes better with ranch dressing, I'll spare you and discuss the one thing that has directly led to my internship experience with Octagon this summer: networking.

As I'm sure is the case with every industry these days, I've come to realize that networking is a vital aspect to those hoping to break into their industries of choice and to separate themselves from the masses of people who recently crossed the stage with that diploma.

Unfortunately, for those hoping to make their living in sports, the need for networking becomes that much more vital in an industry that routinely sees hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants for one position.

The Sports industry is notoriously difficult to break into because not only is it considered "glamorous" work, but there is little turnover in what is a relatively small industry. As a result, in order to stand out from hundreds of other resumes, you often need to know someone.

To give you an example of how daunting a task this can be, a Sr. VP of the Pittsburgh Penguins spoke at one of my classes this spring, and he mentioned that when one of their entry level jobs opened up, the 5 finalists chosen out of over 1,000 all had some connection to the team.

If that doesn't make you cringe, then I don't know what does, but that certainly opened up my eyes to the importance of networking, networking, and of course more networking.

The interesting thing about connections in sports is that they don't stop after you break into the industry. Like I mentioned before, sports is a relatively small field, and as a result, many people either know each other or have close connections to others across many different teams and leagues.

This sort of connection lends itself well to recommendations and the option to explore new opportunities when the time is right.

To give you one of those classic small-world stories, the first day of my internship my boss asked me what other companies I had interviewed with for internships. After discussing a certain opportunity with an NFL team, I came to realize that the person who had interviewed me was his former intern when he worked for that very team.

Stories like that are not at all uncommon in the industry, and it shows how small the industry is in comparison to some other fields.

To give you a final piece of perspective on the importance of connections, I'm going to share with you a story from a guest speaker that came and spoke to the group of interns today.

The guest speaker used to handle the marketing for some major NBA players, and his boss was considered to be one of the elite agents in the game. When his boss got an offer to join the agency that recently signed the number one picks in the NFL, MLB, and NBA drafts, he asked him to come with him. This example shows the importance of networking, which stretches far beyond merely breaking into the industry. It can make your entire career.

In two weeks I will post another blog entry discussing how I used networking to my advantage and just how valuable LinkedIn can be.

Washington, D.C. is intern heaven.  Thousands of aspiring politicians, NGO-hopefuls, and students looking to forge a career path flock to the capital in June.  This summer I was one of them; I am currently an intern at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.  Before I delve deeper into the details of my internship, allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Suzanne Zakaria, and I am a rising junior.  I am dual-majoring in International Politics and Spanish, and minoring in Geography.  I am a member of the Schreyer Honors College and, within the College of the Liberal Arts, a member of the Paterno Fellows Program.

Through the College of Communication's Washington Program, I was lucky enough to obtain an internship at the Wilson Center.  My first day of orientation at the Wilson Center was, shortly put, overwhelming.  My building is a block away from the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue; looking out the window, the Washington Monument surreally stands.  The Wilson Center is located in the beautifully designed Ronald Reagan Building, and it neighbors USAID and the Environmental Protection Agency.  I could hardly believe that this was the place where I would work.

By week two, however, the surroundings became familiar, no doubt facilitated by the nurturing environment at the Wilson Center.  My official title is "Research Assistant," and I work with two scholars, assisting them with their research.  I could not have asked for more interesting topics.  My first scholar's name is Ilan Greenberg, and he is researching how social scientists collaborate with the military.  My responsibility is to track down these social scientists; information is often not forthcoming as their military work was classified.  This process involves trips to the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the National Security Archives, and the Smithsonian Libraries.  I've learned how to file Freedom of Information Acts (FOIA), and I have utilized numerous databases.

My second scholar's name is Francis Kornegay, and he is the lead co-editor of a forthcoming book about how the US foreign policy implications of the "BRICS" countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) form an adaptive diplomacy in shaping US international strategy.  My responsibilities include editing chapter submissions that come in from authors of the BRICS countries and compiling bibliographies.  It's a different kind of work than what I do for my other Scholar, but I love the variety and use of different skillsets on different projects.

None of my experiences at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars would have been possible without the gracious funding from the Paterno Fellows Programs.  Never would I have been able to afford an apartment (and food and transportation!) otherwise.  I extend my thanks to the College of the Liberal Arts, and I urge anyone who is thinking of applying to the Paterno Fellows Program to make the commitment.

I am in D.C. until August, and I am excited to continue my experiences at the Wilson Center.  D.C. is intern heaven, and I'm soaking it all in. 

My name is Colleen Boyle, and I am a rising senior majoring in English. This summer, I am interning with HarperCollins Publishers at their New York City office. More specifically, I spend Monday through Thursday on the seventh floor of the company's U.S. headquarters, which is home to the Harper, HarperBusiness, and Broadside imprints.

This summer, I began my internship assuming that I would be using my copy machine skills more than the skills that I have honed as a Liberal Arts student. After arriving at HarperCollins, however, I found that my cubicle gave me both a front row seat to happenings at one of the biggest publishing companies as well as a chance to use my English background.

I began my summer with "The Question." It's the one that most like to avoid, and it prompts the defense that every Liberal Arts major has to prepare:

"What are you going to do with your major?"

On move-in day at one of NYU's residence halls, I met college students from around the country who were beginning their own internships. During these introductions, I ran into the question time and time again and resorted to using the "elevator speech" I have tucked away.

I can't count how many times I have defended my major. But for me, a degree in English remained my focus and was a means to my envisioned end in publishing. My technical writing teacher always encouraged his students that writing is a key part of every profession and field.
 
With this in mind, I focused on my editing and tutoring classes, making note of skills I would need after college. But that is only half of my English education, and many of my classes focus on reading and analyzing texts. Little did I know that HarperCollins would be looking for those reading skills just as much as they were counting on a strong writing background.

On the first day of my publishing company internship, I was given a 400-page manuscript to read. I immediately reached for a red pen to circle misplaced commas, but my supervisor stopped me.

"Just tell me what you think," she said.

Left alone with someone's creative piece, I struggled with where to begin. Commas are easy to fix because they are governed by rules, and the Chicago Manual of Style was sitting on my shelf. Judging the appeal of the story is something much different. It was also something that I did constantly in my English classes. So, I set to work, channeling my inner English student.

"Character development" may seem like a word that belongs on a blackboard, but in the past four weeks, I have seen it in professional e-mail correspondences. A book will not sell if the readers can't relate to the main character's voice. Where are the themes? Or the resolution that leaves readers in tears, waiting for the sequel?

Almost every day, I am given a proposal or a manuscript and asked to come up with a reader's report, which is like a SparkNotes version of the story followed by a review of the piece. The editors, whose desks are covered in such submissions, then use my work to make decisions about whether a manuscript is worth their time.
 
So what have I learned? To bask in the glory of my plot diagrams? No way. This experience has reassured me that Penn State's English program has prepared me well for life with a diploma, both in reading skills and writing skills. This experience has also taught me that I need more, that I need to read everything that I can get my hands on.
 
Even though I spend most of my day at HarperCollins reading, my research, the "to-read list," is growing by the minute. Typical English major? Guilty as charged.

LAUSDeanLong: It is a real honor, Kasey, to continue our tradition of dialogues between the LAUS Dean and the President of the LAUC with you today. The dialogues are intended to open a space of mature and honest communication with students in which we can address issues of central concern to the College and the University. There is, of course, no more pressing issue of concern today than the recent release of the Freeh Report. 

Hello! My name is Grace Schmidt, and I am a senior Schreyer Scholar and Paterno Fellow majoring in English and minoring in Psychology. This summer I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to study abroad in London, England, for 4 weeks as part of the English department's "Mystical London: English Nondual Traditions."

Two Penn State English professors, Rich Doyle and Bob Volpicelli, led the program. Our classes centered on the history of mysticism and literature, as well as Ezra Pound's role in the English Avant Garde. Each morning my classmates and I discussed our readings for three hours of class, and then we were free to explore for the rest of the day. Our class took weekend trips to Stonehenge, Bath, and the Lake District, as well as various shorter field trips during the week, such as to Sigmund Freud's house and the Tate Modern Museum.

Settling back into my usual summer routine and re-acclimating to American culture for the past week has presented me with the opportunity to reflect on my experience abroad and what shaped it the most. Studying abroad in England definitely helped contextualize my education as an English major and also enhanced my understanding of a different culture.

One of the reasons I miss the U.K. so much already is that I enjoyed seeing how my adventures in England intersected with my studies in Happy Valley, an uncanny experience that occurred again and again. For instance, during the Lake District trip I visited Romantic poet William Wordsworth's humble abode, Dove Cottage, which I found exciting because I read his poem "Daffodils" in my "What is Literature?" class freshman year. Surrounding myself in Northern England's beautiful landscape allowed me to see the spaces that sparked his famous writings. Additionally, I saw his official portrait at the National Portrait Gallery and then read his original handwritten version of "Tintern Abbey" at the British Library. Ultimately, these experiences continually built upon one another and widened my understanding of Wordsworth's works beyond my initial introduction at University Park.

One of my favorite London venues was the British Library because it houses original manuscripts of groundbreaking authors - I even got to see Jane Austen's writing desk and early copies of William Shakespeare's plays! A special exhibition called "Writing Britain" explored how literature portrays various spaces and places throughout England, ranging from scenic pastoral landscapes to the dirt and grime brought on by the Industrial Revolution. This showcase was absolutely incredible because it brought together various great authors' works, such as Charles Dickens' Hard Times and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

I was also lucky enough to be in London during the Diamond Jubilee, which marks the sixtieth year since Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. The Jubilee occurs once every twenty years in the order of silver, gold, and diamond. Queen Victoria is the only other monarch in England to have hit this milestone. Needless to say, it was a huge holiday and extravaganza!

I witnessed the River Thames Boat Pageant, one of the major events, from the Waterloo Bridge along with thousands of other onlookers. I also watched the Carriage Procession, in which the Queen, Prince William, Prince Harry, and other royal family members processed from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. Feeling the energy and pride in the crowds was indescribable!

Being in London for the Diamond Jubilee allowed me to see how monumental Queen Elizabeth II's reign has been and opened my eyes to English culture, such as the deep history of the monarchy. Because of the Jubilee, I had the privilege of viewing exhibitions honoring her, such as "The Queen, Art and Image" at the National Portrait Gallery. It contained images of her organized by decade. I learned that because of the rise of mass media, the Queen became more familiar than any other monarch previously. A consequence of this familiarization is that artists feel freer to express their opposition or to challenge the monarchy. At Westminster Abbey I viewed the "Queen and Her Abbey" exhibition, which contained pictures of her in the Abbey, from when she was a little girl to as recent as Will and Kate's wedding. Ultimately, I appreciated the timeliness of my visit to London and learning more about different governmental and cultural practices.

Majoring in English and French, I had anticipated perhaps interning for a publishing company in New York or finding a job in a writing or writing-related field in a city for this summer. I perused Hearst Publications, Condé Nast, and even Madison Square Garden for various opportunities. I wanted to work somewhere big--high profile, serious office. It turns out that I found myself in the complete opposite setting, yet content and proud of the job that I landed.

I am a research assistant for Voices of September 11th, a non-profit located in New Canaan, Connecticut.

What? Where? Since when do English majors do research?

I didn't think they did either. What started out as a communications internship turned into an opening as a research assistant--a job at this small company that was supposed to be for a graduate student. I had applied for a communications position after seeing a posting through OneDayOneInternship.com and did not think much of it. After getting the position, however, my boss called me a few weeks before I was about to start and told me about the research opportunity. I said I would love to take that position instead. Who says change isn't good?

About a month ago I packed up my Penn State apartment, whisked home to New Jersey for a few days, and moved back up north to Stamford, a town about 15 minutes from my office. I did not know what to expect at my new job or the caliber of work I would be doing--I had never interned outside of the Penn State community.

I quickly learned that Voices of September 11th is a small organization with big-name prospects. It is a non-profit created by Mary Fetchet--a mother who lost her 24-year-old son, Brad, on that tragic day--in the months after the terrorist attacks to provide ongoing support for those affected by the event. The organization's quiet office in New Canaan is complemented by one in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and both are teeming with passionate social workers and professionals that seek only to help others. Advocating for government reforms down in Washington, hosting an annual "Always Remember" gala each year, and hosting private sessions with family members are just a few of the large-scale accomplishments this organization achieves. In doing some background reading my first few days, I was astounded by Voices' history, and I was inspired to be working for a company that seemed to make such an integral difference in a part of United States' history.

My job would be to start on a new research project, funded by a grant from the Department of Justice's Office of Victims of Crime, with one other assistant and a project manager to oversee us. Our task is to create a long-term support model for families affected by disasters or mass trauma events, one that addresses the long-term needs through resiliency efforts. We look at September 11th, but also the shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University and the bombing in Oklahoma City for best practices. Now that these events are years behind us, many support groups have faded into the shadows and other coalitions have served their purpose and thus disbanded. But what about those individuals who still need help? Multiple years may seem like a long time for most of us, but for those who lost someone that day at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, Shanksville, Virginia Tech, NIU, or Oklahoma City, that equates to thousands of days of thinking of their loved one. And for most, those thoughts pervade every aspect of their life, even today. Our research project's purpose is to address that need that those people still have and to find best practices for them in case of future mass trauma events, allowing them to stay strong even after so much time has passed.

Though I am not a part of the social work component of Voices--I don't meet with families that come in or get to help people directly, which is something I really enjoy doing--I feel that I am a part of something bigger with my role as a research assistant. The work that we do this summer will take shape as the project continues long after I am gone, and it will hopefully be successful in creating a long-term support model, in whatever form that will be. Just in the first few weeks, I feel better educated about September 11th, about the government and its structure, and about our world. I was only ten years old when the Twin Towers were struck, and I don't remember much about the weeks afterward other than continual footage of the wreckage and firefighters on the news. It has been a wonderful opportunity, a wonderful learning opportunity, to be able to discover more about what changed our nation eleven years ago and what we need to do today to continue supporting those affected. I hope that my research this summer will not only open my eyes to this but also to how in times of trouble, the human race really can come together and give each other what we all need--a place to talk, a place to listen, and love.

I look forward to my coming weeks and hope that this feeling of accomplishment and appreciation continues. Check back soon for updates on my experience with Voices, including details about working an annual gala and more!