Student Testimonials

Ruric Bowman '20

Biology (Ecology) Major, Chemistry Minor

NSF REU: UNIVERSITY OF OLD DOMINION’S OCEAN, EARTH, AND ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES DEPARTMENT

“During the REU experience I was given the opportunity to learn procedures used to collect data for projects dealing with marine research.”

This summer, Ruric completed research at the University of Old Dominion’s Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences department. He worked with Dr. Dreux Chappell using various research techniques to examine the influence of eddies on diatom diversity at the New England shelf-break front. The water samples were filtered through sterivex filters and the DNA was extracted using the Qiagen® DNeasy Plant DNA extraction kit. The PCR was used to amplify the V4 region of the 18S rDNA. After the amplification, a gel electrophoresis was run to confirm that the PCR was successful. The successful PCR product was then purified used the PureLink Gel Extraction Kit. After the gel extraction, a two-step amplicon sequencing procedure was followed to determine the diatom community composition in each of the water samples. The samples were dominated by three species of diatoms: Thalassiosira oestrupii, Thalassiosira sp. CCMP 1281 and Eucampia gorenlandica. From the study, Ruric and the other researchers with whom he worked determined that T. oestrupii dominated samples taken from the interior of the eddy while E. groenlandica dominate the exterior sampling sites.

Ruric notes, “During the REU experience, I was given the opportunity to learn procedures used to collect data for projects dealing with marine research. The favorite thing about my REU experience is having the opportunity to perform research on the marine system and connect with professors and graduate students in the oceanography department at Old Dominion University. This research experience has taught me what it is like to perform research in graduate school. It has also prepared me for graduate school, which I plan to attend next fall in pursuit of a Ph.D. in marine biology looking at the effects of climate change on marine systems.”

Lucy Cullen '21

Chemistry Major

Lycoming College Chemistry Research Fellow

“Learning so many different lab techniques has not only prepared me for the future, but also grown my love and passion for chemistry even more.”

Lucy worked in the research lab of Dr. Chriss McDonald, Professor of Chemistry at Lycoming College, on an important problem in synthetic organic chemistry. Her project involved exploration of the viability of radical cyclization reactions using a cyclic enamine system (derived from the corresponding imine) as a radical acceptor, with samarium diiodide (SmI2) and an activator developed in the McDonald lab, triethylurea (TEU). Lucy was responsible for synthesizing, purifying, and spectroscopically characterizing the starting materials (reactants) for the key reaction. She was also in charge of performing the key cyclization attempts with her substrates and the SmI2/TEU reagent system. During the course of this work, Lucy became familiar with the techniques of synthetic organic chemistry (anhydrous and anaerobic reaction technique, reaction monitoring, chromatographic purification of crude products, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy). She will present her results at an upcoming Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry colloquium.

About her experience Lucy says, “Working in the McDonald research lab this summer was the most significant experience of my college career. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to work in such an amazing environment and be able to learn so much through the lens of doing hands-on research in the lab. Learning so many different lab techniques has not only prepared me for the future, but also grown my love and passion for chemistry even more.”

Maryam Esmat '20

Astrophysics and Creative Writing Majors

Space Telescope Science Institute, Operated by AURA for NASA

“I'm ecstatic! I've been fascinated with JWST since junior year of high school when it was supposed to launch.”

Maryam completed a summer research program at the Space Telescope Science Institute, operated by AURA for NASA. Her research, "Simulating NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Observations for Transiting Exoplanets," is in the computational astrophysics field. Time Series Observations monitor the brightness of a source to search for variations in its intensity/flux. For these bright sources - in this case, stars - the kind of variations Maryam was simulating are the ones that result from exoplanet transits. Simulations are needed for the JWST, successor of the Hubble Space Telescope, to aid astronomers in their research and scientific proposals. Maryam has presented her research at three conferences, translated the JWST key facts to Arabic on NASA's website, and served as a NASA outreach staff member at Apollo 11's 50th Anniversary Festival in Washington, D.C.

Maryam states, “I'm ecstatic! I've been fascinated with JWST since junior year of high school when it was supposed to launch. Dreams do come true! I'd like to thank my professors, mentors, and advisors.”

Ashley Heisler '20

Accounting Major, German Minor

Government Accountability Office

“I gained vital experience with both the planning and internal controls phases of an audit.”

As a Student Trainee Financial Auditor with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Ashley was assigned an engagement within the Financial Management and Assurance mission team. She gained an understanding of the agency by reading the Entity Profile and overall Audit Strategy memorandum and cycle memorandums for assigned audit cycles. Ashley reviewed GAO and agency reports for relevant findings and recommendations, researched any changes to accounting principles that would affect her specific cycles, and documented findings in the applicable planning phase memorandum.

She reviewed and summarized a Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards pertaining to Public-Private Partnerships and briefed her team on how the standard may affect the team's audit procedures for the current year audit. She also participated in walk-throughs, gathered evidence, and prepared and updated audit documentation.

Ashley notes, “Not only did I gain vital experience with both the planning and internal controls phases of an audit, but I was able to test my time management, multi-tasking, and collaboration skills to prioritize and complete my work within deadlines and ensure my team remained on track with the audit plan. I am so grateful to Career Advisor Anne Landon for bringing this opportunity to my attention and assisting me with the extensive application process, and to the Accounting Department for their constant support.”

Jazmin Jones '20

Archaeology Major, Anthropology and Painting Minors

SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

“The Smithsonian internship has allowed me to apply my passion for the past in a hands-on environment.”

Do prey increase their body size over time to avoid predation? Through the study of 20-million-year-old shark bitten bones, Jazmin assisted her research mentor to address this question by cataloging nearly 100 bones showing traces of shark bites from the Smithsonian's Paleobiology collection. Upon documenting the geographic location in which the animal bone was found, identifying the animal type, and then measuring and photographing the bone, Jazmin noticed that there were different types of bites and created a key to help distinguish the varieties of markings. She presented her research findings, "Jaws: Ancient Bites," to the museum's visitors as part of the Museum of Natural History's Q?rius public lecture series.

Reflecting on the internships, Jazmin said, “It was extremely exciting to be able to work in an environment that allowed me to grow as a researcher. In addition, I was surrounded by encouraging and helpful academic researchers! Not only did I learn more about the research I conducted, but I also learned about other researchers' work and was able to see collections from other Smithsonian departments. This internship meant a great deal to me... and made me realize what I wish to pursue further in my career.”

Jason Klepper '20

Political Science Major, History Minor

United States District Court For The Middle District Of Pennsylvania

“The WISE program provided me with a unique opportunity in the legal field for an undergraduate student.”

Under the direction of Magistrate Judge William I. Arbuckle, Jason completed his internship at the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, which has jurisdiction over Central and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Jason was able to observe and engage in a wide array of court proceedings, including arraignments, sentencing, and a naturalization ceremony. Working side-by-side with law school interns, Jason examined federal and state documents to condense the facts into easy-to-read memos. Jason sharpened both his Bluebook citation style and IRAC writing style as he worked on different case areas and was tasked with writing legal documents.

Jason notes, “This WISE internship enabled me to think more deeply about my career interests and about what I want to get out of a future career. I was able to work around positive people at my internship who were excited to help me learn. The weekly WISE workshops were interesting, educational, and helped with my professional development.”

Kirubie Legesse '20

Business Admistration Major, Psychology Minor

UNIVERSITY OF GRENOBLE, FRANCE

“I would definitely recommend that all students experience studying abroad.”

Kirubie studied for a full semester at the University of Grenoble Alps in Grenoble, France where he enrolled in English-instructed business courses as well as a course on French culture and language for beginners. With professors from a wide range of European home countries, Kirubie learned business practices in an exciting global context. Kirubie lived in a university-partnered student apartment complex which featured employees who could assist English-speaking students. As one of the only students from the United States, Kirubie enjoyed a learning environment with classmates from many European countries, and he developed close friendships with students from Ireland, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands who collectively share similar career aspirations.

Kirubie says, “I went to a country/continent that I never went to before and didn't speak a word of their national language, but I got a lot out of it and would do it all over again. The whole experience itself was a great way to network.”

When not studying, Kirubie visited cities around Grenoble, traveled to Paris to cross off “seeing the Eiffel Tower” from his bucket list, and enjoyed the beautiful beaches and welcoming people of Barcelona, Spain.

Marc Morales '21

Biology (Anatomy, Physiology) and Neuroscience Majors

NeuroSURF Translational Neurobiology Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Virginia Tech

“I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Virginia Tech's summer research program because I was able to obtain results by applying the scientific method.”

Marc participated in the Summer 2019 NeuroSURF program at Virginia Tech Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. At the institute, he worked in the Sheng Lab where he conducted research different glioblastoma cell lines. In particular, his specific project dealt with treating these different cell lines with a specific drug combination at different concentrations. In order to measure cell viability after drug treatments, an MTS assay was completed in order to accurately analyze how effective the treatment was against the cancer cells. Additionally, he conducted an in vivo experiment using mice models of glioblastoma to determine the effectiveness of the drugs in GBM xenograft tumors. His results indicated that a specific combination of drugs circumvents chemoresistance in these glioblastoma cancer cells.

Marc notes, “Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Virginia Tech's summer research program because I was able to obtain results by applying the scientific method. This experience was rather rewarding because the results suggest a clinical relevance where this specific combination of drugs can be used to overcome chemoresistance in glioblastoma patients.”

Sohini Mukherjee '22

Biology (Cell and Molecular) Major

Clean Water Institute

“CWI played a key role in helping me increase my self-confidence as I tried my hands at various things that I had never done before and succeeded at them.”

Sohini's summer project with the Clean Water Institute was the assessment of the Urban Streams, specifically Miller's Run, a tributary to West Branch Susquehanna River. At the different locations along the run, such as Short Park and Bruce Henry Park, she evaluated general water chemistry to test the alkalinity, conductivity, and pH of water. Sohini did membrane filtration of the water samples that were collected and plated colonies of coliform bacteria. After counting the colonies after twenty-four hours, she performed mathematical calculations to find the standard deviation. This helped determine if E. coli or any other strain of bacteria was dominant. In addition to this, Sohini assisted in counting and identifying the zooplanktons for the Rose Valley Project, sorting aquatic macroinvertebrates for the Wolf Run Project, electrofishing in the streams as a part of Unassessed Waters, and running tree surveys.

Sohini states, “From learning how to walk in streams against the current to wielding the net in a specific way to catch fish, CWI has brought me a plethora of new experiences. It has expanded the periphery of my knowledge about field work and Ecology. I enjoyed the combination of doing hands-on research work and learning skills like data collection. CWI played a key role in helping me increase my self-confidence, as I tried my hand at various things that I had never done before and succeeded at them.”

Julia Nagle '20

Political Science and Spanish Majors, European History Minor

ESTUDIO SAMPERE, MADRID, SPAIN

“I would recommend studying abroad to anyone who wants to make a home outside of the United States and get better at a foreign language.”

¿Qué recomienda? Ask Julia Nagle what she recommends, and she'll enthusiastically recommend that you study abroad! As part of Julia's Spanish major, she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, living with a host family for sixteen weeks. Julia attended Estudio Sampere, an internationally-recognized Spanish language university, and took classes in advanced Spanish grammar, theater, civilization, and history. She was also asked to help represent the school for Madrid Student Welcome Day, speaking to hundreds of international students about the school and promoting global education.

During her experience abroad, Julia visited various regions of Spain, including Alicante, Segovia, Toledo, Mérida, and Córdoba, spending time in the different regions of the country to fully experience cultural and linguistic differences. She was able to visit an ancient Roman ampitheater in Mérida and the Mosque of Córdoba in Andalucía, two UNESCO heritage sights she had always dreamed of seeing.

Julia states, “Studying abroad is the most rewarding and lifechanging opportunity I have experienced so far in my life. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to make a home outside of the United States, get better at a foreign language, and meet people from all over the world on whom you can rely if you find yourself in that part of the world again.” Julia has maintained contact with her professors and host family, and she has promised to visit again.

Victoria Ricedorf '20

Business Administration and Managerial Economics Majors

Robert M. Sides Family Music Center

“Robert M. Sides was the perfect company for me to work with, as it joined my love of music with my business studies.”

Victoria completed her social media/marketing summer internship where she learned some of the ins and outs of the music business. Victoria worked on creating a docusign for instrument rentals and returns, making processes for the staff more efficient. She assisted in brainstorming ideas for regular social media posts as well as uploaded content to the store website. She learned how to list and ship items from Ebay and Reverb orders.

Victoria was also involved in the instrument rental process, gathering necessary instruments, accessories, and lesson books for students in elementary, middle, and high school. Kayla Furman, Social Media Manager, served as Victoria's internship supervisor.

Victoria notes, “The WISE program gave me the opportunity to learn about marketing in a hands-on manner. Robert M. Sides was the perfect company for me to work with, as it joined my love of music with my business studies. I have learned a lot about managing customer accounts, inventory, and social media posts. This internship showed me that I can always incorporate music into everything I do.”

Karla Rios '20

Spanish and Interdiscilinary Social Justice Majors, Latin American Studies Minor

ESTUDIO SAMPERE, CUENCA, ECUADOR

“Studying in a foreign country allows you to step out of your comfort zone and learn new things, meet new people, and experience cultures other than your own.”

¿Habla usted español? Yes, Karla Rios speaks Spanish, and following a 12-week summer language immersion program at Estudio Sampere in Cuenca, Ecuador, her Spanish is stronger than ever! With small class sizes, excellent professors, class field trips to local sites and museums, and weekly dance and culture classes, Estudio Sampere was the perfect location to feed Karla's interests in Spanish, Latin American Studies, and social justice. Her host family helped teach her the Ecuadorian way of life, and she particularly enjoyed the weekly family trips to the Mercado (market) every Sunday where she learned about all the fruits and vegetables native to Ecuador.

Karla experienced the many facets of Ecuador by traveling to large urban cities such as Quito, Cuenca, and Salinas on the coast, to small rural towns like Gualaceo, Ingapirca, and Vilcabamba. When Karla traveled to Ingapirca, she was able to visit Incan ruins, the temple of the sun, and attend Inti Raymi, which an indigenous celebration of the god of the sun.

Karla says, “I would encourage everyone to study abroad. Studying abroad taught me a lot of things, and it is an experience that I will never forget because it truly was life-changing. Studying in a foreign country allows you to step out of your comfort zone and learn new things, meet new people, and experience cultures other than your own. Furthermore, it allows you to broaden your language and communication skills.”

Shelby Civils '20

German Major, English Literature Minor

Otto Friedrich Universität, Bamberg, Germany

“Studying abroad helped me to discover who I am as a person. I've made truly amazing friends and connections with people from all over the world.”

¿Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Following a year of studies at the Otto Friedrich Universität in Bamberg, Germany, Shelby Civils speaks German very well. Located in a small Bavarian city recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site, Bamberg is an ideal setting for a study abroad program. Shelby's studies were supported, in part, by a grant from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and in conjunction with this funding, Shelby was able to attend conferences in Bonn and Heidelberg.

In addition to Bonn and Heidelberg, Shelby visited numerous regions of Germany and enjoyed time in Frankfurt, Munich, Chiemsee, Regensburg, Coburg, and Erlangen. She attended many live fine arts performances such as a ballet in Nuremberg and an event at the Villa Concordia. As wonderful as it is to be an audience member, Shelby was excited to take to the stage on two occasions with the Theater International, led by Marion Then, and she even performed a main role in one production.

Shelby notes, “Studying abroad, to me, was an opportunity that I never thought I'd be able to experience. It helped me to discover who I am as a person. I've made truly amazing friends and connections with people from all over the world, and I can highly recommend this experience to anyone who needs help getting out of their comfort zone.”

M. Mitchell Wheary '20

Film and Video Arts Major, Business Administration Minor

Little League® International

“Working with Little League has expanded my knowledge of filming and editing in the context of a broadcast outlet.”

During his internship at Little League® International, Mitch was tasked with a wide variety of projects focusing heavily on promotional and informational content of the video boards that ran during the games. Mitch's work included the Teamwear Promotional Video, Name that Little Leaguer, Historic Highlights, Trivia, and Top Plays introduction. Mitch edited raw video for the website and social media platforms, including the 2019 LLWS Luncheon Recap video and the Caribbean Regional Tournament Profile, which showcased regional games in Curaçao. Mitch was also the camera operator for educational videos that Little League posted to keep umpires, coaches, and players up to date on new drills and rules.

Mitch states, “Working at Little League® International has been a wonderful experience. This internship gave me the opportunity to experience a different side of the World Series that is based around what I am studying at Lycoming College. I've gained a great mentor, Rudy Mezzi, who pushed me to think creatively and produce high quality work. My proficiency of the programs and equipment I am familiar with has grown stronger as I work with them daily and have to keep our content fresh and interesting.”

Sheila Whitman '21

Mathematics Major, Computer Science Minor

Summer Undergraduate Research Internship (SULI): Brookhaven National Laboratory

“As a result of completing this summer internship, I learned more about scientific computing and while advancing my python programming skills”

Sheila completed a computer science Summer Undergraduate Research Internship (SULI) at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. The National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven National Laboratory supports operation for the Submicron Resolution X-ray Spectroscopy (SRX) beamline, where users employ the X-ray microprobe to measure the elemental distributions and chemical species within their samples. In the past, SRX has operated using a control system, Bluesky (developed at NSLS-II), where users type commands into an interactive python session. Over the course of the summer, she designed and implemented a python-based Qt Graphical User Interface (GUI) to simplify and improve the user experience. The SRX GUI's numerous capabilities allow users to easily operate techniques including spectroscopy, such as the X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure spectroscopy scan, and X-ray fluorescence mapping by simply inputting parameters. The GUI then interacts directly with Bluesky by using the collected parameters to control the necessary motors and detectors to execute the scans. Users may also utilize the new capabilities the GUI brings to the beamline including the element energy index, running EXAFS in k-space, and utilizing the Queue to run multiple scans in a row. Overall, the GUI saves time for both the users and the beamline scientists to perform their research.

Sheila notes, “As a result of completing this summer internship, I learned more about scientific computing and while advancing my python programming skills, learning Qt Designer and git, and operating different control systems including Bluesky. Thanks to the Mathematics and Computer Science departments at Lycoming College, I felt prepared to excel at the internship.”

Xiyue Yang '20

Commercial Design & Photography Major, Web Design Technology Minor

Eventive Marketing

“My internship at Eventive Marketing this summer has helped me developed a better understanding of the marketing industry.”

Xiyue worked on a variety of projects during her internship with Eventive. One of these projects was the designing of the PNC Bank and the activation event Cigna held at the Little League World Series. Another dominant part of her job was to assist in brainstorming, ideation, and research of new business pitches at the company. Xiyue also worked on a project with three other interns researching the applications of new trending technologies in the market.

Xiyue shared, “My internship at Eventive Marketing this summer helped me develop a better understanding of the marketing industry. All of my coworkers taught me many valuable skills for both design and print production. I learned a great deal about how to balance feedback and my own design aesthetic. This internship was also a great opportunity for me to be exposed to other opportunities within the organization and where this career will lead me in the future.”