On Monday, September 29th, at 7:30 P.M., the Center for Career Development and the Residence Life Office hosted Destination Unknown: Realizing the Potential for Your Future. The event was targeted at delivering information particularly important for Davidson seniors.
Center staff and student ambassadors provided information about the job and graduate school searches, resume improvement, cover letter writing, and social media polishing. Jamie Johnson, Associate Director for the Center for Career Development, answered questions and provided information about the graduate school search. She “felt it went very well and provided a foundation for other similar events to come in the future.”
Students could also take professional headshots for their LinkedIn accounts. If all of these useful resources weren’t enough, yummy hors d’oeuvres and mocktails were served. Ory Streeter, one of the Area Coordinators at RLO, worked as a bartender, requiring students to give a fact about responsible drinking in a professional setting before receiving a mocktail.
Seniors loved the event! Alexandra Clark ’15 said, “The experienced career counselors, both students and faculty, gave me really helpful advice and tips to prepare me for my career search and for life after Davidson. The Center for Career Development is an awesome resource for seniors and I look forward to going to more of their events.”
Seniors, don’t worry if you missed this event! Make an appointment with a staff member from the Center or stop by walk-in hours for Center staff or student ambassadors to see what you missed. You are always welcome!
The Center for Career Development is pleased to announce the 2014-2015 class of Career Development Ambassadors. Trained to assist with peer advising regarding topics such as resume review, cover letter review, and mock interview prep – stop by and visit them during walk-in hours this semester in the Center for Career Development (Alvarez 201): Sundays 3-5pm, Tuesdays 7:30-9:30pm, and Thursdays 7:30-9:30pm.
Emily Burke ’15
I am majoring in economics and will be working in investment banking after graduation. During summers off from Davidson I have pursued internships in a variety of fields including investment banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in the leveraged finance group and a boutique investment bank in Boston, management consulting at a firm in Washington DC, and foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, a think tank in Washington DC. On campus I play the oboe in the Davidson College Symphony Orchestra, volunteer with the Office of Admission as a tour guide, and have served as the social chair of my eating house, Warner Hall. In my free time I enjoy playing golf, reading, and traveling.
Colin MacKay ’16
I am majoring in economics and plan to pursue a career in banking, consulting, or financial accounting. I have served as the corporate social responsibility intern at Bank of America where I researched competitive trends in the CSR space. I am a member of the Davidson College varsity swim team and serve as a representative in the Student Athlete Advisory Council and the Davidson Athletic Fund Student Athlete Engagement Program. I am a member of the Symphony Orchestra string bass section, a fraternity brother in Sigma Phi Epsilon, and a member of Campus Outreach. My hobbies include camping, spending time with family and friends, traveling, and playing cards.
Braden Beaudreau ’15
I am majoring in political science and I plan to pursue a career in law, government, or public policy. Last summer, I interned at Akerman LLP, a law firm located in Washington, DC, for a public policy adviser working on issues concerning higher education policy. Previously, I worked in the Davidson College Center for Career Development as a work study student, where I managed internship databases. I spent a semester abroad my junior year traveling across the breathtaking landscape of Australia and studying business and economics at the University of Melbourne. I also write for the Davidsonian and perform spoken word poetry with FreeWord. My hobbies and interests include intramural basketball, supporting the Red Sox, and going on adventures with my friends.
Catherine Lowenthal ’15
I am majoring in psychology with a concentration in medical humanities. I plan to eventually work with individuals with mental illness and/or HIV/AIDS or other physical disease. In my summers, I have served as a research assistant at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and interned at Broughton Hospital, a North Carolina state psychiatric hospital. I have also worked in an orphanage for children with HIV/AIDS in South Africa, and volunteered at several programs for children with HIV/AIDS in New York City. On campus, I work as a research assistant for a psychology professor and am the Vice President of Queers and Allies, Secretary of the College Democrats and a member of the Common Ground Council. My hobbies include traveling and trying new foods. My favorite quote is from Booker T. Washington: “Associate yourself with people of good quality, for it is better to be alone than in bad company.”
James Cobb ’15
I am a Political Science major from Middlebury, Vermont. Next year, I will be working as an investment banking analyst with Morgan Stanley in New York City. Prior to an internship with Morgan Stanley this past summer, I worked with Gridley & Co, a boutique, M&A technology bank in New York City; as an equity research analyst with WEDGE Capital Management in Charlotte; as a summer analyst with the Davidson College Endowment; and as a consultant with the Atlantic Leadership Group in New York City. Through Davidson, I have been able to study abroad for two semesters in Ireland and India and the Middle East. On campus, I am the Vice President of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, a Chidsey Fellow, Terry scholar, and play saxophone with the jazz ensemble. My hobbies include reading, weight lifting, and challenging travel.
Daniel Reitten ’15
I am originally from Tel Aviv, Israel.
I am majoring in economics and planning to be in finance after graduation. I spent my previous summer at the summer internship program at UBS in Sales & Trading where I worked on the FX spot trading desk in the New York office. Prior to attending Davidson College, I served 3 years in the Israeli Air Force. I played Tennis for Davidson during my first two years, and I got the chance to attend 3 different abroad programs. I am also a member of Hillel, and this is my seventh semester that I teach Hebrew here at Davidson. I enjoy music, traveling, crossfit and philosophy.
Leigh Miller ’15
I am majoring in psychology with a minor in French. I plan to work in Human Resources (hopefully doing recruiting), eventually pursuing a career in coaching for businesses. I have served as a Human Resources intern at the corporate headquarters for Chico’s and for Vans, working with the Recruiting, Learning & Development, and Payroll departments. I am a co-president of the Pep Band, and president of the Knitting Society. My hobbies include swimming, cycling, reading, and knitting.
If you are thinking about graduate school, you are not alone. Are you asking yourself if you need a break post-Davidson before you pursue your next course of study? Deciding on a program and when to enter is a big decision. Before you send off those applications and secure your enrollment spot, it’s a good idea to ask yourself a few questions and take time to reflect on whether or not graduate school is the appropriate next step for you.
The first question I ask most students who meet with me to chat about researching graduate programs and application prep is simple: why? For each person, the answer is different. Immediate entry into graduate school may give you a leg up in your professional field of interest. Many times graduate or professional school will afford you a number of specialized skills or certifications and help propel you into the next step of that particular industry. For example – if you want to be an attorney, then at some point, attending law school, succeeding in your studies, and passing the Bar exam is a pre-requisite before you can attempt to practice law. In other fields, a graduate degree may be required simply for candidacy of application to apply. However, this is not always the case. Some graduate programs are more likely to admit an applicant who has work experience. It is important to identify the norm or standard of education in a given field – and do a bit of research to find out whether or not graduate school immediately after college is a necessary or realistic goal.
Another big question to ask yourself: are you ready? By ready, I simply mean are you ready to continue attending school for several months or years? As you approach graduation, you may find that you would like a break from school to recharge before you pursue another academic program. Perhaps you would like to gain some “real world” experience and explore the world of work a bit before deciding which field of study is the best one for you. Maybe you would like to travel the world or give back in the form of volunteering or service work. Gap years are increasingly common for students and a great year to gain more experience, sharpen your professional skills and supplement your academic pursuits before pursuing a graduate or professional degree.
Whatever you decide, remember that the choice is yours. Family, friends, and other influencers will not be attending classes (or work) for you. Adjusting to a new academic or work environment and geographic location is a major life transition and certainly worth consideration and intention.
As you explore your options, you have many questions. Visit with faculty advisors to discuss your areas of interest and strategies to identify the programs that would best suit your interests. Learn more about the ins and outs of graduate school application prep, and how to make the most of your post-graduate studies, by visiting the Center for Career Development. Take some time to reflect as to whether or not graduate school right after college is the right choice for you now – or in the future.
Emerson Bouldin ’16, the author of this post, is one of four 2014 recipients of a South Carolina Internship Grant provided by Davidson College and The Jolley Foundation. The purpose of the grant is to allow students to participate in educational internships and to explore living and working in the state of South Carolina.
Williamsburg Regional Hospital Logo
I am typing this blog post at my desk, or rather a folding table, in the office that I share with the Quality director. This ‘office’ used to be the patient chemotherapy room, and the curtain hanging in the corner and the old sink behind the door remind me of that. This summer, I have had the incredible opportunity to work as an intern at Williamsburg Regional Hospital in Kingstree, SC. I’m living in Charleston, which is about 70 miles away. It takes me about an hour and a half to get to work everyday. Mostly my mind wanders about getting more coffee, but the other week I caught myself thinking about the limited resources of Williamsburg Regional.
WRH is classified as a critical access hospital. Essentially, critical access hospitals are rural community hospitals that must meet certain criteria, one of which being that the hospital is at least 35 miles away from any other hospital. The director of Quality, who I share an office with, told me that there usually isn’t enough demand to sustain a critical access hospital. They exist because without them too many people would die, simply because they live too far away from a hospital. Therefore, these hospitals receive cost-based reimbursement in order to keep their doors open. More than most places, critical access hospitals feel the pressure of limited resources. My small office is a literal reminder of that.
During my first week, I found out that a significant number of employees did not have Microsoft Word because the program was too expensive. But Microsoft Word is the least of the hospital’s problems. There are daily concerns that revolve around Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements because even the smallest changes can have significant repercussions on hospital functions. I learned that larger hospitals often don’t worry if they cannot reclaim payments of $500 or less, but those lost payments make a serious difference here at Williamsburg Regional. Even patient care capabilities are limited because there are about 25 beds in the hospital, and only 6 of those of are Emergency Room beds. A bad car accident could easily overwhelm the ER. How do we balance maintaining cost-efficient facilities and also the capabilities to respond to serious emergencies? It’s incredibly difficult.
I have developed a tremendous amount of respect for the people that keep Williamsburg Regional running. We sometimes take for granted the availability of healthcare resources and forget how difficult it can be to maintain those facilities.
Presenters Madeline Dick-Godfrey ’12 (left) and Robin Joseph (right)
HealthCorps, a health education program founded and developed by Dr. Oz, is hiring program coordinators for the 25-30 positions available in low-income high schools across the United States. These coordinators teach HealthCorps curriculum (fitness, nutrition, and mental resilience), organize after-school programs, and coordinate school-wide events to promote living a healthy lifestyle.
The coordinator position is a two-year long commitment with a full salary and health benefits, as well as a four-week training.
Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA, a passion for health and education, strong interpersonal skills, and must be organized, proactive solution seekers. Spanish language skills are a plus but not required.
Applications are due by April 30, 2014. The application consists of a questionnaire form, a resume, two 300-500 word essays, and a video promoting your own designed FitTown project. Selected candidates will be called for an in-person group and one-on-one interview.
For more information please visit the HealthCorps website here.
You can also contact our presenters, Madeleine Dick-Godfrey ’12 (madeleine.godfrey@healthcorps.org) and Robin Joseph (robin.joseph@healthcorps.org), to inquire about their placements in Charlotte.
Finishing up your summer research and thinking about heading to campus this fall? It’s not too early to think about what you’ll be doing next year!
Many summer research opportunities are highly competitive and have early deadlines – some as early as the fall semester (especially those funded by the government, since background checks are involved). Others have requirements that take time to prepare – such as written personal essays, a copy of your transcripts, and letters of recommendation written by faculty. Research experiences may also require a CV (or vitae), which is a longer form of a resume, something many students are not familiar with and can get help with writing at the Center of Career Development, as well as with a trusted faculty member.
By early September it’s a good idea to make an appointment with the Center for Career Development to talk with a career advisor and make a plan for your search. Following are five other tips to help you get started:
1.) Update your resume, and prepare a CV. This is extremely important, since in most cases you will be required to submit either document for application. (The career advisors in the Center for Career Development can help with this.)
2.) Begin in advance to review sites offering research opportunities – the earlier, the better. This gives you more time to prepare. (Look at organizational sites, other college’s department sites, and national institutes, to get started.)
3.) Utilize the information on research opportunities located on the website of the Center for Career Development. There are listings of research opportunities listed in the Students section; these are kept updated.
4.) Review the listings posted by the Biology Department on their website and which are announced in their weekly newsletter.
5.) Check with faculty regarding research opportunities they are aware of, and let them know of your interests. Many faculty stay connected with professors from other institutions who have received grants to conduct research in all areas of study, and who are seeking lab assistants.
It is wise to apply for more than one research opportunity, and to apply as you find them – the earlier, the better. Keep in mind, too, that it takes time for faculty members to write letters of recommendation since they are probably writing letters for others at the same time. Allow them a three-week period to do so, which means you will need to plan in advance.
In general, the fall semester is an overall good time to begin your search for research opportunities. A career advisor in the Center of Career Development can assist you with this process and help you with any questions you have.
Taking a Gap Year Before Med School Thursday, February 21st – 7:00pm, 900 Room
Meet alumni to learn about their gap year experiences before med school and learn about fellowships available before and after graduation. Davidson Alumni:
Devin Haddad ’10, Caroline Ludwig ’12, Malcolm Moses-Hampton ’12
Fellowships and Scholarships: Dr. Ted Ogaldez, Director of Graduate Fellowships at Davidson College, and Dr. Scott Denham, Chair of the Graduate Fellowships Committee.
Alumni Bios: | Devin Haddad ’10 – A Center major at Davidson, Mr. Haddad moved to Washington, DC after graduation to work for an immunology lab at the FDA for two years. He is now a medical student at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Caroline Ludwig ’12 – A biology major and French minor, Ms. Ludwig is currently working at LifeStar Emergency Medical Services in Winston-Salem, NC, and volunteers at the Brenner Children’s Hospital. She also teaches a dance exercise class at the local YMCA. Ms. Ludwig plans to attend medical school next year.
Malcolm Moses-Hampton ‘12 – Mr. Moses-Hampton is currently a NSF Lab & Research Technician in Dr. Julio Ramirez’s Neuroscience Lab in the Davidson College Psychology Department. As such, he manages and conducts grant projects with Dr. Ramirez. Mr. Moses-Hampton plans to attend medical school in 2014, eventually practicing as a neurosurgeon with specific application to traumatic brain injuries.
As a pre-med chemistry major, Carter Devlin ’13 has always had an interest in medicine. This past summer, however, he was given an opportunity to explore the business side of the healthcare industry. As a Business Development and Planning intern at Biologics, Inc. Carter was tasked with performing market research and competitor analysis for one of the most specialized drug distribution companies in the world. Carter’s summer culminated in a presentation delivered to the executive team and strategic planning committee meant to showcase his findings over the course of this summer.
“Carter’s experience serves as a reminder that one need not be a doctor to get involved in the healthcare industry.”
For those interested in medicine, but wary of medical school, a position like Carter’s is a great way to break into the healthcare industry.
Carter’s position placed a heavy emphasis on writing, research, and communication skills, all of which are developed by the Davidson curriculum. Carter reported that a position like this is also a valuable learning experience for anyone interested in medicine. By gaining exposure to various drug distribution channels and the clinical trial process, a position in the business side of the healthcare industry arms a Davidson student with the tools to continue in the healthcare industry or break off into a related field such as marketing or consulting. Carter’s experience serves as a reminder that one need not be a doctor to get involved in the healthcare industry.
Includes: Neuropsychology, Psychology, Environmental Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Medicine, Public Health, Biochemistry, Engineering, and Computer Science
Undergraduate research opportunities offer you the chance to participate in exciting projects, working beside some of the most talented scientists in the field. They also help you gain needed experience to get in to graduate school or to obtain the position you’re applying for after graduation.
Below are links to a wide range of scientific research opportunities. Some offer stipends, while others are unpaid. Deadlines vary, but in general, the earlier you apply the better. You should also check with your professors when seeking research opportunities as many have openings available for Davidson students that are not advertised. Davidson professors will also know of colleagues looking for people to work in their labs.
Research Experiences for Undergraduates This is the premier site for summer research positions in the sciences. REU sites are competitively selected by the National Science Foundation (NSF), so the positions tend to be of very high quality (and tend to pay well, also).
Biotech and Pharmaceutical Bio Biotechnology Industry Organization is a professional association designed to provide information and support for those in the biotechnology field. Their website provides excellent information on specific fields, current research and career opportunities.
BioSpace News and job opportunities for those interested in the biotech and pharmaceutical fields.
PhRMA PhRMA’s mission is to conduct effective advocacy for public policies that encourage
discovery of important new medicines for patients by biopharmaceutical research companies. This webside provides a variety of resources on the field.
Environmental Science Institute Funded by the National Science Foundation, this program is open to a national pool of undergraduate applicants and requires a ten-week commitment. Students create their own research project, participate in a research group, and present their work.
Math Mathematical Association of America The MAA provides mathematicians with the best expository articles, engaging problems, and articles devoted to teaching collegiate mathematics. The MAA also provides research funding opportunities.
The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics International community of over 13,000 individual members. Almost 500 academic, manufacturing, research and development, service and consulting organizations, government, and military organizations worldwide are institutional members. The website has an excellent career-related section that lists internships and jobs within the field and provides career information and advice.
Public Health Opportunities Johns Hopkins – Funding/Internships Announcements
Compiled listing of public health related internships and research opportunities. Students do not need to be attending Johns Hopkins to apply.
Science The National Academies The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute ofMedicine, and National Research Council are private, nonprofit institutions that provide expert advice on some of the most pressing challenges facing the nation and the world.
The term Allied Health describes a group of health professions made up of as many as 200 health careers. There are 5 million allied health care providers in the U.S., who work in more than 80 different professions and represent approximately 60% of all health care provider. This is just a drop in the bucket in terms of how many allied health care workers are needed to meet current and future healthcare needs in America.
When you work in allied health, you are involved (directly or indirectly) with patient health, and you are regarded as an expert in your field. Some allied health professionals practice independently; others work as part of a health care team, providing continual evaluation and assessment of patient needs. They also play a major role in informing the attending clinician of the patient’s progress and response to treatment.
The allied health professions fall into two broad categories: technicians (assistants) and therapists/technologists. Technicians are trained to perform procedures, and their education lasts less than two years. They are required to work under the supervision of technologists or therapists. This part of the allied health field includes physical therapy assistants, medical laboratory technicians, radiological technicians, occupational therapy assistants, recreation therapy assistants, and respiratory therapy technicians.
The educational process for therapists or technologists is more intensive and includes acquiring procedural skills. In addition, students of therapy/technology learn to evaluate patients, diagnose conditions, develop treatment plans, and understand the rationale behind various treatments in order to judge their appropriateness and potential side effects. Educational curricula teach students to evaluate patients’ responses to therapy and make appropriate decisions about continued treatment or modification of treatment plans.
On Monday, September 29th, at 7:30 P.M., the Center for Career Development and the Residence Life Office hosted Destination Unknown: Realizing the Potential for Your Future. The event was targeted at delivering information particularly important for Davidson seniors.
to stay up-to-date on trends in health care careers.