University of San Diego

Undergraduate Researcher

June - August 2019 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

I think it's really important to be connected to other students doing research! It can be a sort of isolating experience, and having friends going through the same thing is really helpful.

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Independent Research Student

June 2019 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

I liked having the independence and freedom of choosing my own schedule and having the responsibility of the work without the pressure of tests, due dates, etc.

What I wish was different

Advice

Take advantage of all the resources available and given to you, and expand your skillsets as much as you can while you have the chance to do so

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STEMWoW Enrichment Program Group Facilitator

January - August 2019 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

I liked that I got to get experience working with kids at a middle school age and teach them about STEM!

What I wish was different

Nothing!

Advice

I would advise anyone looking into this internship to make sure that they attend all of the trainings to get an idea of what the program is like and what is expected of interns.

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Building Maintenance Mechanic

June - August 2019 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

Everything about the job was good because I was able to learn many skills. It increased my team work and customer service skills while strengthening my technical skills.

What I wish was different

I sometimes would have liked to have more work to do because some days I would run out.

Advice

Be willing to work overtime because there are plenty of opportunities to do so.

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Undergraduate Admissions Administrative Assistant

May - July 2019 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

I loved how kind and welcoming USD's campus community is!

What I wish was different

I wish I could have had more opportunities to explore other departments at USD

Advice

I would recommend doing a job you love, regardless of the pay scale!

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Undergraduate Researcher

June 2019 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

I was thinking of switching from physics to biophysics and working in a biophysics lab really helped me learn a lot about the major!

What I wish was different

Nothing! I loved my experience.

Advice

Make sure you speak with the professor who’s lab you’re working in!

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Research Assistant

May 2019 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

I liked that I had many different duties while being in lab, so my day was never boring. I was either entering and analyzing data, taking care of children, coding videos, etc.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Researcher

June - August 2019 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

It was absolutely amazing having the opportunity to work with my mentor and design a research study in my field of interest. It was engaging and helped me become more familiar with my field while also getting a feel for what graduate studies may be like.

What I wish was different

N/A

Advice

If you’re considering going to graduate school, look into the McNair Scholars program, or SURE/PURE. They provide a unique and valuable experience, and although it may seem intimidating at first, it is fantastic and you will have all the support you need to succeed.

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SURE Grant Independent Researcher

June - August 2019 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

The freedom of making my own research topic and being able to travel to Spain to do on site archival research.

What I wish was different

I wish I would have made a more realistic timeline for myself and incorporated it into my thesis.

Advice

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Student Assistant

May 2018 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

It was something new everyday.

What I wish was different

Higher Wages

Advice

Always explore additional responsibilities in your job to pursue a higher position.

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Undergraduate Research Assistant

June 2018 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

The ability to lead my own project and take charge of what I wanted to do.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more time, 10 weeks is simply not enough to complete an entire research project.

Advice

Communicate with your mentor about the goals and expectations. It will only help you become a more successful researcher.

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Student Tech

June 2016 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

The people I work with

What I wish was different

A little more hands on

Advice

Be patient

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Education-Facilitator

June - September 2019 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

What I enjoyed the most was creating a community and building the individual passion for learning of each child.

What I wish was different

I wish my commitment could have been past the summer and into the fall.

Advice

Allow for new creative ways to teach children, especially in today's technology drenched society by connecting their views and experiences with their future goals. To understand the use of technology to find information not just for entertainment.

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Office Manager

May 2018 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

I really loved the experience, working with people who had similar interests and passions to me. Also, getting to exercise leadership and group facilitation skills, as well as adventure to beautiful, natural places, was such an incredible opportunity.

What I wish was different

I really wouldn't change anything about my experience.

Advice

If you're really in the field that you want to be in, any job in it, no matter what level, should be informative and peak your curiosity.

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Research assistant

June 2016 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

I enjoyed the hands on experience with other like minded chemists. It was great to be I depended and have a project of my own

What I wish was different

I wish that I had gotten a little more guidance from my professor

Advice

I would advise students to seek out internships/ research experience early. It’s a great way to get your foot in the door

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Undergraduate Researcher

July - September 2019 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

I liked how I was able to gain experience in marine science research and understand how professional research is conducted. My project also interested me since I was studying the heart rates of sea turtles, allowing me to learn a lot about sea turtle physiology.

What I wish was different

My research was mainly data analysis, so a lot of my work was done on the computer. I wish I had more field experience, however this is extremely difficult especially with sea turtle research.

Advice

Research is not all about going out to the field and collecting research. The real research takes place in the lab and interpreting the results. I would advise undergraduates to be aware of this and that the end result is still completely worth it!

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Undergraduate Researcher

June - August 2018 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

Being involved on campus over the summer, working on my own research project.

What I wish was different

Advice

Make sure you consistently work on your project on a daily basis, don't procrastinate

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Undergraduate Researcher

May 2018 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

I have been an undergraduate research assistant since summer of my freshman year, but this was the first time I took the lead in a study. I loved having greater involvement in research, including creativity, design, problem-solving, and organizing. Additionally, this project has confirmed my decision to go into academic research as a career.

What I wish was different

I definitely wish that I had been compensated for my work, but I still think the experience was more than worth it.

Advice

I would advise people to be unafraid to advocate for themselves to find research opportunities. I reached out to my professor before I was fully academically qualified for the position, but I was able to develop a connection and start networking so that she told me to wait a semester, hone my skills, and then join her in my lab. If I had waited until I was fully qualified for this position, I may have missed it altogether.

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Research Assistant

January - August 2019 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

I love that it brought me closer to the USD community, and provided me with the opportunity to get to know more professors on campus. My research professor was so helpful in teaching me in the ins and outs of the lab and genuinely wanted me to understand the research she was conducting. I learned basic lab techniques in labs throughout classes, but this was the first time I was able to actually apply that knowledge.

What I wish was different

I wish it would've been longer! My research professor moved schools, so we had to stop conducting her research. Otherwise, it was a wonderful opportunity and I loved it!

Advice

I had to go up to this professor last year during one of her talks, and tell her how much I was interested in her research and that I would love to be apart of her lab. I was persistent in letting her know I was hard working and would love a chance to work under her. I would say to stay passionate about what you want to do, and work hard to get there!

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