Co-op Student
Newsletter
Stay connected to RIT,
while gaining experience
Spring 2013 Issue
Co-op Factoids | Out On Co-op – 100 Years of Co-op Contest
Winners | Making the Most of Your Co-op Tip: How to Turn Your Co-op Into a
Full-time Job | Share Your Experience | Co-op Kitchen | Are You Number One?
SPRING QUARTER CO-OP FACTOIDS
Number of students on co-op:
857
Number of students on co-op internationally: 13
Number of companies employing co-op students:
510
Companies hiring the most students this quarter:
Advance Testing, BorgWarner Morse, Cisco Systems,
GE-Aviation, Harris Corp., Intuit, MOOG, Paychex, RIT, Thomson Reuters,
University of Rochester, Vicor, Wegmans, Xerox Corp.
Co-op City trivia: In 1777 the famous
Liberty Bell was hidden in Zion's Reformed Church in Allentown, PA while the
British invaded the city of Philadelphia. The Bell was returned to Philadelphia
in June of 1778, after the British left Philadelphia.
OUT ON CO-OP – 100 Years of
Co-op Story Winners!
 |
Jessica Contreras co-oping with
Deaf Studies Laboratory |
Jessica Contreras
School Psychology major
Deaf Studies Laboratory, RIT/NTID
The Deaf Studies Laboratory (DSL) focuses their research
efforts on better understanding the deaf experience in three key areas, which
are cognition, language, and the social aspects. It was established in
2003 by Dr. Peter Hauser and a group of students and has continued to serve as
what I believe to be an important strength of RIT. His aim was to run the
lab as a mentor-ship based program encouraging each of his student researchers
to take on a role within the lab. It allowed me to better connect with the
RIT population and develop into a graduate research assistant.
Working at the DSL has provided me an incredibly eye-opening
experience into the research world. I have gained experience in
administering several tests and working with children in a variety of
settings. I was sent to do data collection in Indiana and Massachusetts
establishing the experience of foraging collaborations as well as ensuring the
data was collected correctly. Dr. Hauser allowed me to work as a team
within the lab, training me to take the lead on the data collection project,
and encouraging me to step up into a leadership role. He provided me with
the tools to be successful, but at the same time provided a strong foundation
of support enabling me to complete the project. My overall co-op
experience allowed me to develop leadership, research, and collaboration
skills, thus improving my confidence to further delve into the realm of
research.
Additionally, I was able to see first-hand the process of
post-test procedures. I have been entrusted to score tests, input them into
Excel, and then transfer them to SPSS (a data collection program). Once I
prepared the data, I then observed how data is analyzed. From our analysis we
could conclude whether to further expand aspects of the research.
After my co-op experience, I was asked to continue working
with the DSL. Upon my acceptance into RIT’s Graduate School Psychology
program, I accepted the position to stay with the DSL. I am looking
forward to honing my skills, so that I can eventually conduct my own
independent research. The amazing experiences that DSL has provided me
will continue to be of use in my future line of work. They have not only
benefitted me at work, but also in school. It further completes my
understanding of how research helps when working with the school-age
population. Research benefits the future of society and DSL specifically
focuses on the deaf population within society. Overall, my experience
with the DSL has proved to be fruitful and I look forward to being a successful
researcher.
Kazi Hayat Reza
Civil Engineering Technology major
 |
| Kazi Hayat Reza on co-op with Institute of Water Modeling |
Institute of Water Modeling (IWM), Dhaka, Bangladesh
The Institute of Water Modeling (IWM) in Dhaka is an
organization working in the field of water modeling, computational hydraulics
and allied sciences. The institute is run by a number of highly qualified
international professionals, including my supervisor. A branch of the
organization known as the Water Resource Planning division (WRP) is currently
involved in the design and implementation of the Dhaka City Sewer Master Plan.
This plan has been designed to accommodate the present and future sewage
management of Dhaka, a mega city of fourteen million with a density of
forty-seven thousand per square mile.
Using present census data and extrapolating it, the Dhaka
City Sewer Master Plan has been designed to cope with an appreciable increase
in the population by 2020. The continuous expansion of the city will facilitate
a need for an efficient sewage transportation and treatment program. The Plan calls
for the introduction of new sewer lines where the city will expand, or where
there were none at all, as well as to replace the aging system to handle the
increased flow. The system has been designed to conform to the unique and
difficult terrain of this particular city.
By the time I joined the organization, the Master Plan was
nearing completion; many areas had already been surveyed. My responsibility was
to work with a team to prepare and analyze the survey data and to facilitate
the development of the sewer models via satellite images of the city. Through
the use of Bentley’s SewerGems we calculated the peak amount of sewage flow in
six major areas of the city and, under the guidance of my supervisor, computed
the appropriate diameters and slopes of the conduits. I was then tasked to plot
and display the profile and plan views for all the conduits in each area,
measuring over three hundred and fifty miles. AutoCAD was extensively used to
display and print all the plan and profile drawings.
I appreciate IWM for offering me an opportunity to
contribute to the formulation of such a mega Sewerage project. This was a
unique experience for me and I would highly recommend any future students to
seek a co-op with this institution.
For more profiles visit:
MAKING THE MOST
OF YOUR CO-OP TIP: How to Turn Your Co-op into a Full Time Job
In 2012 the National Association of Colleges & Employers
(NACE) reported that “more than 40%” of employers who hired new grads did so by
pulling from their own internship/co-op programs. What does this mean? It means
a lot of employers are using their co-op programs as extended interviews for
full time positions. As a co-op student you should be viewing your co-op the
same way. So…..what are the ways you can ace your 10-15 week interview and get
a full time offer? Here are some tips:
·
Ask for feedback and accept it gracefully. You
should schedule a ‘mid-co-op’ check in to see what your strengths and
weaknesses are. If there are things you can improve upon implement them and
continue sharpening your strengths.
·
Shine! Go above and beyond what is asked of you.
Be humble about your capabilities and then over-deliver. Search out new
projects, ask for more work, make yourself available.
·
Act like a full timer. Demonstrate positivity,
enthusiasm, and optimism – even if something is hard. Dress to impress. Seek out
a well-respected upper level employee and emulate their appearance. Always be
on time or early. Stay late to complete your tasks. Act as if you belong
(without getting too comfortable).
·
Find a mentor. There has been enough said on
this topic!
·
Ask good questions. A well thought out or
insightful question shows that you are interested in what you’re doing and not
just there to collect a paycheck. Try to find the answer yourself first, offer
what you found , then ask follow up questions.
·
Express your interest in the company and in a
working there. Be clear – you like the company and you would like to work
there! Maybe your supervisor doesn’t know you are even thinking about it. Do
this early on.
·
Become an expert on your industry. LinkedIn has
an overabundance of information on industry topics. Wow, your bosses with your
industry knowledge.
·
Share your knowledge. As a millennial, chances
are you may know about and use technology that your co-workers aren’t familiar
with. Share what you know, especially if it can help you do your job more
efficiently.
·
Here’s one that is sometimes overlooked: Be
nice! Be friendly, be positive, stay away from office drama and gossip.
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE
RIT co-op students have worked all over the world, with
large and small companies, collaborating with all types of people. We are
building a collection of photos/videos of RIT students at work to feature in
future co-op newsletters and possibly on our site.
Interested in sharing a photo (or video) of yourself
"on the job"? The more active and specific to your job the better!
If you wish to submit something -- please include the
following:
Name, Major:
Company Name:
City, State/ or Country:
Even better, want to do a brief write up about your co-op
experience? Please include:
Job Description:
How Did you Find the Job?
Tips for First Time Co-ops?
How Did Co-op Benefit You?
CO-OP KITCHEN
Every college student at some point will most likely dine on
ramen noodles because it’s something to make super- fast or just because it’s
cheap. There are so many combinations to try, but here’s a quick and tasty
recipe for the student on the go!
Chili Ramen
Ingredients
1 package of ramen (beef, chicken or other)
1 can of chili (with or without beans)
Shredded cheese (cheddar, taco, Mexican)
Approximately 1 cup of broken Dorito chips
1/4 cup chopped onion (optional)
Prepare
1. Cook noodles as indicated on package.
2. Drain all water from noodles.
3. Add can of chili, onions, and Doritos. Stir.
4. Top with cheese.
Enjoy!
ARE YOU NUMBER ONE?
Students – are you the first co-op student your company has
ever had? If you’ve had a good co-op experience, but are now leaving, this is
your chance to help your company and other RIT students too!
Before you go, talk with your supervisor about the
possibility of hiring another RIT student, to continue the work you started, or
work on a new project. It’s easy to post a co-op position on our employer web
site –
www.rit.edu/recruit, and if
they have any questions, you can refer them to your program coordinator, or our
main office – 585.475.2301. Your supervisor may even want you to be involved in
recruiting your successor!
Thank you for helping us maintain a good relationship with
your company, and develop co-op opportunities for other RIT students.
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