Thursday, April 4, 2013

Spring 2013 Co-op Newsletter



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?

Email it to Gretchen Burruto through this Gmail account: mailto:mgeboce@rit.edu. Thanks!!



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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