Category: Uncategorized

Melissa P. Rudas, Esquire came into my life when I needed it the most. After three collegiate years littered with major changes and career uncertainty, I found myself utterly lost. I took an internship position with her office without any real experience in the field of law with the hopes of finding some direction. However, what I found was so much more. Not only did I learn what it takes to be a successful attorney, but I became a part of a family and built inseparable bonds that I will forever cherish. Melissa recognized my potential and challenged me every day by holding me to her extremely high standards. She not only pushed me to be the best intern I could be but pushed me to be the best person I could be. In doing so, my passion for law grew and I began to experience the type of career equanimity I craved for so long. For me, the most rewarding aspect of my internship was being able to not only work with such a masterful professional, but to work with such a truly special and caring person. To say that Attorney Rudas is one of the most amazing individuals I have ever met is, quite honestly, an understatement. Through both the good and the bad, Melissa’s consistency and passion radiated from every aspect of her being. Melissa is a beacon of strength for those who need it most. She has changed so many lives for better, including my own. Melissa, thank you for everything you have done for me! Words cannot even express how grateful I am for your presence.

Andrew Milisits
Philosophy

So far, my experience at the Everhart Museum of Natural History and Art has been one that I will appreciate in my many years to come. As an Art Major, I understand that sometimes in order to achieve a goal of becoming someone who teaches art at college level, or in his or her own studio, he or she must first work to gain as much knowledge about the art world as is possible. Working in a museum has so far expanded my knowledge about local art, and what goes on behind the scenes; that is, what happens behind those white gallery walls in order to create an exhibition that would catch the interest of the public, no matter their age. What I have been doing holds the title of Registrar- I am entering their art collection into a database called Past Perfect. Up until now, the Museum’s collection has been recorded on notecards and other obscure forms in over 30 drawers of file folders. The collection numbers over 6000, and in the 4 weeks I have been there, I have made it through nearly 400 files. One might think that number is not very impressive, but it is so much more than retyping cards into a database. Some items have very little to draw upon, so I do research, and find out as much as I can about the particular item. Or, in some cases, there are email correspondences, hand written letters, and type-written thank yous for pieces donated. This experience, so far, has given much more insight as to what happens in a museum when its doors are closed to the public, and I am very excited to discover what waits for me in the coming file folders

Jordan Oakey
Liberal Studies with concentrations in Studio Art, Art History, and Education Theory

I will spend my Royal Psychology Experience as a summer research assistant (RA) at McLean Hospital’s OCDI Jr. in Middleborough, Massachusetts. A Harvard Medical School Affiliate, McLean Hospital established OCDI Jr. in 2015 as a residential and partial hospitalization program for children and adolescents with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). As an RA, I will spend my summer coauthoring a book chapter on mindfulness in schools, designing a study on the relationship between perfectionism and OCD severity, observing clinical interventions, and attending presentations on other research projects underway at McLean.

I hope that my tenure at OCDI Jr. will help to clarify my post-graduation plans. Though I plan on pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, I lack research experience and am therefore unsure whether my passion for research compares to my passion for clinical work. Clinical psychology Ph.D. programs require graduates to complete independent research projects, and I would therefore like to learn whether I enjoy research before committing to such a program. If research proves less exciting than clinical work for me, then I will likely apply to practice-oriented Psy.D. programs next semester.

Whether my tenure at OCDI Jr. strengthens my resolve to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology or points me in a new direction, I am truly excited to begin my Royal Psychology Experience. I am confident that each of my on and off site experiences this summer will further contribute to both my personal and professional development.

Bobby McGowan
Philosophy & Psychology

The Royal Experience Internship has allowed me to begin exploring the incredibly interesting and relatively new field of echolocation technology. Although I have only learned the very basics of surveying bats, I’ve already gained more experience in the field than I ever could have imagined. I have always enjoyed working with animals, but I never thought that I would have the opportunity to gain the specific and unique skill set required for tracking down and recording the echolocation calls of such small and evasive animals.

Populations of bats in the Northeastern United States have declined steadily since the first outbreak of White-Nose Syndrome in Albany, New York in 2006. The White-Nose fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, feeds off of the fat reserves in hibernating bats and ultimately has decimated the population levels of several species. The low populations in our region make it very challenging to survey bats so I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade from Dr. Gary Kwiecinski, a bat expert. I am confident that this internship will allow me to refine the skills required to accurately survey such a rare and evasive animal.

The cultivation of my bat-finding techniques will be invaluable for me in the future, as I plan to pursue a career in animal research. The Royal Experience Internship has provided me with an opportunity to diversify my skills and gain practical, hands-on experience for my future career goals.

Tate Ackerman
Biology, Spanish, Philosophy

While my summer internship intends to provide me with experience in chemical experimentation, biochemical assays, and data acquisition and presentation, I’ve realized that my summer research truly endows me with experience in complex problem-solving.

Although the theoretical aspects of my work in redox biochemistry are challenging, I find them understandable and logical. However, the application of theory through experimentation often renders me stumped. When I first began designing procedures for protein extraction while working with Dr. Timothy Foley, the procedures seemed simple. But, having applied the protocols, I quickly recognized that transforming theory into reality would be both complex and puzzling.

The search for answers to complex challenges in biochemical research renders the work both exciting and adventurous. Over the next few weeks, I hope to develop my skills in solving obstacles presented to me in chemical research. Even more importantly, I plan to learn from my research colleagues and Dr. Foley by asking questions when I doubt my understanding or my knowledge base. The first few weeks of my summer research internship have repeatedly reminded me how little I know about my work. As each optimization experiment presents a new challenge, I quickly understand that I may not know the answer, but I have resources to search for it. While I develop my talents in biochemical problem-solving and trouble-shooting, I hope to learn from my summer internship not only topics in biochemistry about which I know little, but also to be excited to say: I don’t know, but I’ll find out.

Stefan Olsen
Biochemistry

This summer I am working in the Office of Safety and Medical Operations at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. I have been able to observe the operations of most of the subsections of the department, including patient safety, performance improvement, harm prevention, and emergency preparedness. As I continue to observe and figure out which subsections interest me most, I will have the opportunity to work on projects under mentors from some of these subsections. For example, I am working with an improvement advisor on a project that aims to optimize the scheduling process in every department by creating questionnaires and decision trees to standardize the process. This will give me hands on experience in the creation, management, and completion of improvement work throughout a hospital. Further, my experience here exposes me firsthand to hospital operations and the interconnectedness of the different departments, units, and leaders, and how important it is for them to work together in order to create positive change in the hospital. I am quickly learning that in order to excel in healthcare, I have to be able to think creatively and innovatively in order to find new ways to improve efficiency and deliver the highest quality of patient care. I hope this experience will give me more insight into what specific roles within the healthcare sector interest me most. Further, this internship is helping me to understand which skills, such as leadership and communication, to sharpen in order to be successful in my career.

Sarah Novak
Health Administration

In research and in any job, there can be a lot of administrative work necessary to keep operations running smoothly. As an intern this summer in The University of Scranton’s Biopsychology lab, I will have first-hand experience with the tasks that go on behind the work I do at the lab bench. From writing protocols and keeping animal records up to date to ordering supplies and keeping lab equipment in good condition, much goes on alongside running experimental trials in order to have a successful research lab. As most researchers work independently, even if in a larger lab group or research team, it is important to learn the skills of maintaining proper lab conditions and be self-sufficient. Additionally, I hope to learn new lab techniques including both behavioral protocols and biochemical methods in the Biopsychology lab or in collaboration with other labs at The University of Scranton. This will help me be a versatile candidate for application to Doctorate programs. This internship provides for me the opportunity to research my own project and bring it to fruition from the start with getting the necessary protocols accepted and supplies ordered to the end when all experimental manipulations are accomplished and it comes time to write the manuscript. In this way, I will see whether this process is one I can see myself running and repeating as would happen for a career in research. I hope this summer internship affirms my current aspirations to pursue research in the field of Neuroscience.

Cassie Stapf
Neuroscience and Philosophy