Mount Saint Mary College Career Center Connections 2013

Connections Career Center

Mount Saint Mary College • 330 Powell Avenue, Newburgh, NY 12550

2013

www.msmc.edu

Student Pursues Dreams at Mayo Clinic

By Megan Green, nursing

T

his summer I worked as a Summer III Nurse Extern for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. As I drove 1,300 miles across the country, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was prepared for this opportunity. I was coming from a small school in upstate NY to work at a world renowned hospital. However, I found very quickly that the MSMC nursing program had done much more than prepare me - I had both the competence and confidence to excel as a Summer III Extern.

Working on the general pediatrics floor at the Mayo Eugenio Litta Children’s Hospital was a wonderful opportunity for me because all I’ve ever dreamed about was becoming a pediatric nurse!

I saw a multitude of rare diseases and conditions, lifechanging surgeries, and success stories. I had a voice the entire time I worked at Mayo, constantly being asked by nurses and physicians, “What do you think?”

This really helped me grow throughout the summer.

I feel that my experience at the Mayo Clinic was exactly what I needed to supplement what I’ve learned at the Mount. I would encourage anyone to reach for the best externship they can imagine. With the background nursing students receive at MSMC, it is possible to surpass expectations!

Equipped with the Tools to Succeed

By Jac Bergenson, communications/journalism

Real-world experience. A friendly, fast-paced work environment. Free food. What else could a journalism intern ask for?

When everyone else revved up their grill for the summer holidays, I embarked on a journey. I took my first real foray into the whole journalism thing,

jumping into a newsroom with both feet.

Admittedly, I was nervous. I had heard a lot of things about newsrooms: that they’re frenetic; that I’d live off of stale coffee; that I’d be sent off to chase ambulances.

I guess I came prepared: Before my internship, I worked in a kitchen, lived off of stale coffee; and most of my stories were written with some research and interviews from the comfort of my own desk chair.

After eight or so weeks into my internship with the Poughkeepsie Journal, I could already see the improvements in my skills and knowledge, and the results were

evident when I put the words down on paper.

I lost that jitter that I used to get when I would interview people (okay, it’s still there—I’ve just gotten better at managing it). I know how to ask the question and how to pull that important bit of information out. I can channel my inner Steinbeck and fill concise sentences with meaty, eye-grabbing information.

As my senior year begins, I have learned a lot and am confident that I will leave school with the tools necessary to succeed in my field. I’ve already taken a bite of what’s out there; now, it’s time to dig in!

Career Center Connections

2013 Edition

INAUGURAL

INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS

T

he Career Center and the Office of International Programs jointly developed international internship opportunities for the first time in the history of Mount Saint Mary College. During this inaugural year, two students worked abroad this summer and reached new horizons.

Learning and Living in London

By Gabrielle Fanizzi, public relations

Rather than intern close to home, I chose a different approach which included a 6 month application process and a plane ride over the Atlantic Ocean. Through the help of the Career Center, I combined two of my dreams: working in PR and going abroad for an extended period of time. If I said it was an easy process, I would be blatantly lying. But I guarantee, I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Living in London, I expected to be shocked with the lifestyle differences such as driving on the left side of the road, understanding what “topping off ” and “popping out” lingo meant and getting my fill of fish and chips. I never expected, however, to see such a change in myself. Working abroad has been the best experience. I interned for Halpern PR, an amazing agency that provides PR to the world of fashion, beauty, celebrity, consumer lifestyle, digital and social media.

I worked on the celebrity team, ensur-

ing that newsletters, research and product placements ran smoothly. Instead of being micro-managed, I was given a task and asked to perform it to the best of my ability. In turn, I felt self-sufficient and confident in my capabilities as a worker.

I’ve grown so much and have learned so much about the basics and fundamentals of PR. I didn’t know what to expect in my internship, but keeping an open mind, saying ‘yes’ to everything, and working hard certainly has its rewards.

Getting Down to Business in Barcelona

By Geraldine Yniquez, business

This has been one of the biggest dreams that I have ever chased. If I had known what kind of adventure this would turn out to be when I began the process in September, I would never have been able to contain my excitement. Working in a city that has the perfect combination of work and fun was seriously a joy and the shortest ten weeks of my life. Granted, in the first few weeks I felt lost in a foreign place, but that was actually the time when I discovered the most about Barcelona and myself.

This internship experience was not a cliché where the intern merely files papers and goes on coffee runs. Within

my first few weeks at my internship I did market research, came up with designs for a t-shirt that would promote the company, translated the website into English and collaborated with the marketing team on social media advertising ideas. Working with iWANNA.travel has truly given me the tools that will set me apart from others in the job market. I worked both independently and in a group, all while communicating in English, Spanish and often times Catalan, the native language of Catalunya. I met many extraordinary people at different points in their career who have further motivated me throughout this experience. I couldn’t have imagined a more eye-opening summer.

Real World Experience

Mount students share their internship stories

Art Therapy: Aiding with Mental Health Disorders

By Bobby Maher, psychology

Regaining That Spark

By Rebecca Quicksell, nursing

I

participated in a summer nursing externship at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO. This was a very competitive program and I started the application process in January. The other externs were mostly from Missouri but others came from California, Minnesota, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Florida. Patients come from all over the country to receive care at Barnes. My externship gave me real life hands on experiences. I was given full responsibility by the third week. I learned to interact and coordinate with the other nurs-

es, doctors, social workers, and patients.

Admitting and discharging patients were everyday tasks. I saw my self-confidence increase enormously throughout these 10 weeks. Educating patients and learning new skills were my favorite tasks.

What really made the experience for me were the “thank you’s”, the hugs and the trust that patients had with me.

Sometimes school can become really stressful and hinder the reasons why I want to be a nurse. Working at Barnes gave me that spark back. I truly want to be an R.N.

A Passion for Nursing

By Alexandra Kleine, nursing

Working as a professional student nurse assistant (PSNA) at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) in Allentown, PA, I had the opportunity to apply my Mount Saint Mary College nursing education in many different units, from pediatrics to openheart ICU. Each day, LVHN placed between 10 to 16 patients under my immediate care.

I worked directly with the RNs, physicians, and various other medical professionals and specialists. During my shift, I provided direct patient care which included diagnos-

tics and treatments, as directed by an RN. Not only has this experience granted me the opportunity to learn hands on nursing skills, but it also provided numerous chances for me to apply what I learned in the classroom to patient care. Working both day and night shifts required me to become

While interning at The Rockland Living Museum in the art therapy program, I hosted a number of workshops including cartooning, painting, wallet making, print making, and flag making. Each of these programs were created to use art to help patients build their self-esteem and overcome the challenges of mental health disorders. Art therapy provides a fantastic alternative to traditional psychotherapy because it allows patients to use art as a form of communication.

Many social anxiety sufferers avoid psychotherapy because they are too anxious to speak to a therapist. Art therapy programs can be very beneficial for this population by allowing them to express themselves and build their self-confidence by creating artwork that is displayed or sold at art shows. Interning at The Rockland Museum was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had and it taught me a lot about the great benefits of art in treating mental health disorders.

more flexible as a healthcare provider and to better understand the distinct differences between these shifts and why 24 hour care is so important.

I have always had a great passion for helping others. I feel I can best do that as an RN. Working at LHVN excites me for the day in the near future when I can assume the full responsibilities of an RN and serve patients on a daily basis. This experience as a PSNA has been the most educational and rewarding experience of my life. I look forward to sharing my experiences with my classmates as we begin our senior year.

Career Center Connections

Using Math to Help the Community

By Karen Borst, math/education

In my internship I applied my math skills to the incredibly important work of Habitat for Humanity by looking at critical housing conditions affecting the quality of neighborhoods in Newburgh. This project involved surveying real estate on various census blocks and recording the data in spreadsheets to measure the economic impact on Newburgh residents over the past five years. The surveys recorded property condition, ownership and occupancy status, age of residents, and crime data.

As one of the four Mount students there, I spoke to people in the community to learn their true feelings about Newburgh. Working with the Mount’s Math Department and Dr. Lee Fothergill, we developed values that determine which census blocks need the most work. Once the information is recorded, we can then examine the various parcels and assess the impact of different measures on each individual parcel.

This internship gave me a greater appreciation of the community I live in and I hope the work has a positive impact on the community. I have a broader range of knowledge and will never forget what this internship taught me.

An Invaluable Experience

By Jeremias Ramos, accounting

A

s an accounting major, I was determined to get a summer internship to gain some real work experience in an office setting. I applied to several places, and with the help of the Career Center, I landed a summer internship with Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation.

As an intern with the Internal Auditing Division, I was able to see different areas of accounting. I worked with different segments of the company including: financial reporting, accounts payable, customer accounting, taxes, and others. The position required a substantial amount of independent work, which was scary at first, but was rewarding in the end.

Being new to the company, I found myself asking supervisors a lot of questions about controls and functions of their department. Through these conversations, I learned about other people’s experience and reasoning on why they became an accountant or even a CPA. This was

a valuable experience which has helped me decide which areas of accounting I’d like to pursue. I recommend accounting students complete an internship before they graduate because the experience, no matter the outcome, is invaluable.

Snapshots

Students in the field Jessica Lynn, Waterbury Hospital

Jennifer Clark (L) & Kerry Hogan (R), VA Hudson Valley Health System

Jillian Benedetto & Elizabeth Uhl, Orange County DSS

Victoria Wresilo, Connecticut News 8 WTNH Ché-la Devonshire & Natalia Miller, St. Luke’s Cornwall Hosp.

Amanda Cavaciuti, Putnam Community Cares

2013 Edition

Getting the Scoop

By Emma Friedrich, communications/journalism

A Career Under Construction

By Frank Bosco, marketing

W

ith the help of the Career Center, I was able to explore a career in construction management. Growing up working in various fields of construction with my father, I always had my sight set on that type of work. Studying business management at the Mount, I was unsure of how I could apply my new knowledge in the construction field. After meeting with Career Center staff numerous times and reviewing a few potential employers, it turned out that the Mount held the key to my future all along.

With the Career Center’s guidance, I applied for a summer internship with Kirchhoff-Consigili Construction Management (KCMM) and was hired and Christina SanFelippo, YWCA, New York City

given the opportunity to prove myself in a field where most interns are engineering majors. At KCCM I learned that I like everything about the construction industry. I liked getting to know and work with the people at Kirchhoff-Consigli and being an active member of the company. I learned a lot, including the terminology involved with construction.

But what I found most interesting were the unforeseen events or discoveries that occur on the job. I enjoyed working to overcome and handle these obstacles.

I was given an opportunity and I ran with it. Now, after a 3 month internship, I am still with the company as a full time KCCM Project Engineer!

Kristen Itzla (L), at Ameriprise with Edie Haughney

As a journalism major, I knew that there were a lot of career paths to choose from. However, I also knew that I wanted to focus on the writing aspect of journalism.

My internship with Aspire Magazine gave me the opportunity to work hands on throughout the entire magazine-making process: researching, conducting interviews, writing articles and proofreading. I did a little bit of everything. I also worked closely with their website and even got to create my own online exclusive column, thus, giving me the nickname “Scoop.”

Whether I was writing new articles or laying out previous articles, I was always publishing something.

Thanks to my time with Aspire Magazine, I now know that this is definitely where I’d like my career to go. Everyone was patient and helpful, giving me constructive criticism and great pointers for the future. Now I am a published writer and I can’t wait to keep writing!

Career Center Mount Saint Mary College 330 Powell Ave., Newburgh, NY 12550 www.msmc.edu Aquinas Hall, Room 151 • 845-569-3175 career.center@msmc.edu Kathleen O’Keefe, Editor, Associate Director Janet Zeman, Executive Director Ellen Bourhis Nolan, Director of Career Development Robin Rosenberg, Coordinator, Co-Ops and Internships Andrea Kerr, Coordinator, Co-Ops and Internships Regina Eisenbacher, Administrative Assistant

Rebecca Crookston, ECHN Manchester Memorial Hospital

Liliana Peralta Zapata, The New 42nd Street

Vanessa Saravia, Franklin Hospital

© 2013

Alumni achieve success Checking in with recent Mount graduates

Phenomenal Opportunity

By Sean Palmer, JD, BA, ‘09

J

By Pamela Delano, RN, BSN, ‘12, BA, ‘11

ust over three years ago, I came back to campus for a simple visit that would immensely change the course of my career.

I was out of work, had taken my LSATs on a whim, and was looking for an opportunity.

On my way to visit the Career Center, I happened upon the annual Graduate School Fair in Aquinas Hall. Poking around at the different tables, I met a representative from Western New England University School of Law. A brief conversation led me to apply to the Juris Doctor program. I received a phone call a few months later, indicating I had been accepted with a phenomenal scholarship.

Now, with my Juris Doctor degree in hand and with bar exam preparations underway, I look back and wonder how things would have been different without that visit. As a student at MSMC, the Career Center helped me find several internships, where I honed skills I would ultimately need as an attorney.

After graduating, the Career Center’s annual Graduate School Fair helped me find the right law school. I cannot speak highly

enough of the kind and knowledgeable staff, or the valuable advice offered through the Career Center, and I encourage students and alumni alike to utilize this indispensable resource.

Persistence Pays Off

By Emmajean Macpherson, BA, ‘10

Just when you are about to give up hope, everything changes! Yes... persistence pays off! I was a student at MSMC from 2007 to 2010 majoring in psychology. During my last year of school, I interned with the Alzheimer’s Association, and then continued working with them as a volunteer.

During the past three and a half years, in addition to volunteering in the office, attending meetings and helping to run fundraisers, I also spent hours applying for jobs all over NY, NJ and CT. Unfortunately, the job search was not as simple as I thought. It was frustrating and difficult to constantly be turned down from jobs that I thought I was perfect for, especially with a degree in psychology and 20

Prepared for a Lifetime

years of work experience. So many times I just wanted to give up.

Then, this past spring, a position opened up with the Alzheimer’s Association. I decided that this was my opportunity. You cannot imagine my excitement-after two interviews and weeks of waiting-to learn that I was hired!

I am now happily employed by the Alzheimer’s Association as the Regional Administrator of Orange and Sullivan Counties.

A lesson learned from this is that persistence does pay off… even when you least expect it!

“Now what?” The words echoed through my head after graduating from the Mount Saint Mary College nursing program. Six years and two degrees later I found myself wondering what to do. I vowed to fill out at least one job application a day until I was offered a position in a hospital.

The Mount’s Career Center truly prepared me for interviews; all those times I corrected and revised my resume at the Career Center proved to be a priceless opportunity. My internship at Huntington (NY) Hospital kept my mind sharp between classes and the professional knowledge set me apart from the thousands of graduates applying for the same positions. The prestigious Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL hired 10 nurses, and I was one of them despite having just graduated. I quickly passed my boards and chose to work on the transplant unit. Every shift has been complex and exciting.

Mayo Clinic’s emblem depicts three shields representing education, patient care and research. It was important to me to become part of a hospital that values education and whose reputation would banish the question of why I would leave New York; Mayo Clinic does just that. I will always be grateful for the opportunities and the expertise of the Career Center. My experience at the Mount did not just prepare me to pass exams, it strengthened me as a professional and that is a quality that lasts a lifetime.