Internships 101- Starr Career Development Center Internship Seminar

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As a new first-year college student here at Baruch College, you get bombarded almost every Tuesday and Thursday by clubs wanting to gain your interest enough that you hope to join them. Yet, there’s always that one section in the gym during club fair or that table on the second floor where people talk to you about internship opportunities- a table which is usually ignored by passing onlookers. Personally, it is something that I am interested in experiencing during my four years at Baruch. But I was still walking around clueless about how exactly I could obtain a internship and the steps that I would have to take to even just apply for one.

On October 5th, my friends and I decided to attend the Starr Career Development Center Internship Seminar at the Newman Vertical Campus, hosted by Michael Kalish. For 90 minutes, he went into very, and I mean VERY detailed information about exactly what an internship is, how they work, and the basic information about them. He also talked about the types of internships that exist, such as a paid internship and a non-paid internship and a zero-credit internship that is actually open to most freshman, something that I was not aware of. Still, Mr.Kalish even specified that no matter what type of internship you do, you have to receive some form of payment, whether it be monetary or in the form of academic credit. He even informed us to be cautious of any companies, which the exception of some non-profit organizations, who may try to take advantage of their interns by giving them meaningless tasks or trying to not pay them in some way for their services. Besides internships, Mr.Kalish even talked about the importance of resumes, which he says could be the deciding factor between you landing an internship/future job, and preparing for interviews. What surprised me to learn towards the end was the fact that Baruch offers tools to help their students and alumni obtain internships or jobs, and that Mr.Kalish’s team at SCDC even helps prepare students with mock interviews and through FOCUS. After attending this seminar, I am more confident in the various aspects of internships and knowledgable about what to do in order to obtain one, even setting a little personal goal for myself of hoping to get at least three internships by the time I graduate.

           

Blog #2 AMNH

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During our time off from school, I decided to go with my friends to the American Museum of Natural History. I have never been there before and always really wanted to go. My interest in it was sparked at young age from watching the movie, Night At The Museum. History has always been something that I was interested in and when I found out that we could go to a museum for one blog post, I knew immediately that I wanted to go there. I also had go here for an Ecology project so I got to kill two bird with one stone.

When we got to the museum, I didn’t realize how big it was. We kept getting lost around the exhibits and had a hard time finding our way around at first. We walked around the animal exhibits and I immediately wondered if the animals in the displays were made from once living animals. So I looked it up and it said that they were indeed taxidermy. Finding this out both intrigued and disturbed me. We walked around all the floors and basically went through all the exhibits. We spent the most time in the exhibits I needed for my Ecology project. I learned about the current issues and importance of biodiversity and also the environment of New York. Those exhibits weren’t what I expected to find in the museum, but it was definitely interesting to learn about. Aside from that we also went to the Margaret Mead Hall of Pacific People exhibit to see one of the famous statues from the movie, Night At the Museum. My favorite exhibits though, were the dinosaur sections. I was really excited to go there after we found out the mummy exhibit wasn’t open. I have never seen any dinosaur fossils before and I was amazed at them. There were so many fossils of all different dinosaurs, as well as other extinct animals. I think that was the best part of it all. We stayed in the museum for over 3 hours and it was actually really fascinating and fun. I would definitely go there again.

Internship Seminar !

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Internships are a great way to build up your resume, expose you to the working world and help you choose your career. This week my friends and I attended the Starr Career Development Center Internship. This was a very informative and interesting information session. The associate director of the Starr Career Development Center, Michael Kalish was our presenter. We discussed the different types of internships such as paid, unpaid, zero credit or credit. There are many opportunities for all the students at Baruch. One type of internship that stood out to me is the On Campus Recruiting Program or OCR. Companies come to Baruch to interview students with the intent to hire for internships and full time jobs. In my opinion, this is the best way to obtain a job. You are able to interview with a recruiter in a place you are comfortable with AKA Baruch College.

Mr. Kalish also talked about resumes, interviews and the best ways to find internships. He touched upon the importance of being confident in your resume and cover letter. He also stressed the consequences of making a silly mistake on your resume could cost you a potential full time or part time job. Baruch offers a lot of resources to better prepare you for an interview. Mock interviews and meetings with the Starr counselors will assure that your interview skills are up to par. As a freshman attending this seminar, I felt a little overwhelmed and anxious after talking about resumes. I know my resume isn’t perfect but the counselors and resume writing guides are things I’ll definitely keep in mind. Some ways to find the best internships are Starr search, indeed.com, internship fairs, SCDC bulletin boards and many more. To find out more information visit http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/careers/ or go to Starr Search to find your first internship.

-Jasmine Singh

Internship Seminar – Starr Career Development Center

s.berenzonLeave a comment

     On October 5th, my friends and I decided to attend the Internship Seminar which is a part of Baruch’s Starr Career Development Center. Initially, I was very intrigued to attend this workshop because as an incoming freshman, I was not vert well-rounded on the topic of internships and the multitude of requirements that came with it. Personally, obtaining an internship has always been a pressing and overwhelming thought lingering in my mind, yet I had no idea where to start or how to possibly learn more about it until I went to this workshop. Hosted by Michael Kalish, I got the opportunity to learn everything about internships in great depth such as how to find internships opportunities, making the most of your internship, and the different types of internships available including the OCR internships and how Baruch offers credit for them. Despite the fact that internships credits are mainly given to second-term seniors and upper classmen, I was interested to find out about the Zero-Credit route since I never knew this could be available for freshman until today. Additionally, I was surprised yet excited when Michael Kalish briefly touched upon the topic of resumes and the importance of them as well as the main points that need to be included in them. Along with internships, I did not have a thorough understanding of everything that a resume entails and this workshop was the perfect way to learn about both the resources available at Baruch to assist us with the process of developing a resume and how to obtain an internship. The fact that Baruch has so many resources to assist us with resumes and internships such as mock interviews, Focus 2, and Vault, makes me feel that the process won’t be as overwhelming and I know I can always rely on the counseling center for any future questions/advice. After this seminar, I will definitely be utilizing as many resources as possible to ensure I’m prepared and confident going into internships and interviews.

A trip to The Whitney Museum

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I’m going to be completely honest and state that I am not a huge fan of museums and do not find it as entertaining as some might. However I found myself at The Whitney museum on a relatively chilly but sunny Saturday and enjoyed it tremendously. The exhibitions were nothing like I had ever seen in the few art museums before. It is very minimal and unique due to the variety of exhibits it contains. The exhibit that I enjoyed the most was one that portrayed the history of protests and it was around the time of the Vietnamese war and America’s interference in it. I think it is a relevant topic since there are people at the moment who are also unhappy with decisions the government is making right now. I learned a lot from all that the museum had to offer and think I just might appreciate the beauty of visiting an art museum a little mote.  I also enjoyed the rooftop the museum had because I thought it was a useful way of making art out of the beautiful skyline and a useful way of utilizing all the space they had. It over looked Chelsea and the High Line. I could have stared at it for hours and as the view was quite mesmerizing. Overall I would return to this museum again to view the future exhibitions and would return for the rooftop for sure.

 

A Visit to the MOMA

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Thomas Merton, famous Catholic writer once said, “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” With this in mind, I decided to pay a visit to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in Midtown Manhattan. Upon my visit, I saw many pieces of art from different time periods. One painting that stood out to me in particular was a self-portrait by Louise Bourgeoisie.  She was a French-American artist whose art centered around the theme of feminism. This portrait in particular was painted in 1990 and it included the artist and her parents. According to the artist remarks section, the right side is Bourgeoisie’s father and the left is her mother. This art means that nothing can be accomplished in if men and women do not get along. They have to get along if anyone wants some type of change. This lesson can be applied to many different aspects of life. It shows that you need to have respect for others and their beliefs. I really enjoyed this painting because it was so simple and yet the meaning behind it is so strong.

The second painting that I chose to write about was by the same artist and it was actually untitled. This painting was of a spider with a snake wrapped around one of its legs. This painting shared the same theme as the self portrait. Spiders and snakes are symbols for creator and death in literature. With a feminist view the spider symbolizes women and the snake symbolizes men. The snake is sitting on the spider’s leg which is similar to how snakes kill their prey. They curl around them and squeeze the life out of them. To feminists, this may be a very accurate description to what women go through when it comes to men. Women are constantly crippled by men and their rights are often restrained both in the past and present. This visit to the museum made me respect the women in my life and it was also the first time I ever saw feminism being depicted through art.

 

Self Defense Class

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After reading the Student Life Weekly News update, I was interested in attending one of the health and wellness events Baruch had to offer, particularly the self-defense class.  I thought it would be helpful to learn some self-defense techniques considering I’m a petite female; therefore, I’m a target for most catcallers.  Also, after having the discussion about sexual harassment in class, I felt that I had to do something in order to ensure my safety or someone else’s safety anywhere I go.  I didn’t want to wait for a situation to occur and then realize that I should’ve learn how to protect myself.

I met up with my friend for 12 at Racquetball Court B and Sensei Peter Flores Jr. was very welcoming. There were only a few students who came in at the time, but he didn’t want to waste time and decided to start teaching us.  He showed us each step very slowly and demonstrated with his two assistants to make sure that we understood.  From what I remember, if someone grabs your arm, the technique is to pull and lock your elbow in, making sure your underarm isn’t exposed.  Then bring your hand up to your face as if you’re looking at your phone.  After that, you turn your hand over and grab the other person’s arm that’s holding you and you pull that person towards you so that you can give a side kick or punch.  Once we went over that and a few more people came in, we learned different leg kicks and punches.  We did them over and over, while he counted in Japanese.  One piece of information that I clearly remember is that you want to avoid disconnect with your body, because if you move a wrong muscle, you can get seriously hurt. The class was very informative and an intense workout, which is great because I haven’t exercised since the school year started. I definitely need more training in order to master the art of self-defense, but now I can say that I’m more aware of what I need to do in case I need to defend myself.

A Visit to the MOMA

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This past Friday, I visited the Museum of Modern Art with my friends. Despite living in New York, this was actually my first time going to the museum. I am someone that actually enjoys a good stroll within a museum and will not find it boring. It was particularly crowded on this day due to it being a Friday afternoon and the free tickets MOMA was giving out at this time. Fortunately, I was able to skip the line and get in free anyways due to being a CUNY student. The building and interior design of the MOMA itself is quite unique. It was definitely aesthetically pleasing and a good place to simply enjoy the scenery.

One particular piece that stood out to me was Lullaby by Louise Bourgeois, located in the Louise Bourgeois exhibit. From the description next to the artwork I learned several facts. Created in 2006, this piece resembles shapes by turning and tracing common household objects. Some objects include: scissors, a knife, and a candy dish. To be honest, it was hard for me to tell what these objects were at first. What stood out to be was that this was abstract art. I personally find abstract art to be interesting due to its’ uniqueness and simplicity. It is said that abstract art could be calming, expressing emotion, and showing tension. Best said by Bourgeois herself, “It is not an image I am seeking. It’s not an idea. It is an emotion that you want to recreate.” Upon seeing Lullaby, I was able to connect with her words. The piece was clean cut and seemed to embody a sense of serenity.

All in all, it was a great experience to do something different for a change. To take a break within my schedule and explore the MOMA. 

STARR Internship Seminar

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On Thursday, October 5, my classmates and I attended the STARR Internship Seminar. It was set up to introduce the process for obtaining internships. Michael Kalish is a part of the STARR Career Development Center at Baruch and he provided us with plentiful amounts of information regarding the purpose of STARR and the resources that come with it. I had heard of it before through the many emails from Baruch I receive, but going to this seminar gave me a better understanding of what it was. There are plenty of internships available for whichever year of college you were in. I was so surprised at how easy it was to access different internship opportunities through the websites Michael provided to us. He even used a “dummy account” to show us the step by step process of finding an internship best fit for someone. The STARR Career Development Center has a counseling center with many people so you can walk in and ask for help in person. If you want assistance about an internship you had an interest in, they will guide you in seeing if it is a good fit for you or not. If that works out, they will even give you the opportunity to have a mock interview where someone from the office will interview you the way they would at a real internship. In my opinion, I think that is one of the best features for people who are planning on starting their first internship to get a feel for what to expect out of these mock interview, and even how to answer their questions strategically. I plan on interning later on and I know I will be using all the resources offered in the office as well as the website to ensure my confidence is high before I have to go in for the real interview.

 

Blog #2- Study Abroad Fair

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On Thursday, September 14th, I was able to attend the Study Abroad fair in the auxiliary gym. I’ve always wanted to study abroad and experience different cultures, different ways of life, etc. I knew that this fair would be great to attend as it would provide me with info that could assist me in eventually studying abroad. I’m interested in visiting a number of countries so I went and conversed with the spokespeople and grabbed flyers of every country(specifically the city in which the university is in) that could be a possible destination for me in the future ; there are just so many that are appealing. During the hour and a half or so i spent meandering around the gym I ended up with a number of cities/countries I could travel to such as: Zurich-Switzerland, Berlin-Germany, Galapagos Islands-Ecuador, Stockholm-Sweden, Tokyo-Japan, Amsterdam-Netherlands, Copenhagen-Denmark, Ghent-Belgium, and Madrid-Spain.

The best part about this fair and what I feel assisted me the most with learning about studying abroad was being able to speak to the foreign students of Baruch telling me about studying abroad in their respective countries to gain sort of a first hand perspective. One student in particular named “Henri De Bel” from Belgium spoke to me for an extended period of time and I was able to learn that the college system is very different in Europe- where basically you just have to show up for exams.(yay, no class!) It is also very common and easy to travel through Europe by train to visit different countries during the semester, and a great part of it is that you get to meet students originating from all over the world.

At the end of the fair, I was satisfied in hearing all the great things of studying abroad and seeing all these amazing possible destinations. I’m definitely looking forward to taking advantage of this magnificent opportunity.