Instructions

Internship Reviews

You do not need to login to post your comments. Postings are not listed alphabetically, so you need to search for your placement by company name.
·
To use the search bar, type in the desired company name, and left-click the magnifying glass search icon. (hitting the “Enter” key will not work)


· Double-click on the company name to Post a Comment and then chose an identity (Anonymous) before you publish your comments to the Blog.
· If you do not see your company in the list; then send an e-mail to fieldexp@acad.umass.edu and we will add your placement location to the blog.



Things you should include in your comments. (It is O.K. to be critical within reason.)
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What did you do and learn during your Field Experience?
· How were you treated by supervisors and co-workers?
· Was there anything special about your placement location?
· Would you recommend this employer to other students?
· Please do NOT use profanity or names of individual persons. Such comments will be blocked and deleted.
· Comments or suggestions about this BLOG : contact dsmithers@acad.umass.edu

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Behavioral Health Network; Northampton, MA

Responsibilities:
-Shadowing a behavior analyst
*At first i was only allowed to observe with supervision, later i could observe alone.

This is an excellent field placement and i recommend it to other students. People interested in the developmental disabilities field would be best. Even if i had the choice, i would not change anything about this placement.

My advice for other students is to be friendly with everyone you work with, not only do you make friends, you create relationships that can help you in your future.

McGraw-Hill (UMass); Amherst, MA

Responsibilities;

networking and utilizing social media outlets in order to promote McGraw-Hill's new education start up website "GradeGuru.com". The changes in my primary responsibilities "changed" in the sense that they became easier to accomplish once i had networked with clubs and sports teams.
This placement was excellent in every sense, and i highly recommend that other students take this placement. This is a great company to work for. Not only is it a well recognized brand, but all the supervisors are helpful and friendly. I would not change anything about this placement, it was very fulfilling as it is.

My advice to other students is to go for it! It is a great way to get a feel for certain jobs you may want to pursue in the future.

Friday, April 22, 2011

W.E.B. Dubois Library (UMass); Amherst, MA

The primary responsibilities there were install programs and software, fix computers, check inventory, run diagnostic tests, help employees with computer based questions. There were no changes over the course of the placement.

This is an excellent field placement and i strongly recommend it to students, especially ones with prior knowledge of computers. If i could have changed anything about this placement, i would have liked more hours to work, as in over 20 hours.

My advice to other students is to DO IT! it is the most realistic thing you can do.

Developmental Disabilities and Human Services

Responsibilities;
Work with individual students on core subjects
-Physical movement
-life skills ( such as preparing and eating food)
-working on music with capable students,
-and helping to calm their anxieties
There were no major changes in what i was to do.

This is a Very good field placement and i think other students would enjoy it. I would have liked more background information on the children that i was working with in order to better understand their personal difficulties.

My advice to other students is to remember that each student is different . Having a plan is good, but be ready and able to think on your toes under changing situations.

Behavioral Health Network

My responsibilities were to meet with four individuals each week for an hour at a time to help them with various projects and activities. I attended a group therapy session once a week, as well as a clinical team meeting once a weeks.

This is an excellent field placement and other students should definitely look into it. Everyone is so helpful and accommodating. I always felt welcomed and supported. I would not change a thing.

My advice for other students is to find a position that really interests you, even if you have to do some digging!

Dale Frank Financial Group; Sunderland, MA

Responsibilities:
-Social media updates
-Email harvesting
-plan toy drive
As time went on the number of events that needed to be planned out went down.

This is a very good placement that i think other students would really enjoy. This is a great experience and i learned a lot about social media and some about insurance. These are really really good people to work with! Although it would have been nice to have received compensation for this job.

My advice for other students is to app;y for a lot and to talk to everyone.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Universal Pictures, (UMASS) Amherst, MA

The primary job responsibilities were to;
-Create relevant and timely marketing campaigns
-executing the campaigns effectively on the UMass campus
There are no major changes in what is expected.

This field placement is excellent in every way. I recommend others participate as well, this is a great hands on experience. It allows you to be creative with your marketing strategies and go out and test them to see if they are effective.

My advice for other is to just go for it! It's a great way to get a feel for certain jobs you may want to pursue in the future.

Media Education Foundation; Northampton, MA

Responsibilities;
-Marketing for new release films
-Social Media updating
-Conference submissions ans organizations
There were no real changes, only more added to the responsibilities.

This was an excellent placement an i recommend it to everyone as a great learning experience. I would not change one thing about it.

My advice for other students is to plan ahead and to apply early.

Verite; Amherst, MA

Primary Responsibilities;
-research of any kind
-work on various reports
-country reports
-commodities research
-communications projects
There were no real changes over the course of the placement.

The overall experience was very good at the field placement and i recommend other students take part in this. i have gained excellent research skills that i can now apply to my academic work. In addition, the work i did was very insightful and interesting.

If I could change anything about this placement I would have liked more interaction with Verite staff.

My advice for other students is: Don't stop looking Until you find something for you. It can get discouraging, but you must be persistent

MSBDC Western Digital Office; Springfield, MA

My primary job responsibilities at the MSBDC were to;
- consult with business owners
-work on financial statements
-cash flows
-assessing business plans

This field placement was excellent all around and provided me with top-notch experiences. I recommend this placement to other students, the personal interest from supper visors of the progress you make helps to polish your skills.
If i could change anything about this placement i would have changed its location.

My advice for other students is to pursue a Job with a business you like.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Western Mass Correctional Alcohol Center, Springfield, MA

Responsibilities;
-Helping the women with placement/ aftercare when released
-filing, helping women make phone calls
-group therapies and one on one counseling
-helping with anything around the unit
- help keep notes on the women
as time progressed I did more of everything.

This was an excellent placement overall and i strongly recommend it to other students. I think someone who is looking to work with people suffering from substance abuse would benefit the most from this placement. If you don't have a passion for this, then i recommend something else.

My advice for other students is to take it seriously because you will learn as much, if not more, than you will in class.

Magical Helicopter Press/ Noo Journal. Northampton, MA

Responsibilities;
-proofreading
-Editing
-providing context for the Noo Journal
-Blog interviews, features, etc.
There were no major changes over the course of the placement.

Every aspect of this field placement were excellent and i highly recommend it to any interested students. It was an excellent opportunity to experience being a full time editor in an online setting.
I would not change anything about this placement.

My advice for other students is to be sure to research the organization you're applying to intern for.

Ben Barnhart Photography, Western MA

Primary responsibilities;
-Assist photographer in photo shoots by carrying and assembling equipment
-operate video camera for special events
-independent photography to be seen and critiqued by photographer.
There were no major changes over the course of the placement.

This was an excellent placement and i recommend it to other students for sure. It's a more hands-on experience for photography and you'll learn more that way compared to in the classroom. If I could change anything I would have made some of the timing more convenient to conflict less with my other courses.

My advice to other students is to apply early and keep constant communication with the potential employer.

Cutchins Center for Children and Families, Northampton, MA

Responsibilities;
-Essentially acting as an additional staff member in the house.
- Helping residents through daily routines.
-Attending shift meetings to discuss how residents are doing.
There were no major changes to my primary responsibilities.

I rate this Field placement as a very good place to work at and I recommend it to other students for sure. The staff are very nice and help make the experience positive. The placement gives you insight into psychology outside of the classroom, which is nice.

If I could change anything about this placement I would have had a more active role in the house, but seeing as i was there once a week and not a full time staff this is understandable.

David Costello, Amherst, MA

My primary responsibilities included assisting David Costello with in-studio related projects. Such as putting together a book dummy, researching locations for high quality prints, and more.)
As well as accompanying Costello to community events like gallery openings. There were no changes over the course of the placement.

This field placement was excellent in every category and i highly recommend it to other students who might be interested. I recommend this site to other art students specifically interested in Picture book art.

Ink and Toner Solutions, Amherst, MA

My primary responsibility was to use Facebook to market the company to potential clients. There were no changes over the course of the year.

I rate this placement as average overall and i would recommend it to other students. I recommend this position more to Marketing majors rather than Finance majors. If I could have changed anything I would have likes the placement to have been more related to financing (my major).

My advice for other students is to apply for alot of programs because you never know what offers you will receive.

Friday, April 15, 2011

WGBY Channel 57, Springfield, MA

Responsibilities: -camera operation -Computer graphic operation. There were no changes in my responsibilities. This placement was very good and worth recommending to other students for sure. This is a job that offers alot of hands on experience but is unlikely to offer you a job afterwards. My advice to other students is to be realistic about where you apply and how it will meet your needs in your careers.

Print Associates, Amherst, MA

My responsibilities were to create purchase orders, invoices, using Quickbooks, receiving bills, paying bills, filling, and solving most IT problems that occurred. There were no real changes to what I had to do. This placement was Excellent in most aspects. I recommend it to other interested students. I might recommend that you be a marketing major instead of an accounting major though. My advice for students is to have an open mind and to apply to as many opportunities as possible.

Arts Proud, Shutesbury, MA

My responsibilities were planning events for musician clients on various social media sites, placing press releases on various sites and put them in several blogs. There were no changes in my responsibilities during the course of this placement. I would rate this placement as a very good place to work. I recommend it to other interested students since it has a very good atmosphere and teaches you very good marketing skills using social media. I do wish that I could have had more experience making videos though. My advice to other students is to research all the flyer's on campus for internships that people often do not pay attention to.

Crocker Farm Elementary, Amherst, MA

My main responsibilities were to collect data on the children that related to speech/ hearing issues and to to observe them in their natural environment. assisting the teacher throughout the school day and providing assistance with projects, games and assessments the children participated in. As the children became more used to me, I received more responsibilities. I rate this placement as a very good opportunity and I recommend it to other students. Especially seeing as the staff and children are wonderful. If I could change one thing about this placement i would want to observe the speech pathologist outside of the classroom. My advice for other students is that an internship us easier to find than it seems, be persistent and you can get one, there are plenty of opportunities.

Market Street Research, Northampton, MA

Responsibilities: -Database updates -sending prospect emails -researching marketing companies to partner with -survey creation There were no changes to my primary responsibilities. I rate this placement as an average field experience placement. I recommend it to other students as I think that it provides a great working atmosphere, however, I think that the students and supervisor should set clear, concrete goals at the beginning of the semester to help avoid busywork. I would have liked less work withing the database and more challenging projects. My advice for other students is to find a company that you are interested in personally. You will find the work much more engaging if it relates to your passions.

Key Program, Springfield, MA

Responsibilities; -shadow caseworkers throughout their shifts to clients homes, schools, or DCF meetings. -Help keep up with paperwork and calls -sit in on any training sessions held for the case workers. Over time i was also given the responsibility of preparing for the weekly workshops held for the clients. Overall this placement was excellent and i would definitely recommend it to other students. The supervisors and employers are more than willing to help you learn and discuss anything with you. Job hours are extremely flexible and you are not just sitting in an office, but actually getting out and experiencing the different aspects of social working. If i could change anything about this i would have lived closer to Springfield so that i didn't have to drive the half an hour each way from Amherst. My advice to students is to intern where you might be interested working in the future. You will often get job offers from either a partner or the main company you worked with.

Mandarin Oriental, New York, NY

I worked as a housekeeping coordinator. As such i was responsible for communicating with guests, managers, housemen, room attendants, and other departments. I answered phone calls, distributed guests' requests and distributed paperwork. There were no changes over the course of the placement. I rate this placement as excellent in every field and i would strongly recommend this field placement to other students. It's a great property, my colleagues were friendly and professional, as well as willing to help me learn. I learned so much more at the mandarin than i could have in a class. I would not change a thing about this placement even if I could. My advice to other students is to start looking early.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Hadley at Elaine Care and Rehabilitation Center; Hadley, MA

Responsibilities: -Planning all inclusive group activities that would span a time of two hours -Recruit responsible and energetic UMass volunteers -Serve as the bridge between the UMass volunteers and employs at Hadley at Elaine -Act as a role model and be reliable resource to the volunteers at all times There were no changes in my job responsibilities as time progressed. I would rate this placement as very good overall and i would certainly recommend this to other students. This internship develops interpersonal skills and the faculty is one of the best nursing homes Ive had the pleasure to work in. The residents there are so receptive to college students. My advice to other students is to definitely work on your interpersonal skills first by joining other opportunities on campus like the boltwood project, to expose yourself with people with physical or mental disabilities. Also, volunteer at the Amherst Senior Center.

Bristol-Myers Squibb; Devens, MA

my job responsibilities were to assist in the start up of a state of the art biology's manufacturing facility as a part of the manufacturing engineering group. Major projects included the implementation and testing of new plant steam valves across 15 large-scale bio reactors to improve vessel temperature control, optimization of water-for-injection (WFI) flush times to conserve water over the life of the plant, assisting in the performance qualification of steam in place of sterilization process and the revision of plant master CAD drawings. As new projects arose i would see some changes in what was expected of me, but not much changed. I rate this placement as excellent in every category and highly recommend it to any interested students. BMS Devens is a high energy, learning driven environment. I have loved every minute here since i walked in the door and am regretting that my placement here must end. I would not change a thing about this placement.

New England Cable News (NECN); Newton, MA

My responsibilities were to work on the teleprompter and delivering scripts to the anchors. I would rate this as an average filed placement in all categories. I would recommend this to students that are ready for long hard hours of work. If I could change one thing, I would have agreed to less hours of work. My advice to other students is to investigate all of your options before making a decision.

Service Net, Inc.; Northampton, MA

My primary job responsibilities are to work with clients who have mental illnesses, one-on-one or in groups and assisting them in their recovery. Originally i worked in the "Drop in clinic" called the community expression center. Here i helped clients in the building. I was later promoted to the 2nd floor where i worked in and out of the service net building. I would rate this placement as excellent overall and i would recommend it to any interested students.

Student Legal Services Office(UMass); Amherst, MA

My responsibilities were to maintain client correspondence, to maintain files, scheduling, drafting legal documents, legal research, and administrative duties. There were no changes in those responsibilities over the span of the placement. I rate this placement as excellent in every category and i would highly recommend any interested student to partake in it. This is a magnificent opportunity to drive into hands on legal office experience with a full-time schedule and working for and with skilled attorneys. My advice is to absolutely take any and all opportunities in your field to get a hands on experience of your field.

Western Mass ElderCare; Holyoke, MA

My main responsibilities were calling clients for reassessments. As time went on i would eventually start reassessing clients in person, at in-house visits. I rate this placement as a great overall experience and i recommend it to other interested students. It was a great experience for me since i have never worked in an office setting. They were extremely friendly and welcoming. If I could change anything about this placement, i would add some more hands-on work to be done.

Walt Disney World; Orlando, FL

My primary job responsibilities were to entertain guests through iconic characters, performing in the Christmas castle show, being responsible for showing enthusiasm and animating to bring characters to life. The main changes for me were being cast in the castle show in magic kingdom and then i was dancing as an entertainer. I would rate this placement as a great place to work. I enjoyed everything and i would highly recommend it to other interested students. It was amazing and it opened my eyes to different career possibilities. If i could have done anything differently, i would have brought my car with me. Getting around by buses alone was a little difficult and a car gives you other freedoms. My advice for other students is to be within the Disney look and Ideal and show your enthusiasm in your interview.