High school students in Syracuse once again had the chance to take part in a summer program to gain meaningful experience learning about their desired career path. Syracuse University, CNY Works and the Syracuse City School District teamed up for the fourth year to provide internships to rising seniors. It’s a partnership that brings to mind words like “opportunity” and “change.”
For the program, the interns are selected by what they want to do for their career. They then spend six weeks working and learning across campus. This year’s group included 25 interns at 20 different areas on the University campus.
I spoke with many of the participants, who shared their experience and their advice to future interns.
Tristan Bey interns at WAER helping to research and write stories.
Tristan Bey, a student at the Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central (ITC), spent the summer at WAER radio. He says he did a lot of research on the news stories that led him to contact a lot of people. Bey says that when somebody gets back, it’s a big deal because it leads to an interview, which provides more reliable information on the stories he researched.
Corcoran High School student Moo Loe Htoo interned with the Higher Education Opportunity Program. He says his experience was calm and helpful, and he was able to give educational support to students.
The Newhouse Visitors Center welcomed ITC student Samaia Goodrich. She helped to create flyers and posters for events happening throughout the summer, along with signing students in for tours and information sessions.
Dwight Jones from ITC interned at the Community Folk Art Center. “I’ve been organizing my work area keeping everything tidy and kept-up, getting ready for certain events that are being brought to the center,” he says. “I recently took care of kids as there was a program and helped around such as fed them and took pictures to sponsor the program. I like the people I work with as I’ve grown to make a relationship with coworkers and my supervisors.”
Fellow ITC student Troy Green spent his summer at MakerSpace. There, he learned a lot about 3D printing, as well as how to design better and how to use Photoshop to implement his work better.
Cameron Stroud from ITC interned with the Radar Technology Lab in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. His experience was very hands-on. Stroud says he had lots of people to help, and it was a good structure for learning.
Also at the College of Engineering and Computer Science, ITC student Jose Pizarro was placed at the Composite Materials Lab. He also had a very hands-on experience, making composites for space. He says the team’s goal is to design and create better materials.
ITC student Tyra Wren was placed with food services. “My experience really shows me a lot about the real world and how tough you must be in certain situations, especially in a real job,” she says.
How does your internship help you on your path to your future goals?
Moo Loe Htoo works at the SENSES Project, where students can learn about music production, podcasting, and more.
Bey: Because my future goals in life are to do film production and getting to work with mics, video, articles and everything, [it] really helps me find my way toward going to Newhouse [Newhouse School of Public Communications] for film production.
Green: I want to be focused on being a digital designer. So, when I have all the opportunities here to work on digital designing and improve my skills, I feel like this is a fantastic opportunity for anybody who wants to be in designing in the future.
Stroud: Honestly, it is just another skill underneath your belt. You know, the more you learn, the better your future is going to be. It is a wonderful way to just expand my career and technical education because I am doing electrical engineering, so it is just one more thing I can learn. It is giving me a better idea of the different fields there are.
Kelston Luces, intern in Athletics Marketing: I want to get into sports broadcasting, and working at the athletic communications office would boost my chances of getting into that program at Newhouse.
Jones: The people I’ve met here not only gave me amazing opportunities for the future like starting a program for Black teens, also it’s been helping me mentally having people to talk to that have the same mindset as me and who have different ideas and perspectives. They definitely have been helping me thinking about what I want to do. And as of right now it doesn’t change anything for my future career.
Wren: I was not planning to do full service in the future. I am thinking of being a private chef now, so it does give me a lot of experience in that career path.
What advice do you have for future interns?
Troy Green shows off a sculpture printed at MakerSpace.
Goodrich: I would say just go for it, you know, have fun, and learn new things, and be open you never know the opportunities. New people you meet and new beginnings you can have.
Bey: My advice is to use this time wisely and to not take long lunch breaks.
Htoo: My advice is to always keep yourself occupied and bring lunch.
Green: Do what you like to do. Because your thoughts of your career can always change. So, try to know what you want to do so you can be successful in your career. So, always talk to your internship professor or your coordinator and tell them what you want to do, and they will put you in the right one for you.
Stroud: It is a worthwhile experience. You get paid $15 an hour. But it is enjoyable. Honestly, it is a clever way to enjoy yourself, especially to have other people that you know come up with you.
Wren: I would tell y’all to be tough. Don’t go in there expecting them to treat you like a child because they will teach you and treat you as an adult as you work there.
Pizarro: Just have fun and enjoy your program.
Luces: Honestly just take whatever opportunities you get. Just say yes to everything.
Jones: Take every opportunity you get because any of them can change your life or be that opportunity you were waiting for.
Story by Neonna Vanco, Syracuse City School District communications intern
