Focused on the Future

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  Aaliya Mehnaz Ahmed

Class Year: 2027
Major: Biology
Hometown: Leh-Ladakh, India

What was your internship this summer, and what were your basic duties?

I interned as a research volunteer at the Jackman Lab at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), a behavioral neuroscience lab. My main duties involved running behavioral experiments with mice, analyzing video data using ezTrack, and reading scientific papers to deepen my understanding of synaptotagmin-7 (Syt-7) and its role in short-term memory. This hands-on experience helped me build practical research skills while contributing to the lab’s ongoing studies.

What was the best part of your internship?

Apart from doing behavioral experiments and learning new research techniques, lab meetings are something I looked forward to every week. This was the time we all came together for an hour or two and presented our data to the whole lab. We shared what we were working on, the methods we were using, what we hoped to see, and the data we found. These meetings were fairly informal, and while we mainly shared our findings from the past week, I realized that lab meetings are valuable opportunities to present my work and receive feedback from colleagues. I appreciate that my work was treated with the same seriousness as everyone else’s, and the group was always open and genuinely enthusiastic to offer suggestions and advice for improvement. These meetings helped me interpret my data more effectively and also allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of why the work we are doing is so important. 

How do you see this internship leading to a career in your chosen field and aiding in your overall career development?

The primary reason I chose to pursue this internship is because I hope to pursue graduate studies in neuroscience. Working in the Jackman Lab gave me the invaluable opportunity to collaborate with graduate students and postdocs who are currently on the academic path I hope to follow. Being able to interact with them daily, observe their research process, and learn about the challenges and rewards of academic life has been incredibly insightful. These experiences not only gave me a realistic perspective on what pursuing a career in neuroscience research entails, but also help me clarify my own goals and make decisions about potentially pursuing a career in academic research.  

Read more about Aaliyah’s internship experience.

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  Daniela Bernal

Class Year: 2026
Major: Mathematics
Minor: Data Science
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia

What was your internship this summer, and what were your basic duties?

As an operations summer analyst in asset and wealth management at Goldman Sachs, I actively contributed to daily processes that ensure data and pricing accuracy, directly impacting the precise valuation of financial instruments. I was also engaged in a strategic project, focused on optimizing processes and enhancing overall operational efficiency. I also went on catch-ups to expand my network and to learn from top professionals in the industry!

What was the best part of your internship?

The best part of my internship at Goldman Sachs was the vibrant, inclusive environment that genuinely embraces diverse perspectives. As someone from Colombia, I deeply value this aspect of the workplace. Working alongside a global workforce, with people from different backgrounds, enriched my daily experience and helped as a significant source of motivation. Goldman Sachs has a strong commitment to building and supporting a diverse and inclusive space that reflects the countries and cultures in which it operates, viewing diversity as critical to its success and integral to its business principle. It’s this blend of intellectual rigor, professional growth, and a truly diverse community that made this internship resonate strongly with who I am and what I aspire to achieve.

How do you see this internship leading to a career in your chosen field and aiding in your overall career development?

This internship has totally solidified that finance is where I want to start my career. I really love how dynamic this industry is, and that you’re always learning something new. This fits my desire to be constantly challenged and engaged, especially using the analytical and problem-solving skills I picked up from my math major. This experience also made it super clear that I want to be part of a global industry where I can make a real impact around the world. Working at a global firm like Goldman Sachs, which really values different perspectives, gave me awesome chances to grow professionally, and it meant my work can reach people all over the world.

Read more about Daniela’s internship experience.

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  Ela Gore

Class Year: 2026
Major: Psychology
Minor: Neuroscience
Hometown: Thane, India

What was your internship this summer, and what were your basic duties?

I interned at Cascadia Healthcare’s Premier Living Center branch in Portland. My duties included group facilitation, creating skill-building group curricula, planning other group activities, providing one-on-one mental health support, and organizing group plans. I also helped clients de-escalate, and taught them emotional regulation when the need arose, in addition to interpersonal conflict resolution.

What was the best part of your internship?

The best part of the internship was meeting people and hearing their stories firsthand. This includes everyone, from the patients to the assisting staff in the Cascadia Mental Health Office. It taught me how each person has a deep and intricate story worth honoring and learning from, no matter where they’ve come from to the present moment. The patients with the gravest traumas brought along their happiest smiles, teaching me to be resilient and face each day head on. My coworkers taught me how to best support each other while participating in heavy emotional labor, and created a space for me to process my feelings, when my nervous system went off-balance due to patient incidences.

How do you see this internship leading to a career in your chosen field and aiding in your overall career development?

Although I’m still not sure about the exact direction I’d like to go, but I understand that I’m passionate about interacting with people and learning from their experiences. Additionally, I also realized that I’m highly passionate about helping people help themselves, and motivating them to make positive changes in their own lives, through inspiration, rather than doing the work for them.

Read more about Ela’s internship experience.

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  Yukino Johnson

Class Year: 2026
Major: Biology
Minor: Neuroscience
Hometown: Otaru, Hokkaido

What was your internship this summer, and what were your basic duties?

I completed my internship at three veterinary facilities in Japan: Misawa Veterinary Clinic, Kitasato University Veterinary Hospital, and Sakura Pet Clinic. As part of my SEDV project, I am also developing a case study paper based on a couple of the patients I followed closely. My daily duties included pre- and post-operative animal care, scrubbing in and assisting during surgeries, and attending veterinary examinations. I shadowed veterinarians in various departments and observed how different clinical cases were approached in different ways.

What’s the best part of your internship?

At Kitasato University, I was mainly assigned to the orthopedic surgery team. I found it incredibly rewarding to observe the recovery of dogs who had undergone major procedures, especially seeing them regain the ability to walk and even run after only a week.
At the general practice clinics, I enjoyed watching how veterinarians approached similar medical issues with unique perspectives, always finding their diagnosis and treatment to each individual patient. It taught me that veterinary medicine is not just science, but also creative problem solving requires rich and long experience.

How do you see this internship leading to a career in your chosen field and aiding in your overall career development?

This internship not only gave me valuable real-world insight into the daily operations of veterinary practice, but also helped me clarify which areas of the profession I am most passionate about. By rotating through different departments such as orthopedics, internal medicine, and general practice at Kitasato University, I was able to compare various roles and responsibilities within the field. I discovered a strong interest in surgery and patient recovery, particularly in helping animals regain mobility and quality of life after serious injuries. This experience has strengthened my motivation to pursue veterinary school and has helped me better understand the practical skills and mindset I’ll need for a future career in veterinary medicine.

Read more about Yukino’s internship experience.

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  Zoey Keepper

Class Year: 2026
Major: Environmental Studies
Minor: Earth System Science
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota

What was your internship this summer, and what were your basic duties?

I was a plant community ecology intern at the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel, Minnesota. I worked on the BioCON experiment, which is part of the Long-Term Ecological Research Network at Cedar Creek and has been running for almost 30 years. Some of my basic duties included weeding, completing percent cover measurements, data entry, and field data collection (for variables such as soil moisture, carbon flux, and light). 

What was the best part of your internship?

The people (and the science, of course)! I loved being around people who share the same passions and are determined to research and fight for the same things I am. Learning from and through researchers, superiors, and my fellow interns made it possible for me to do the work, especially when we were spending hot days out on the prairie!

How do you see this internship leading to a career in your chosen field and aiding in your overall career development?

Interning at Cedar Creek allowed me to understand what a career in scientific research might look like. I learned that I love working outside, and that I’d like for my future career to include that type of work. I also had the opportunity to connect with fellow interns and researchers, which helped to build and strengthen my network. Although I’m not sure exactly what niche of the scientific field I’d like to pursue, Cedar Creek showed me all the different ways I can be involved in environmental research. It opened up a whole new world of possibilities that I’m excited to explore after graduation.

Read more about Zoey’s internship experience.

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  Mia Marinovic

Class Year: 2025
Major: Psychology
Minor: Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation
Hometown: Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

What was your internship this summer, and what were your basic duties?

I was a human resources intern in ALLETE, a utility company headquartered in Minnesota but with offices and projects all over the U.S. My role was filled with so many diverse duties and responsibilities as I worked under the talent solutions team. My main project was helping to redesign the onboarding process for the entire company, followed by assisting the HR analyst in charge of learning and development. There are many other smaller scale projects I worked on, such as designing the talent solutions website within the company, analyzing current issues and finding solutions with best practices for effective change management in mind, video editing for various projects, helping with administrative tasks, and so on.

What was the best part of your internship?

The people. Moving to a completely new place solely for an internship was somewhat scary, but all the people at my workplace made me feel incredibly welcome. I felt supported in my growth here, and all my supervisors and colleagues are to thank for that. Also—we had a popcorn machine…

How do you see this internship leading to a career in your chosen field and aiding in your overall career development?

I’m hoping to pursue a career in HR, and this gave me a great overview of what that entire world looks like. I not only learned about my team but all the teams within the department and their duties. I feel a lot more prepared to apply for a job in this field after graduation knowing all that I know thanks to this role.

Read more about Mia’s internship experience.

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  Aylen Martinez

Class Year: 2026
Major: Rhetoric and Media Studies
Minor: Art and Art History
Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina

What was your internship this summer, and what were your basic duties?

This summer, I was the assistant project manager intern at Lara Media Services. My day-to-day involved backing up my mentor on a variety of tasks, everything from sketching out project timelines to translating scripts. But my biggest project? That’s definitely coordinating the field trip experience we’re hosting during El Grito this September.

What’s the best part of your internship?

Honestly, the whole experience was the best part! But if I had to pick just one thing, it’s getting to work with my community. Lara Media is a Latina-owned company, and I not only got to put my knowledge into practice but also felt incredibly proud of my personal background.

How do you see this internship leading to a career in your chosen field and aiding in your overall career development?

I started at L&C thinking I’d go into marketing and design, but now I’m seriously considering public relations. I have amazing supervisors who’ve really encouraged me and let me dabble in multiple projects, so I can expand my understanding in the field.

Read more about Aylen’s internship experience.