Calvin University

Camp Waltman Lake Project Foreman

May 2017 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

I appreciated the chance it gave me to learn about workplace supervision in a low-risk environment.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Undergraduate Research Assistant

May - August 2018 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

I was able to put to practice things that I learned in Physics class. It was my first experience in research in the area of Physics which to me was a wonderful opportunity given that I want to pursue a career in Physics research.

What I wish was different

Advice

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dispatcher

February - October 2018 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

I really enjoyed the fact that I got to be involved in the safety of the campus. I enjoy the people I worked with and how we bonded as friends. I liked working nights so I could have my days to hang out with friends and get sleep.

What I wish was different

I wish I had spent more time outside and playing but that’s just a part of growing up. Overall I can’t complain much about what took place over my summer.

Advice

Anything you do is worth doing to the best of your abilities. At the end of the day, do all you do as if you were presenting the work to God.

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Janitor

May 2018 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

Great boss

What I wish was different

more pay

Advice

work

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Line Worker

May - August 2018 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

Very time consuming and wish I had gotten the first shift instead

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Entrada Scholars Program Resident Assistant

July - August 2018 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

What I liked the most was being able to engage and build deep, meaningful relationships with the scholars in the program.

What I wish was different

Advice

One piece of advice that I would share about this experience is that is you are a Resident Assistant, you need to remember to take care of yourself holistically - mentally, spiritually, and physically.

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Lab Tech

May 2017 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

Field work, conducting research, learning about Great Lakes

What I wish was different

Less time in lab, more clear instructions

Advice

It's important to try new things and learn as you go.

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Mentor

May - August 2018 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

Facilitating conversations about environmental justice with high school students; engaging in local environmental restoration and green infrastructure; having creative liberty to design a summer schedule and help update anti-racism training; being in friendship and fellowship with other Plaster Creek researchers in different majors and with supervisors and professors.

What I wish was different

We could have been more equipped to deal with the disagreement of a few students during and after anti-racism training, which was unprecedented and understandably unexpected by our team.

Advice

Come listening and ready to receive the gifts of community that you and each other person will bring each day. Seek growth for the group beyond what you can instruct by asking questions. Know that what is measurable by numbers is not always the most important, and find grace in that. Be ready to drink in the joy and optimistic work ethic of people who get you through the long days, and know that you have power to shape everyone's experience by bringing your enthusiasm, energy, and perspective to the table. Expect to be surprised; know you will be taught.

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Research Assisant

May 2018 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

It was a very good environment because I did research with my friends and a professor that I really love. I had the opportunity to present at a regional conference and will be presenting at a national conference in January as well.

What I wish was different

I wish that I could have started doing research earlier.

Advice

It's a steep learning curve but professors are super understanding when you're unsure or confused about something so don't be afraid to ask questions!

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Undergraduate Research Assistant

May 2018 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

I greatly enjoyed the topic I researched as well as the the Professor I worked for and my fellow researchers.

What I wish was different

I wish summer was longer so I could have continued my research!

Advice

Speak to your desired Professors about their research early.

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Research Assistant

May - August 2019 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

Enjoyed the working environment and being able to use what I learned about in class in real life.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Orientation Intern

February - September 2018 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

I loved my supportive team and bosses. My bosses poured a lot of time and effort into helping us in our personal and professional development. I feel as though I am a much stronger leader coming out of this internship. Another thing I liked a lot was that as interns we were given a lot of autonomy over our work.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Financial Coach

August 2018 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

I get to help people reach their financial goals and help them maintain their budgets.

What I wish was different

Not a whole lot. This program has been great

Advice

Financial coaching is useful for everyone so please come see us. We can help you in any way we can.

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Summer Researcher

May - July 2019 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

Don't be afraid to reach out to Professors about potential summer research opportunities. They are excited to share their knowledge and introduce students to the world of research.

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Cleaning Crew

May - September 2019 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

I loved working with my supervisor and the other students. I made a lot of friends and got to know the KE apartments and how they operate a lot better

What I wish was different

Advice

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Nursing Research Assistant

May - August 2019 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

I appreciated getting the chance to learn about how to write a formal literature review, as well as working alongside other Calvin nursing students. I enjoyed learning about community health and what methods work and don't work for reaching out to women in the community and assisting them in learning about reproductive and contraceptive health.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more interaction and teaching opportunities with the women who participated in the research project.

Advice

I would say to future research assistants to ask lots of questions in regard to the literature review writing. I did not ask enough questions because I felt incompetent, but I ended up having to redo some of my work because of it. It would've been better to be less self-conscious about my ignorance and ask frequent questions about what I was doing.

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Landscaping Worker

June 2020 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

Work environment was positive.

What I wish was different

higher pay and more responsibilities given.

Advice

Work in your field any chance you get, even if it pays less.

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Research Assistant

April 2019 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

I liked that I got 'real world' experience in a field that I would like to pursue (acoustics/vibrations). I liked being able to take 'real' data and also learn how to analyze said data.

What I wish was different

I wish I was able to see it to the end rather than graduate!

Advice

Engineering is only 50% staring at a computer screen, it is indeed 50% fun with experiments and problem solving!

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McGregor Research Fellow

June - August 2019 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

Wonderful mentorship opportunity. Learned a lot. Relatively flexible hours.

What I wish was different

I wished I had a paper or something I could point to at the end of the summer for future employers or grad school apps to show them exactly what I worked on. (I did a lot of small things but didn't produce one large work.)