This week, most of the students from the MIMS class of 2014 are finishing up summer internships and preparing to return to South Hall for the second year of their master’s program.
We spoke with seven MIMS students from the class of 2014 about what they’ve been doing this summer, how their first year’s classes prepared them for their internships, and what they’re planning for their second year and beyond.
Lisa Jervis
Progressive Technology Project
Researcher
Lisa Jervis spent the summer working with the Progressive Technology Project, a national non-profit that helps community organizations achieve their goals more effectively and efficiently by integrating technology into their work.
Lisa conducted a qualitative research project on the database practices of community organizers, to understand the database challenges, barriers, and best practices faced by really small community organizing groups. Her summer project was supported by the I School’s Non-Profit Internship Grant.
Lisa had worked with PTP before starting the MIMS program; the idea for the research project initially arose in last fall’s course Info 272. Qualitative Research Methods for Information Systems and Management, and she approached PTP to suggest the summer internship.
Lisa credited the course Info 203. Social and Organizational Issues of Information with preparing her for this summer’s work practice studies. “The concepts from 203 have been invaluable to me in understanding what’s happening in the organizations I’m studying,” she said. Info 202. Information Organization and Retrieval also provided a useful framework as she thinks about database practices.
Overall, the summer has been valuable to Lisa in clarifying her career goals; after graduation, she plans to consult with small community-organizing groups about their technology and operations strategies, including databases, distance collaboration tools, process improvements, and infrastructure. The summer internship has reinforced the value of that career choice. “They really need this expertise in that sector!” she said.
It has also prepared her for the upcoming school year. “This research has really shown me a lot about what I want to get out of my next semesters at the I School,” Lisa said. She’s looking forward to taking Info 257. Database Management and Info 253. Web Architecture, for starters. “I'm seeing more specifically where the gaps in my knowledge match up with the needs in the field, and where I need to fill in the gaps in my knowledge.”
More:
Sandra Yuen Helsley
Web Developer, LinkedIn
Ryan Baker & Ignacio Pérez
Pop Up Archive
Priya Iyer
Customer Database Intern, Apple
Lisa Jervis
Researcher, Progressive Technology Project
Corey Hyllested
Data Scientist Intern, StubHub
Eric Zan
Technology & Interpretation Park Ranger, Bandelier National Monument
View as single page
For more information and statistics about MIMS students’ summer internships, see the results of the 2013 MIMS Internship Survey 2013 (PDF).