The EPIC Experience at Toppel

By Kelly Martin, Toppel Peer Advisor

This past Thursday and Friday Toppel hosted EPIC: Employer Practice Interviews & Critiques, giving students a chance to have mock interviews and resume critiques with major employers like Bloomingdales and the Peace Corps among countless others. Even as a Toppel Peer Advisor, I had only attended or participated in one Toppel event previously; a careers in the natural sciences night last semester. Based on my experiences from these two events I can’t stress enough how much students should take advantage of the amazing opportunities that Toppel offers!

Last spring at the careers in natural sciences night, I made multiple contacts, one of which ultimately led to the internship I have just started this semester and could potentially lead into work for my Master’s degree next year. Thursday during EPIC, I received invaluable feedback and advice on interviewing skills, and the opportunity to openly ask a recruiter questions in a more informal setting.

There are countless information sessions, on-campus interviews, career nights, workshops, and other events that take place at Toppel throughout the semester, offering countless opportunities to prepare yourself for internships or careers. So come in to Toppel and check our website for all the different events that are coming up this semester! It’s still early in the semester so make sure to take advantage of these opportunities now.

Here are just a few of the upcoming events you should check out!

Fall Career Expo & Graduate School Fair

Wednesday, Sept. 17, 3:00-7:00pm

Bank United Center

Majors & Minors Fair

Monday Sept. 29, 12:00-3:00pm

Fieldhouse, Bank United Center

Accounting Career Fair

Wednesday, Oct. 1, 12:00-3:00pm

Fieldhouse, Bank United Center

Psych & Neuroscience Meet-Up

Tuesday, Oct. 7, 6:30-8:30pm

Toppel Career Center

STEM Meet-Up

Thursday, Oct. 9, 6:00-8:00pm

Toppel Career Center

The Path to an Environmental Career

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 6:30pm

Toppel Career Center 

Career Toolbox: UCAN Internship Exchange

By: Bree Blair
Part of the Career Toolbox Series

Looking for an easy and efficient way to find internships? UCAN is perfect for you! UCAN stands for University Career Action Network, which means that it is not just affiliated with the University of Miami. UCAN is connected with Boston College, Harvard University, University of Notre Dame, and 18 other colleges across the United States. To get started, just log into your HireACane account, and click the link on the left, which will take you directly to the UCAN website. If you haven't set up a UCAN account yet, use your collegiate email address to get yourself started. Once you have been an approved user, you're free to roam the site and find the perfect internship for you.

After creating an account, it will prompt you to set up your profile just like HireACane. Actually, they're both set up very similarly, so if you are familiar with HireACane, then you might just already be a professional on UCAN! There is even a documents tab if you want to upload your resume. On the home tab, there are always announcements and notifications available. For example, one announcement on the home page right now is the chance to win an iTunes gift card by taking a UCAN survey! How cool is that- a nifty site that helps you find internships and even win some prizes here and there. Speaking of internships, UCAN has more to offer
than what meets the eye.

Once you figure out the website and all its wonders, you will discover a really handy search agent that makes finding internships a piece of cake. Just click the internships tab, and follow that to the search agents tab (tricky, I know). Anyway, UCAN lets you set up a scheduled search for internships! It doesn't get any easier than that; all you have to do is read your emails! It allows you to set it up how many times a week or month that you want to receive emails about internships pertaining to the keyword or phrase you chose.

UCAN even helps you if you are just looking for a specific company. Just click on the employers tab and search away! If you are mainly interested in finding an internship with a certain person or company, UCAN can help you there too. It even provides a contact directory so you can get in touch with the companies via telephone or email. What's really awesome is that the person's title is listed with their contact information, and we all know how important that is, especially when writing a cover letter! As you can see, UCAN has a ton of ways to help you find the perfect internship; it even does the work for you! So if you are even considering an internship, you should create an account on UCAN because it CAN help you find the perfect match! It's almost like an online dating site, except not really, and it's free.

Don’t get LOST among the Bones (Scholarship Search Tips)

By: Priyanka Surio

Knowing when something is an old find. The first thing you need to discover is whether you are eligible for whatever scholarship or fellowship you are applying for. Some scholarships have expiration dates, are school year specific, or have certain stipulations, like being left handed. Make sure to read and re-read the fine print before delving into the dirt. Don’t assume every fellowship or scholarship award is yearly. Funding differs from year to year. Just because your older brother applied for it, doesn’t mean it will still be there waiting for you to find. You also have to start on your dig early and follow up with whatever contact is provided prior to starting or else you will find you’ve dug a hole with nothing but dust on the other end.

What’s fake and what’s real? To determine whether the artifact you are holding is real or a copy can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. They will all look enticing and legitimate but here are a few things to keep in mind: Most scholarships don’t make you pay a fee. The year, make, and model says it all. If this is a newer scholarship or fellowship opportunity, those are more likely to be a convincing copy. If you see a flyer or advertisement and visit the web-page and it doesn’t exist, then you may not want to pursue that option any further. If the phone number does not exist, then the scholarship probably doesn’t either. If they ask for too much information and are not a governmental organization don’t fall for their scams!

Be patient, it takes a while to uncover gold. Applying for any form of stipend takes time because essentially you are getting free money and have to prove that you are a treasure to keep. Here’s a list of common tools you will need to unearth that prize winning relic.
1. An updated and thoroughly reviewed resume.
2. If there is an application or essay required make sure you have several peers and advisers look at your final product. It is important to have peers look at your application to make sure it sounds like your “voice”. It is important to have advisers look at your application for professionalism and to refine any rough edges.
3. If recommendation letters are needed, ask potential recommenders if they are able to write you a strong letter of recommendation by the deadline. Usually allow 1-2 months for preparation of a letter. Do not ask a year in advance as your recommender is most likely to forget. Furthermore, you want to make sure that they know you in the most positive light so you can receive that five star rating.
4. Order transcripts or other forms of verification 1-2 months in advance.
5. Plan at least several months in advance for any large scholarship or fellowship that requires documents as part of the application.
6. Plan at least a month in advance for smaller scale scholarships and contests.

Be the first to know! Stay abreast of all the new sites and treasures out there by signing up for their respective email notifications and newsletters. For example, Fastweb.com sends you emails based on new scholarships, internships, or fellowships that you qualify for, or that might be of interest to you once they become publicized and posted. They also send you reminders on any scholarships that have deadlines within two weeks. Talk about convenience, all from the comfort of your personal laptop. This way you can strategically plan which scholarships you wish to apply for from your seemingly endless choices.

Sometimes it’s right beneath your nose! Wouldn’t life be easier if there was someone there to tell us when and where we might find a great artifact? Look no more! Many universities have an Prestigious Awards Office on campus. Within these offices are advisers destined to help you on your search, application process, and more. Get plugged into your office or department on campus today to learn about all the scholarships you didn’t know you qualified for. These departments are also handy in making sure you have all the necessary tools before you begin your excavation. They will help you put together an application package, ensure you have any letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc. assembled before sending you on your way. And the best part is, you can use them over and over again and they won’t mind! UM's Prestigious Awards Office wants young anthropologists like you to succeed.

Snoop like a detective at a crime scene. The greatest treasures are found in the most obvious places, but as busy students we so often pass up all these opportunities. Where do you look? Anywhere on campus. Those flyers you see hanging up in breezeways, near classrooms, on your desk, they all contain a window of opportunity waiting for you to decipher from their messages. When was the last time you read the news? This morning, last week , last month? There are opportunities for scholarships and fellowships posted all the time in the news, it is part of that respective organization’s ad campaign and as subtle as it might seem you would be surprised how many people notice. For example, there was an essay contest on campus last week with flyers hanging by all the Dooley Memorial classrooms. I noticed the janitor taking them down and discarding them several yards away, as they do with all flyers that are posted around these areas, so I quickly took one to look at later. If I didn’t seize the moment I might have never gotten the shot at winning money for doing something I do often; write!

Here are some clues to aid you in your search:
The Woodson Williams Marshall Application
Woodrow Wilson and Pickering Graduate/Undergraduate Fellowships
Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship
E-learners is a great website for info on College Scholarships and Grants Education Connection - great web-page for scholarship searches based on education and interest
Fastweb - the ultimate scholarship portal
Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program
Fulbright Fellowship http://fulbright.state.gov/
Scholarship Points – drawings for scholarship money

Good luck and happy digging!

Student and Alumni Career Symposium

Empowering and Connecting a World of Canes
Thursday, April 7th
8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Newman Alumni Center

One of Toppel’s newest and most exciting events is happening on April 7!!! Everyone in the office is really excited and we can’t wait to meet all the great people participating. Things are almost ready, we have a keynote speaker, Ms. Katrina Campins, Founder of The Campins Company, UM Alumna, and contestant on the first season of the Apprentice, at 9:30am and some refreshments to start the day.

After that you can choose one of three seminars: 1. Entrepreneurship is a Career Choice, 2. Ethics and Leadership in an Evolving Global Economy, and 3. Communication Trends in the 21st Century, followed by a free networking lunch.

A second seminar will begin at 1:15pm with three other interesting choices: 1. Modern Healthcare and Implications for the Future, 2.Leveraging Social Media, and 3. Five-Star Service: Hospitality in a Competitive Market.
To finish the symposium there will be a closing session and a reception sponsored by Prudential Financial where students can network with other students, alumni and the panelists.

All the students who attend will receive free business cards and alumni get a special gift. After working at the career center for almost three years this is one of the programs that I find most creative and appealing, because it includes almost every major and interest out there, and the panelists are just amazing.

Some of the panelists include:
• Eliott Rodriguez (CBS4 News Anchor and Emmy & E. Murrow Award Winner)
• Jose Suarez (Executive Producer NBC Miami)
• Luis Hernandez (Founder/President LINQ Financial)
• Lisa Cole, Director of Corporate Communications, Hilton Corporation
• Dr. Steve Ullmann (Professor & Director Programs in Health Sector Management and Policy)
• Michelle Villalobos, President, Mivista Consulting, Inc.
• Marc Lawrence (Owner/President Anglers Boutique Resort)

You can register at: www.miami.edu/studentsymposium or click here

Hope to see you there!
Daniela Martinez

RCIF “From the Lab to the U”

Written By Priyanka Surio



Remember those science fairs in middle school where we used to play with grass
or water and then put together a science fair board for our teachers who would
choose the most interesting of the projects to go on to the science fair? The Research Creativity and Innovation Forum is the college version of our childhood science fairs. It is a form of displaying your research for all to see regardless of whether you’re a freshman starting research or a senior completing an honors thesis.

With the Research and Creativity Innovation Forum quickly approaching, I decided
to share my past experience and provide some insider tips on presentation.
Presenting your research can be intimidating at first because you will be interacting
with current medical and research doctors who will be evaluating your work
thoroughly. It is important to make a good impression and this can be done through
effective communication and articulation along with a dash of confidence.

A year ago I was in the same position. First I had to submit a 250 word abstract

detailing my investigation and wait for selection from the RCIF committee. Upon
acceptance, I had to secure funding for a poster; luckily Miami – AHEC and the
Department of Internal Medicine at the Miller School of Medicine helped me secure
a sizable poster and printed my research presentation on it. I was a research
investigator on the topic of obesity, but I needed a catchy name to grab the judges’
attention so I came up with Promoting a Healthier Me. Although I was researching
the obesity statistics and behaviors of the greater Miami area, my hope was to
implement infrastructure within the clinics and hospitals at Jackson to address this
health disparity.

Next came judgment time! It was my first year presenting a research still so new
and ongoing, so I had my doubts. A few practice sessions with my research mentor,
who developed a series of questions to ask me, prepared me for the day. It was like
an interview, where I had to talk about what my research was, focus on its strengths
and weaknesses, and discuss its implications in the real world. I had three judges
and numerous peers look at my research. The three judges included a doctor at
the medical school, a PhD student in the department of biology, and a professor of
biological studies. Each one asked a range of questions. I was asked why I chose
my specific research topic, what I hoped to achieve, what my graphs and statistics
translated to, whether my research was applicable to other high-risk areas, and
what the limitations of my research were.

I received a certificate for showcasing my research and the feedback on my
presentation was helpful for future experiences. The key points that judges
determined your score upon included effectiveness of one’s presentation,
significance of results, need for such research, translational science applicability,and overall professionalism.

This year the RCIF will take place on Tuesday, March 29th, 2011 in the Field
House, Coral Gables campus from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The Awards Ceremony will
be from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. in the Hurricane 100 Room at the Bank United Center,
Coral Gables Campus.

Preparation + Confidence = A Great RCIF Experience

RCIF Website

Contact: Daritza Blanco
d.berio@miami.edu
Office of Undergraduate Research
305) 284-3530

Promoting a Healthier Me Abstract