Summer 2009 Issue: Summer Co-op Factoids | Your First 100 Days | Out On Co-op | Are You Number One? | Making the Most of Your Co-op Tip | Upcoming Events | Message from RIT Financial Aid | Co-op Kitchen

Summer Co-op Factoids

There are currently 1,782 of you out on co-op, all over the U.S. and abroad
Average co-op wage: $14.64
Major with the highest number of co-ops: Computer Science with 119
Company with the highest number of co-op students: Welch Allyn, Inc. with 23
Students working abroad: 31

Your First 100 Days – Success Tips From the Pros

For many students, a co-op job is your first professional experience.  We’ve searched the web for advice on what to do – and what not to do - in your first 100 days on the job (which is about one co-op block).  Check out this advice for success from the experts:

The Big Time - http://www.spherioncareerblog.com/success_on_the_job/
First 100 Days in a New Job - http://www.careerhubblog.com/main/2009/01/the-first-100-days-in-a-new-job.html
Post Parker – How to Succeed in a New Job - http://www.postparker.com/blog/2009/how-to-success-in-a-new-job/
How to Ace Your First 100 Days In A New Job - http://askannie.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/01/19/how-to-ace-your-first-100-days-in-a-new-job/
Craft An Action Plan for Your First 100 Days - http://www.pongoresume.com/blogPosts/268/new-job-craft-an-action-plan-for-your-first-100-days.cfm
Your First 100 Days - http://www.certmag.com/read.php?in=1942
The Secret to Success at Any Job - http://www.usnews.com/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2009/04/15/the-secret-to-success-at-any-job.html
5 Golden Rules for Job Success - http://marcom-writer-blog.com/2006/12/29/five-golden-rules-for-job-success/
Time Management & Success at Work - http://www.claimthatjob.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/17/time-management-and-success-at-work/
10 Worst Work Habits - http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-1936-Workplace-Issues-10-Worst-Work-Habits/?cbsid=1356dda415d842919fb9aceef99fca07-302008251-RJ-4&sc_extcmp=JS_1936_home1&cbRecursionCnt=2&SiteId=cbmsnhp41936&ArticleID=1936&gt1=23000
Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist - http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/

Out On Co-op at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Christopher Tomkins-Tinch at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Christopher Tomkins-Tinch
Major: Imaging Science
Year: Third Year

Company: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Job Title: Student Research Assistant
City: Oak Ridge
State/ or Country: Tennessee
Job Title: Student Research Assistant

Brief description of your job and responsibilities:
I worked on projects to rethink emergency management, visualize nuclear reactor operator alert systems, and index information from the world's sensors. The main project I was involved with--Sensorpedia--will be public-facing, and will register geo-located sensors so that researchers can find data sources to perform simulations and discover links between seemingly unrelated data. It will also enable those in government and law enforcement to monitor many things, from environmental pollution to emerging disease.

How did you find the job?
I was made aware of the job through the US Department of Energy Office of Science educational programs website.

Tips or advice for students who will co-op for the first time?
First, now is a great time to be involved with public sector science. Our government has acknowledged the meaningful impact science can have in meeting today's challenges in energy needs, infrastructure demands, and security concerns. It's a way of contributing knowledge, and making a difference. Second--and this likely holds as true for corporate co-ops as well--don't just apply to positions blindly. Find a contact in an organization--a mentor, someone whose work you respect, and contact them to find out what they are working on and what the challenges are. Be more informed--It'll show potential employers your interest and make sure that a position would be a good fit. Get out there. Apply for those positions you doubt you may get. Learn new things, both at in and out of the classroom.

Share Your Experience
RIT co-op students have worked all over the world, with large and small companies, collaborating with all types of people and employers love them! We are building a collection of photos and videos of RIT students at work. Interested in giving us a quick write up about your experience? See guidelines at the bottom of our Co-op Profiles page. Visit our Video|Photo Gallery page for more info on how to get your photo or video into our hands.

Are You Number One?

Students – are you the first co-op student your company has ever had? If you’ve had a good co-op experience, but are now leaving, this is your chance to help your company and other RIT students too!

Before you go, talk with your supervisor about the possibility of hiring another RIT student, to continue the work you started, or work on a new project. It’s easy to post a co-op position on our employer web site – www.rit.edu/recruit, and if they have any questions, you can refer them to your program coordinator, or our main office – 585.475.2301. Your supervisor may even want you to be involved in recruiting your successor!

Thank you for helping us maintain a good relationship with your company, and develop co-op opportunities for other RIT students.

Making the Most of Your Co-op -- Tip

How to Receive "Credit" for Your Co-op Experience

Just a reminder to be sure to check that you have everything submitted in order to get credit for your summer co-op. As you know, co-op is graded on a pass/fail basis by your academic department. To receive a “Satisfactory “ (“S”) grade for co-op on your transcript, the following evaluation documents must be completed and submitted for each quarter you are employed:

Employer Evaluation of your performance. A link to a customized evaluation form is emailed to your employer by the Co-op Office during the midpoint of each quarter you are on co-op. This evaluation must be filled out by your supervisor and submitted for review. Please check with your supervisor to make sure that they have received it and encourage them to fill it out as soon as possible. Also ask if your supervisor is willing to sit down and review the evaluation with you – it is always good to get feedback on your performance!

Student Co-op Work Report. Many of you (students with a mandatory co-op requirement) will also need to write your own “work report” or evaluation of your job. This report (with some exceptions depending on your major) is available to you via your Job Zone account during the midpoint of each quarter you are on co-op and should be completed prior to the last day of the academic quarter.

Failure to receive all necessary evaluations may result in an “F” on your transcript so it is important for you to follow the guidelines set forth by your department. If you are unsure of the exact procedure for your particular major, please review “Your Co-op Quick Start Guide” which can be found at http://www.rit.edu/co-op/careers (go to Student Link, under Just For You).

Upcoming Events

Look for these upcoming events in the Fall quarter. Details on all events can be found on RIT Job Zone.

Welcome Back From Co-op Lunch: We’d like to treat you to pizza to welcome you back from your co-op! If you’ll be back to school in the fall, plan to join us on Wednesday September 16th, any time between 11:30 and 1:00 (location TBA).

Fall Career Fair: Will be held this year on Wednesday, September 30th, from 11:00am – 4:00pm, in the Gordon Field House. Open to all RIT students and alumni, the fair is expected to draw over 120 companies interested in talking with RIT students about co-op and full-time job opportunities. If you’ll be looking for a job in the next few quarters, revise your resume, practice your 60 second commercial, and come to the fair!

Workshops, employer panels, mock interviews, and resume reviews will all be held prior to the fair to help you prepare.

Accounting Career Fair: Friday, October 2nd, from 1:00 – 3:00pm, in the Gordon Field House, open to accounting students.

NTID Annual Job Fair: Wednesday, October 14th, 1:30 – 5:00pm, in the Lyndon Baines Johnson Building (#60), open to all NTID students.

Check Job Zone for an updated calendar of student programs, panels, and workshops, offered this fall on a wide variety of career topics!

Message from RIT Financial Aid

Co-op Enrollment and Financial

If you are receiving financial aid, have you advised the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office of your co-op enrollment? With the exception of the Federal Pell Grant, financial aid does not pay during a co-op quarter.

You can check your financial aid status on Financial Aid Self-Service at www.my.rit.edu. If you see anything other than a Federal Pell Grant scheduled for your co-op quarter, you should click on “Change of Enrollment” to notify us of your enrollment. In addition, you can see if additional documents are required for your financial aid award.

The Co-op Kitchen: Or, How To Eat Dirt Cheap On A Budget!

Another fine recipe for that co-op student on the go!!

OK, we know what you’re thinking – watermelon for breakfast? Are these people crazy? Well, ‘tis the season for sweet, juicy, delicious watermelon and combined with a few other ingredients, you can start your day with a nutritious breakfast! Come on – give these a try!!

Watermelon Donuts
Ingredients:
Watermelon slices shaped like donuts
Vanilla Yogurt (or your favorite flavor)
Donut toppings: Slivered almonds, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, granola, bananas, whatever you like!
Instructions: For each donut, cut out 2 round donut shapes from 1 1/2-inch thick slices of seedless watermelon. Frost one of the watermelon slices with yogurt and sprinkle with your topping(s). Add another layer of watermelon slice and top with yogurt again. Sprinkle with your toppings and serve!

Breakfast Lasagna
Ingredients:
1 -2 cups corn flakes (or any other kind you like)
1 cup chopped watermelon
1 cup fresh blueberries, strawberries or sliced bananas
1 cup vanilla yogurt
Instructions: Place 1/3 of the corn flakes in the bottom of your bowl. Mix together the watermelon, berries/fruit and yogurt and spoon half of it over the corn flake layer evenly. Sprinkle another layer of the corn flakes over the yogurt and then layer the remaining yogurt over that. Sprinkle the remaining corn flakes evenly over the top.

Enjoy the fruits of summer!!

In Closing

We are available to help you with any issues or questions you may have related to your co-op -- please don't hesitate to contact us with them. We hope you all have a great experience while you are on co-op this quarter!

Rochester Institute of Technology | Office of Cooperative Education and Career Services | Bausch & Lomb Center | 585.475.2301, 585.475.6905 TTY www.rit.edu/co-op/careers
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