2024 Summer Intern Spotlight Series

As we wrap up another successful summer supporting UMass Amherst students, we're highlighting some of the students who were able to participate in internships in Greater Boston thanks to the Mount Ida Campus through our 2024 Summer Intern Spotlight Series.

Heonir Feliz is a rising senior majoring in computer science and mathematics.

This summer Heonir worked at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals on the Statistical Programming team as a Data Science Intern.

"In my role, I leverage data analytics and machine learning techniques using mainly Python, R, and SAS to drive innovative solutions and support critical research initiatives," he said. "This experience has given me valuable insights into corporate life and professional development. The beautiful surroundings of Kendall Square and my amazing team make it an enjoyable place to work.”

Living on the Mount Ida Campus allowed Heonir to meet new people. “Since these are technically still dorms, everyone around you is close to your age and likely involved in internships, research, or classes. This means you'll probably run into someone you already know, and if not, it's much easier to make new friends compared to renting a normal apartment,” he said. 

“From the start, I knew that staying at Mount Ida was the best option due to its affordability and proximity to the city. As a participant in Project Onramp, the process was streamlined, making everything easier.”

“The campus offers numerous free facilities that I’ve been taking full advantage of, including the Rec Center, turf fields, YMCA membership, library, and office spaces. The campus also provides Uber rides to the MBTA bus station, Trader Joe's, and The Shops at Chestnut Hill, which I literally use daily!” 

One piece of advice Heonir would give to a student considering a summer internship is to “optimize your resume as much as possible, catering it towards the position you are applying to, start applying early, do mock interviews using the STAR method, work on personal projects. While it sounds a bit stressful, internships are a cool way to explore your career and get real work experience while also getting paid, so, take your chances and enjoy the opportunity.” 

Ahmed Saeed is a computer science major graduating in Spring 2025. 

This summer Ahmed did a co-op at SharkNinja as a SQA Test Engineer.

“I worked as part of the Systems QA team at SharkNinja on cutting-edge robotic vacuums and mobile apps," he said. "I ran extensive tests, meticulously documented results, and played a key role in enhancing product reliability and user experience.”

SharkNinka is one of several large employers, along with TripAdvisor, NBCUniversal and CyberArk, located in the N2 Innovation District just minutes from the Mount Ida Campus. “My commute to work was super smooth, saving me time and money. The convenience [of campus] has made living here a wonderful experience," Ahmed said.

One piece of advice Ahmed would give to a student considering a summer internship: "Seize every opportunity to learn and network. Always ask questions and seek feedback; it’s the fastest way to grow. Most importantly, be proactive and show initiative—it sets you apart and opens doors.” 

Maryann Vasquez-Cruz is a rising senior majoring in Public Policy. 

This summer, Mary worked at Alkermes as a Legal/Compliance Intern. 

“As a Legal/Compliance intern, I learned about the policy framework of how Alkermes works to stay compliant with laws and regulations that govern the pharmaceutical industry," she said. "I assisted with auditing and monitoring of organizational activities to ensure compliance with company policies, such as reviewing HCP (Healthcare professional) meal expenses and attending promotional speaker programs.”

Living on the Mount Ida Campus this summer had a unique and positive impact on Mary. “As someone who's never been around the Boston area, when my internship asked for me to accommodate my own summer housing, I was at a loss of where to start. Having access as a UMass student to stay at Mount Ida was a life saver for me and allowed me to stay close to my internship at a fair price,” she said. “The Uber resource also is a handy tool for those who may not have a car. When my car broke down this summer, I was easily able to use the Uber program to make sure I could get to work.”

One piece of advice Mary would give to a student considering a summer internship: “Use. Your. Resources.”

“UMass provides so many resources for us students that in the end it can seem overwhelming, but make sure to talk with your Academic Counselor or other students who may have had similar positions that you wish to take in the future. With the help of UMass resources, I was able to spend my summer in Boston stress-free,” she said. 

Jack Lawrence is a rising senior majoring in Finance and Economics.

This summer, Jack interned at Thermo Fisher Scientific as a Financial Analyst. “I worked for the Single Use Technologies division, which is a part of the broader BioProduction group," he said. "The Division specializes in manufacturing containment solutions for various substances used in chemical processes.”

Jack worked on the division's finance team, where he was “responsible for the consolidation of data from business units. My projects included multi-site consolidation of accounts receivable and bad debt, changing the data architecture of operating expenses, and supporting the accounting department in closing the books.” 

Living on the Mount Ida Campus allowed Jack to accept his internship offer due to the availability and affordability of its summer intern housing. “My internship wouldn't be possible without it,” he said. 

Jack’s one piece of advice to future interns: “Your first week will be scary. Hang in there and pay attention!”

Kaosi Nwosu is a rising senior majoring in computer science. 

This summer Kaosi interned at Schneider Electric, where he worked with the North America Artificial Intelligence team in the Customer Transformations department as an AI Solutions Engineer. 

“My primary focus was on optimizing an AI tool to scrape documents for revenue opportunities across various sections within the company," he said. "I am collaborating with a dynamic team to mine actionable insights from diverse contract document formats, including PDFs and DOCXs. I am spearheading the optimization of an innovative scoring tool using Python to evaluate contract documents for revenue potential on a scale from 1 to 5.”

Living on the Mount Ida Campus was a crucial component of Kaosi's summer professional development opportunity. “It would have been difficult accepting the internship without the summer housing on campus, especially because of how far away my family is,” he said. “The Mount Ida Campus has provided an excellent support system that has greatly enhanced my ability to focus and succeed in my internship.” 

Kaosi described the campus environment as “peaceful and beautiful” and found the staff, amenities and support "invaluable." 

"I appreciated the vibrant campus life, with Resident Assistants frequently hosting events, free movie tickets, and dining options that rival those at the Amherst campus," he said. "They made my summer experience very enjoyable and conducive to both work and leisure.”

One piece of advice Kaosi would give to a student considering a summer internship: “An internship is a great way to apply some things learned in class as well as learn from people who have been in the game for a long time. It expands your knowledge base, network, and most of all you get to have fun while making some money!”

Srikrushna Pinaki Budi is a 2024 computer science graduate. 

This summer Srikrushna Pinaki interned at Staples as a Software Engineer in the U.S. Retail department. 

“I worked in the Data Engineering and AI team on Customer Sentiment Analysis and Anomaly Detection projects,” he said. 

Srikrushna Pinaki pointed to its affordability and the campus transportation system as elements of the Mount Ida Campus experience that were most helpful to him.

His one piece of advice for UMass students seeking a summer internship: “Never give up, keep applying, and value every opportunity because they are hard to come by."

Timothy Burnes is a computer science major graduating in December. 

This summer Timothy worked as a Data Science Intern at Flare Therapeutics.

"I worked with the Scientific Computing and Computational Biology teams to help build out their data pipeline infrastructure," he said. "I also acted in a support capacity to help team members move data and utilize data analytics platforms, among other functions.”

Having the opportunity to live on the Mount Ida Campus was as a difference-maker for Timothy in facilitating his summer profesisonal development experience. 

“As a member of the Project Onramp Boston Area cohort, my stay at Mount Ida has facilitated my internship by providing me with flexible, affordable housing, with amazing benefits,” he said. “Without Mount Ida, I would not have been able to confidently say in my interview that I could secure housing for the summer within commuting distance of my internship and would have been much more hesitant to apply to internships in the Boston area.” 

Timothy’s advice for UMass students considering an internship: “A summer internship can be transformative because not only are you getting job experience and learning to interact in a mature and professional way, you will also be exposed to networking opportunities that ... last a lifetime. If you want to be seen, you have to get out there, and a summer internship is one of the best ways to get started doing that.”