Name: Mike Giusti
Year: ‘08
Internship Site: Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP)

The Internship: This summer, Mike interned in Washington, DC with Dickinson alum, Dr. Marjorie Speers. This was an opportunity put together by the Clarke Forum, the Career Center, and the site (Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs). Mike learned about the opportunity by reading the weekly emails that the Career Center sends out.

AAHRPP uses standards to evaluate the quality and level of protection that an organization provides research participants. Depending on how well the organization matches up to AAHRPP standards, they are in a better position to become accredited. While an intern, Mike was “responsible for researching and analyzing accreditation reports to find patterns of deficiencies. These will be the basis for the information presented at AAHRPP’s annual conference in the fall.”

Mike’s favorite part: “I had the opportunity to go on a site visit with the deputy director to St. Louis, where I experienced first-hand one of the steps of the accreditation process. This was the highlight of the internship for me.”

The future: In the future, Mike hopes to obtain a Ph.D. and teach at the collegiate level – perhaps at a liberal arts school. “This internship was able to give me the research and analysis experience that I will need in order to continue my education at the graduate level, and hopefully the doctoral level as well.”

Tips from Mike: “Definitely check the weekly e-mails from the career center. While there may be weeks that go by where you don't find anything that meets your specific interests, the information they have regarding internship opportunities is bound to present you with something you can do.”

To find out more about how to get an internship, visit www.dickinson.edu/career/internships.html or make an appointment in the Career Center.