Amalia Martinez
"My IE internship experience has been beneficial in not only preparing me for graduate school admissions, but also providing me with wonderful insight to graduate school life. Over several lunch meetings, phone conversations, and emails, my mentor (Valerie Martinez and I spoke about her experience in applying to graduate school and her academic experience thus far. Valerie told me of her closeness to her colleagues, which sounds similar to my relationships with my fellow McNair scholars. It is certainly comforting to be surrounded by people who have the same goals and understand the tumultuous road ahead to achieve them. Furthermore, in order to maintain a life outside of academia, time management is key. This is something I'm very familiar with from my undergraduate career, and I was relieved to hear that she is able to maintain time for herself. My conversations with Valerie have prepared me for what to expect once I enter a graduate program. I hope to have the opportunity to mentor an undergrad the same way Valerie has mentored me."