How to Be Ready for a Successful STEM Career Ahyoung Kim Mathematics Department, Wilbur Wright College Fernando Miranda-Mendoza Mathematics Department, Harold Washington College Raymond Tse Physical Sciences Department, Harold Washington College

STEM Careers STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Some STEM disciplines: Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Science, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, and Mathematics. The most important factor in having a successful career is finding a job that you enjoy.

Passion for Your Career Desire to learn about a particular field. Desire to develop and improve professionally and continuously. Desire to contribute to society and the world. Be paid to pursue what you love!

Have the Right Motivation Some Motivational Factors: Financial Personal interests Projected job markets What is really important for you?

Set Your Goals Academic Goals Personal Goals Scholastic aptitude Financial resources (when to achieve?) Personal Goals Time commitment Put off immediate satisfaction

Academic Goals Prerequisites SMART Goals Choose an area of interest (OK to take general course in the beginning to see what you really like): Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics, etc. Take the “right” courses (or sequences) Prerequisites SMART Goals S – Specific M – Measureable A – Attainable R – Realistic T – Timely

SMART Goals Smart Goals: S – Specific: The goal that is well defined and clear. M – Measureable: You can determine whether the goal was met or not. A – Attainable: The goal can actually be achieved. R – Realistic: The goal is reasonably within your reach. T – Timely: The goal can be achieved within a reasonable amount of time.

Personal “Issues” to Consider Family commitments: Balancing the demands of any (in particular STEM) courses and raising a family. Late start in the academic process: May need to refresh basic skills (basic math, elementary science, reasoning, critical thinking, take notes, how to study, etc.)

Undergraduate vs Graduate Degrees Many STEM fields require advanced degrees Decision to get an advanced degree: finances, time, career path (academia vs corporate), aspirations. The expensive part lies on an undergraduate degree. An advanced degree is usually FULLY funded by teaching or research assistantships

Undergraduate Degree At HWC, take all (more if possible) the required course sequences Example: take the entire calculus/chemistry/physics sequence at one school. Transfer to 4-year institutions UIC IIT – Presidential Scholarships UIUC DePaul REU (research experience for undergraduates) Paid research opportunities (federal government funded) Internships in local corporations

What you need to Transfer to 4-Year Institutions Top local schools: UIC, IIT, UIUC, DePaul. Good grades, especially in STEM courses. Recommendation letters from professors and others. Internships and REU. Financial support from the accepting school and from CCC.

Your decision on the School Strength of the STEM program Affects your ability of finding a job after graduation Location of the school Urban vs rural setting Financial Support In-state vs Out-of-state tuition Length of the program

Graduate School More research oriented. Many STEM jobs require an advanced degree. Financial aid is usually not an issue since there are plenty of paid research or teaching assistantships in STEM fields. Typical length of a program: 2 years for Masters degrees, 4 or more years for Ph.D. degrees

Importance of REU/Internship Research Experiences for Undergraduates are funded by Federal and State agencies (such as National Science Foundation, National Institution of Health, Department of Energy, NASA, etc.). Usually they take place during the summer. Stipend (including living arrangements and transportation). Internships from private companies have fewer restrictions.

Importance of Recommendation Letters Universities also use recommendation letters to evaluate applicants besides grades and test scores. Recommendation letters gives another perspective of your strengths, abilities, talents, and accomplishments. Be nice to your professors. You should build good relationships with your professors. Professors who were impressed by you would be glad to write a letter. Recommendation letters are very important for graduate school admission.

Importance of Working in a Team Demonstrates some of your “soft skills.” Important soft skills: collaboration, communication, adaptability, ability to resolve conflicts, problem solving, critical thinking. Modern STEM careers demand teamwork. Your ability to interact with others is highly valued by employers.

Join HWC STEM club! A good place to increase your network of peers. You get info on scholarships, REUs, conferences, and other research opportunities. Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/haroldwashingtonstemclub/

Where to Find Information about REU NSF REU Site for students: https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/ Search for an REU Site: https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp The HACU National Internship Program: http://www.hacu.net/hacu/HNIP.asp Community College Internships: http://science.energy.gov/wdts/cci/

Where to Find Information about scholarships Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: http://www.jkcf.org Barry Goldwater Scholarship: https://goldwater.scholarsapply.org IIT Presidential Scholarships: https://admissions.iit.edu/undergraduate/finances/presidential- scholarships IIT Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship: https://admissions.iit.edu/undergraduate/finances/phi-theta-kappa- scholarship