College life at Rensselaer continues into the summer. Take expanded course offerings, including unique electives, accelerate your time to degree completion, catch up on classes you might have misses, and stay on track to graduate with study abroad, research, co-ops and internships. Rensselaer students share their summer stories!

Sarah Burch – Participated in a faculty-led study abroad program!

Major: Environmental Engineering
Graduation Year: 2010
Class Taken Abroad: STSS-2300 Environment and Society
Country Visited: India - summer 2009
“I believe that the trip provided me with new perspective that will last with me for the rest of my life. One of the best learning opportunities available is to be immersed in a culture completely different than our own. Professor Mascarenhas emphasizes that one cannot learn anything from people like themselves, and this trip brought this point to life for me. The entire experience of being absorbed in unfamiliar sites, food, smells, landscape, and culture opened my eyes and mind to a broader understanding of society.”

Jerome Carter – Took classes while working a summer job on campus!

Major: Civil Engineering
Graduation Year: 2011
Classes Taken: MATH-2400 Introduction to Differential Equations and MATH-1010 Calculus I
Campus Job: Resident Assistant (RA) for Office of Minority Student Affairs (OMSA) Summer Programs
“It was very easy to manage both taking classes and working at RPI. I have time to work, attend class, and prepare for my tests...Doing this allows me to gain a serious advantage.”

Kyle DiTieri

Major: Industrial Management Engineering
Minor: Electronics Art
Graduation Year: 2013
Campus Job: Mentor/Teacher at CIPCE (Center for Initiatives in Pre-College Education)
“This was my first Summer@Rensselaer. I got a job working with pre-college children as a mentor/teacher during the Rensselaer Robotics Engineering Academy programs coordinated by CIPCE (Center for Initiatives in Pre-College Education). Staying in Troy for the summer was a blast. Summer days were clear and sunny with a lot of stuff to do. I was able to balance classes and work and had a fun experience.”

Zach Dreiss

Major: Electrical Engineering
Graduation Year: 2013
“I spent this Summer@Rensselaer taking credit courses. I took Signals and Systems, and Engineering Probability. I was also able to get ahead in my studies and work, study and meet new people.”

Andrew Ennaco

Major: M.S and B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Graduation Year: 2012
“My Summer@Rensselaer was very fun and productive. I was able to take the final class I needed to finish my bachelor’s degree before starting work on my master’s in Mechanical Engineering (focused on Robotics) this fall. Multivariable Calculus was a lot easier to handle during the summer because it met more times per week. This means the material is always fresh in your head and you can finish the class in 6 weeks instead of 15. Living in Troy for the summer was a pleasant change of pace from spending my summer break at home. I would say that my Summer@Rensselaer was one of the best experiences of my entire life.”

Shaina Feldman – Got paid to do research in the summer!

Major: Biology/Premed, Psych minor
Graduation Year: 2010
Classes Taken: PSYC-4340 Human Sexuality
Research Opportunity: Biotech Center Research
Research Area: Developmental biology and neuroscience
“Not only was I able to get paid to do research, I was actually interested in what I was doing as it pertained to my field of study. I’ve learned a huge amount in the short 10 weeks along with gaining invaluable experience this past summer."

Sage Foley – Did research in the summer!

Major: Biology
Graduation Year: 2011
Research Program/Job Title: Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) – Research Assistant
“We learned from our advisers as well as from each other as we were introduced to research. This was my first time working in a research lab, and it was a great opportunity to spend my summer developing lab skills, learning techniques and gaining insight.

Where is she now: "That research position continued through the school year of 09-10, and helped me to get an internship at Abbott Bioresearch Center in Worcester, MA, a pharmaceutical company, for the summer of 2010. I applied for the Co-terminal program in the fall of 2010 and will be finishing it up after the fall 2011 semester. By the way, I went back to Abbott this past summer as an intern and they recently asked me if I would like to continue full-time once I graduate from the Co-terminal program. I've decided to accept the offer!"

Mickey Hyland

Major: Mechanical Engineering
Graduation Year: 2012
“This Summer@Rensselaer I worked for RPI’s Facilities Design and Campus Planning department. I was hired on as an Energy Engineer and worked primarily with monitoring the water, steam, and electrical use of various buildings around campus. If I noticed problems with resource consumption, it was my job to figure out what was going wrong and make sure it got handled. A lot of the times the issue would be a leak or something simple to fix, however, there were a few times where I was able to catch a major problem in the way our buildings were handling utilities and be part of initiatives to fix these problems. I was also able to get involved in other groups around campus like working with a research team on getting solar panels installed on the roof of the JEC. Outside of my work, I was able to live at my fraternity and enjoyed area events such as the Rocking on the River concert series in Downtown Troy and the Albany Ultimate Disc Association.”

Jeff Jones – Took credit courses and worked a campus job in the summer!

Major: Mechanical Engineering
Graduation Year: 2011
Classes Taken: ENGR-2600 Modeling and Analysis of Uncertainty & PSYC-1200 General Psychology
"While taking my summer courses, I worked for Admissions covering the front desk and giving tours. While it was a very different experience being on campus in the summer, I can say without a doubt that it was a good choice! I had a lot of fun working for Admissions, and I was able to get ahead in my studies!

Where is she now: I completed an internship with GE Energy in Schenectady during the Summer of 2011! I lived in my off-campus apartment and commuted to work each day. I graduate in December and will then be with GE’s Commercial Leadership Program (CLP) beginning in March.

Megan McNamara – Worked in an office on campus in the summer!

Major: Management
Graduation Year: 2010
Campus Job: Student support for summer programs
"I was able to utilize all the facilities on campus, as well as enjoy the many events in the Capital Region. I worked in a friendly environment on projects that benefit current and prospective students along with the Rensselaer community as a whole.”

Kristi Nelson

Kristi Nelson
Major: Information Technology and Web Science
Graduation Year: 2012
“I attended the Computer Game Development Academy in the summer of 2007 as a rising high school senior. I applied and was accepted to Rensselaer. As a current undergraduate student, I have worked on campus for the past three summers. I have been a Student Orientation Coordinator for the Office of First-Year Experience, a Conference Coordinator for the Office of Conference Services and even worked in the Office of Financial Aid. I enjoy being on campus in the summer and recommend everyone to consider being part of it.”

Celeste Ostman

Major: Environmental Engineering
Graduation Year: 2013
“My Summer@Rensselaer was awesome. I had an internship in the Keck Water Research Lab for the Darrian Fresh Water Institute on RPI's campus. I got the job because I had some experience working in that lab. I worked mainly on the NYSERDA acid rain project and I got to go out doors and learn how to use lab equipment. I went kayaking, canoeing, and I even got to ride in a helicopter. Many of my friends stayed this summer so, during my off hours, I got to hang out with them and explore the surrounding community. We went to things like the Troy Pig Out, an autocross competition, local baseball games, Graffton State Park, Ultimate Frisbee games, and local restaurants.”

Ken Porche – Did research in the summer!

Major: Biochemistry & Biophysics
Graduation Year: 2009
Research Program/Job Title: Undergraduate Research Program/Research Assistant
“The research I did this summer gave me experience with hands on experiments and hi-tech equipment while introducing me to faculty members in the field. It’s a lot of work, but the leadership skills I’ve gained were well worth it.

Where is he now: "I graduated in 2009. I'm getting my Master of Arts in Medical Sciences at Boston University School of Medicine. The only advice I would give is to plan for you next step, know what you're aiming for in life, and do whatever is necessary to make that life a reality."

Kallie Powers

Major: Chemistry
Graduation Year: 2012
“This Summer@Rensselaer was my second summer in Troy. Again I worked for Professor Dinolfoin the chemistry department doing inorganic synthesis and characterization. I had a great time working in the lab, gaining experience and knowledge that I have been able to apply in my other classes and which has helped prepare me for graduate school and beyond. Outside of the lab I spent a lot of time outside, running and playing softball and rugby. Staying over the summer helped me get to know the Troy area and surrounding regions better and being able to stay with some of my really good friends made the experience even greater. Staying on campus during the summer was a great experience and one that I would definitely do again.”

Megan Reile – Worked a campus job in the summer!

Major: Dual in Management and Communications
Graduation year: 2012
Campus Job: Office of Conference Services & Academic Outreach Programs
“It was a prime opportunity for me to gain real-world experience in my field of study, as well as an opportunity for me to better my work ethic and form networking relationships. I enjoyed my Summer@Rensselaer and would recommend the experience to anyone.

Where is she now: "Since I've worked for the Summer@Rensselaer my freshman summer I continued on to intern with Target in Distribution Operations my sophomore summer, and co-op with Hasbro in Concept and Process Management my junior year. My experience with Summer@Rensselaer was a great starting block, and set me ahead of other intern and co-op candidates in that I had a background in customer service, data management, and financial situations."

Natalie Semczuk - STS/EMAC BS '10, STS MS '11

"In the summer I worked part-time at the Office of Conference Services, Summer@Rensselaer Offices, and took a course to finish up a writing requirement for one of my degrees! I stayed on campus in a residence hall and got to meet other students who were here for the summer. It was a great experience and allowed me to work while taking a course I needed to graduate on time!"

Jodie Wright – Participated in a faculty-led study abroad program!

Major: Applied Mathematics; Marketing and Psychology minor
Graduation Year: 2009
Class Taken Abroad: MGMT-4961 Organizational Behavior in High-Performance Organizations
Country Visited: Beijing, China - summer 2008
“On this trip I met people that I still stay in touch with because they touched my life with their words and experiences. Everything in China is so different from here in the United States and not only did I learn in the classroom, but I was always learning outside of it as well. I would most definitely say having a professor with us was beneficial because it was like having a personal tour guide all the time and since he was a native he knew the language and could help us whenever we needed.”

Where is she now: Since my Summer@Rensselaer experience I have graduated RPI in May 2010 and in July 2011 I will be celebrating my 1 year anniversary as an IBM employee. I started IBM as a Global Business Services Consultant and have worked on a project with the FDIC since my inception with the company. In the next couple of weeks I will be transitioning to my new role as a Business Continuity and Resiliency Services Consultant in the Global Technology Services division.

Why college students participate and take credit courses during the summer.

1. Take advantage of expanded course offerings including unique electives.
2. Accelerate your time to degree completion. Some students also change majors or add a minor.
3. Catch up on classes.
4. Stay on track to graduate after completing study abroad, research, co-ops and internships.
5. Take or retake a high enrollment class in a smaller setting.

Who do students talk to about their decision to take courses during the summer?

1. Adviser
2. Friends/Classmates
3. Parents
4. Financial Aid Office
5. Registrar

How students find Summer@Rensselaer updates?

1. http://summer.rpi.edu - this web site!
2. http://rpi.edu
3. http://rpinfo.edu
4. Ad in the Poly
5. Flyers around campus

Inquiries/Questions:

For further information about Summer@Rensselaer opportunities for college students, Request Information.