Internships – Voices

The Summer Internship Roller Coaster

Posted on February 9, 2022September 21, 2022 by Sonam Rikha

Zoom with Richard Gere and other participants

By Sonam Rikha ’24 I never expected the exhilarating highs and crushing lows of last summer’s internship search. Who knew that looking for a summer internship could feel like a never ending roller coaster of obstacles and surprises. During the spring semester, students are often left scrambling to find an internship or some other opportunity to fill up the long summer day...

Just Do It: Applying for Internships

Posted on March 29, 2021September 21, 2022 by Sonam Rikha

laptop shows a guide to writing cover letters

By Sonam Rikha ‘24 Clarification: This post is not sponsored by Nike or Shia Labeouf, though if you are a Nike representative looking to collaborate please contact me at… “Just do it!” an overly dramatic and visibly angry Shia Labeouf screamed through my screen. While this phrase was definitely not coined by the outdated celebrity, his uncomfortable “motivational” video h...

4+7 Things I Realized About Pomona as a Sophomore

Posted on February 9, 2021September 21, 2022 by Chris Meng

By Chris Meng ’23 It’s hard to believe that I am starting my second semester of my sophomore year. At the end of May, I will be halfway done with college, and I will have somehow reached the age of 21. Over my nearly two-month winter break, I spent a lot of time with family and friends (mostly virtually), having conversations with them and myself that gave me a chance to ref...

The Search Goes On: Finding Internships in the Era of COVID

Posted on February 1, 2021September 21, 2022 by Bryce Kelly

illustration of student considering different post-college options

By Bryce Kelly ‘23 Illustrations by Teodelina Martelli ’23 While on the road to Montana, I learned that my summer 2020 internship would be “modified.” My would-be boss at a local tech company called while I was in the middle of the woods, where the speed limit was more of a suggestion, driving to a place that probably had more elk than people. It was a spontaneous fath...

Life as a Virtual Admissions Summer Fellow

Posted on September 15, 2020September 21, 2022 by Chris Meng

By Chris Meng ’23 Dear Christopher, It is with great pleasure that we invite you to join the Office of Admissions at Pomona College as a Virtual Summer Fellow. All the way back in May, I accepted an offer to work with admissions this summer. I feel incredibly fortunate that I was able to find a paid position that I was excited about pursuing. I literally didn’t know...

Why I Like a Semester System

Posted on August 18, 2020September 21, 2022 by Danny DeBare

By Danny DeBare ‘22 When looking for a college that fits well, many prospective students choose to focus on specific fields of study. After all, we are talking about college, a place you go to study a subject matter. When deciphering what size and style of university (liberal arts, research university, vocational school, community college, etc.) fits best with a desired area...

Help! I’m 20 Years Old And I’ve Never Had An Internship

Posted on June 29, 2020September 21, 2022 by Stevie Matheny

By Stevie Matheny ‘22 My Jobs Up Until This Point Steam the milk. Cue the shots. Pump the syrup. Catch the shots. Pour the milk. Serve the coffee. Repeat. This has been my work experience for the past three years, and, honestly, I’ve LOVED it. It’s clear-cut, it’s relational, and it’s a service to others. But at the end of the day, my desire...

Do You Know What You’re Doing This Summer?

Posted on May 14, 2020September 21, 2022 by Daphne Chapline

By Daphne Chapline '22 *Note: This was written before the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic upset many students' summer plans. “Got any big plans for the summer?” is a question often asked of college students toward the end of the year. Last year, when I was asked, I would answer, “I’m interning at a pharmaceutical company in Boston—I’m very excited.” This was all true, but w...

Tips About Financial Aid

Posted on March 27, 2019September 21, 2022 by Kensi Martinez

By Kensi Martinez ‘21 Before coming to Pomona, I attended a highly competitive public high school in Los Angeles, where I learned to strive for top grades. Once I started classes at Pomona though, I was surprised to discover that a collaborative learning process—working together on class projects and studying with my classmates—was the norm here. Having gone through the p...

A Summer in the Land of the Midnight Sun

Posted on December 6, 2018September 21, 2022 by Sarah Binau

By Sarah Binau ‘19 It’s July 1st, and I’m on an Alaska Airlines jet headed to Bethel, Alaska, to work for the town’s Cultural Center and live with a Pomona friend. I land on Bethel’s only runway in a 50-degree drizzling rain. “Remote” and “rural” begin to take on new meanings. The town of 6,000 has one main road (warped by the melting permafrost below), a gallon of orange ju...