Learning to Connect the Pieces: My Summer Internship at Measured Strategies
By Jonah Lasko
My summer student position at Measured Strategies Inc., was the first time I had the opportunity to take what I learned from university and apply it in a professional setting. However, instead of completing a research project for my professor, or presenting my research to my classmates, now I am contributing to real projects, participating in meetings, conducting literature reviews and environmental scans for clients, and getting to see how my work can become part of something larger. Throughout the summer I was consistently being challenged, learning how to apply my existing skills in new ways, getting to collaborate with more experienced coworkers, and gradually becoming more confident in my ability to contribute.
On my first day at Measured Strategies, Inc., I told myself that as long as I left having learned new skills, I would consider the experience a success. Within my first week, I had been added to multiple projects and given responsibilities I did not expect to have right away. When I first started, I assumed my role would be small. I expected to support the team where needed, take on smaller responsibilities, and then gradually become more involved as I became more familiar with the work. Instead, I was entrusted with important responsibilities from the beginning, while also having support from my coworkers whenever I needed it. The support I was given made me feel like a valued member of the team. It also gave me the opportunity to see how my skills from university could translate into meaningful work and contribute to projects with a real-world impact.
One of the things that made this experience so rewarding was when I realized that the skills I had learned in university could come together in the different projects I was working on. Projects where I had to conduct research may begin with a literature review or environmental scan and then eventually become sets of findings that I could present in a presentation or chart or written brief. It took things that I had done separately as a student and connected them together. In addition, I was pushed to take the skills I had already had and develop them further. I knew how to use Excel before I started, but I had never used it to build a data map or used it in more complex ways to present information. I also got to use tools that I wasn’t as familiar with, such as building surveys through Microsoft Forms or collaborating with my coworkers through Microsoft Loop and using these tools to create resources that could be shared by our team. Developing a skill doesn’t mean learning something completely new, it can be something that you already know and just figuring out what else you can do with it. This was also true with my exposure to AI. These tools gave me the opportunity to think about how emerging technologies can work alongside research and data. The role that they potentially play in the process of finding, organizing, and communicating information is something that will continue to develop and should be monitored. As someone who is interested in the intersection of AI and research, this is an area that I expect to continue exploring.
I would say that one of the largest takeaways I had was how much I was able to learn through working alongside my coworkers. As someone who was the youngest and had the least experience, I made a goal for myself to try and learn as much as I could. I was surrounded by people from different areas of expertise and levels of experience. I tried my best to ask questions, meet one on one to discuss projects, and collaborate and get feedback through Microsoft Teams and Loop. Another valuable thing that I realized was that collaboration works both ways. Whether we were in team meetings or a brief informal call. Not only could I learn from my coworkers, but they could also learn from me. Having the opportunity to work as part of such a strong team not only helped me grow but also showed me that I could contribute to the growth of those around me.
Reflecting on how I felt back on my first day, I leave Measured Strategies Inc., with a greater sense of confidence in my abilities and what I can contribute. I am excited to take what I've learned, and the confidence I have gained, with me into whatever comes next.
