The College of Science Graduate Program staff sat down with Vanecia Harrison-Sanders and Patricia Corrigan to discuss their work in graduate co-op.
Can you tell us about your role as Co-op Coordinator?
Vanecia: I manage the co-op process for students in the Professional Science Master’s Biotechnology and the graduate Bioinformatics program.
Patricia: I manage the co-op programs for the Applied Math and Operations Research graduate students.
What most excites you about co-op at Northeastern?
Vanecia: Well, for me it’s students confirming that this is what they want to do, whether it’s bioinformatics or biotechnology, because there’s nothing like doing what you love to do.
Patricia: This is the first time that co-op is offered to graduate students in Applied Math and Operations Research. It’s really exciting to work with students who are eager for a work experience in the U.S. It’s also professionally rewarding to help create a program that didn’t exist, and I am grateful to Vanecia and the other COS co-op coordinators who have helped to acclimate me to Northeastern.
Is there anything you would like to share with COS graduate students?
Vanecia: I think it’s important that they take advantage of great resources Northeastern has to offer. So for example, the Career Development office that offers great resources and programs to help you transition from student to working professional; the library that offers great tools for you to create reports and presentations; the Bioinformatics and Biotechnology LinkedIn group pages for you to network with alumni and industry professionals. And then one final thing I’d like to say is make sure you invest in dark colored socks because white socks are unacceptable for job interviews.
Patricia: I kept black socks in my drawer my entire career. I gifted them when I left BC to my roommate, but I will need to buy more for my Northeastern students.
What is your prior experience to coming to Northeastern?
Patricia: I started my career 25 years ago in co-op and loved it. I was next-door at Wentworth, and loved co-op, but left to work more with students who were undecided in their careers, and really spent a lot of time developing career counseling skills. One thing that I never lost, though, was my love of working with employers and matching students with employers, so I’m excited, 25 years later, to be back on the other side of the street, back in co-op, working with students, working with employers, and making a match that will hopefully shape a student’s future and where they go, and hope that they will return the favor and be active alumni and hire co-op students at some point in their career.
Anything else to add?
Can we add that I’m here because of Vanecia from working with her at Wentworth?
Vanecia: We’ve known each other a long time.
Patricia: So how many years ago?
Vanecia: 2005.
Patricia: 2005. So over 10 years ago. So I think it really speaks to the importance of staying in touch with your network and jobs can be found on Facebook!
Vanecia: Yes they can!
*Laughter*
Vanecia Harrison-Sanders and Patricia Corrigan
