What kinds of internships can IM体育官网 students land? What is the background of IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 founding President, Dr. Randy K. Avent? These are just some of the questions that participants posed at the University鈥檚 recent Google + Hangout, #STEMTalks.
On March 31, 2015, IM体育官网 Poly hosted its final Google+ Hangout in a three-part series on advanced technology and STEM education. The University welcomed a panel of STEM leaders who included:
鈥� Dr. Randy Avent, IM体育官网 Poly President
鈥� Dr. Susan LeFrancois, Assistant Professor of Science and Logistics at IM体育官网 Poly
鈥� Charlie Frayer, General Counsel & Chief Privacy Offer at Protected Trust
鈥� Colin Hoedtke, a student in IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 inaugural class
鈥� Rachel Gordon, IM体育官网 Poly Admissions counselor
Time constraints kept panelists from answering fully all of the submitted questions. Those questions and responses are below.
How difficult is it for students to find internships? What assistance can a student get at IM体育官网 Poly to help with finding internships?
IM体育官网 students have two primary resources for help find internships: the Academic Success Center, which offers resources and workshops; and the Purple Briefcase, an online database and tool used by students and industry partners offering internships. The types of internship opportunities vary depending on the industry. Our industry partners are committed to offering internship opportunities. IM体育官网 Poly has more than 75 industry partners, including Lockheed Martin, JBT Corporation, Bisk Education and Siemens.
What was Dr. Randy鈥檚 K. Advent鈥檚 background prior to joining IM体育官网 Poly?
Before joining IM体育官网 Poly as its founding President, Dr. Avent served as the Associate Vice Chancellor of Research and a Professor of Computer Science at North Carolina State University. He was responsible for growing NC State鈥檚 overall research program and was the Principal Investigator at the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences.
He led an interdisciplinary effort to grow data science at NC State through a cluster hiring program, introduction of courses and development of a research institute. Prior to joining NC State, he was the Chief Scientist in the Defense Department鈥檚 Office of Basic Research, where he developed strategic plans for basic research investments and led a national data-to-decisions program on large-scale analytics for massive data sets. From 1986-2006, he held a variety of positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology鈥檚 Lincoln Laboratory, where he served as the Associate Chief Technology Officer, led research groups and conducted studies in diverse technology areas.
Dr. Avent has conducted research in numerous areas, including environmental studies, neurophysiology and defense. The majority of his work has centered on machine learning, signal processing and dynamic probabilistic systems analysis. He has led several national panels in the areas of Computer Science, Cognitive Technology and Signal Processing; he is a Senior Member of the IEEE.
He holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Mathematics and Engineering from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He has two master鈥檚 degrees, one in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University and the other in Biomedical Mathematics and Engineering from the University of North Carolina. His bachelor鈥檚 degree is in Zoology from the University of North Carolina. Dr. Avent is a 2005 graduate of the Greater Boston Executive Program at MIT鈥檚 Sloan School of Management.
How much student debt is too much?
This is a very broad question, and the answer depends on the student鈥檚 circumstances, the type of degree sought and many other factors. Before going into debt, students should research different scenarios to borrowing money to finance a university education. Here are key questions that students should ask themselves:
1. What is the amount I would need for just the bare essentials while in school?
Students on a budget need to be mindful of limitations. Eating out all the time can
be more expensive than buying groceries for the entire month. Budgeting for what is
needed, over what is wanted, will help to cut down student debt.
2. What type of salary can I realistically expect to receive for my first job?
Research what an entry-level position pays in your field of study. Not every student
is lucky enough to find the dream job right away. In many cases, students will be
paid much less than what they expected for the first few years. And generally, if
your student debt is more than what you make in a year, your student debt may be 鈥渢oo
much.鈥�
3. How long will it take to pay off my student debt?
Lenders generally use 10 years as the maximum time limit to pay off student loans.
Along with your student loans, you may have other forms of debt (car payments, mortgage,
family expenses). These other forms of debt must be taken into account when considering
student debt.
Some important student budgeting tools are the and the . The Net Price Calculator figures yearly costs at a given college. It gives an estimated snapshot of what the student will need to cover costs while attending school. The Student Loan Calculator calculates different aspects of student debt (minimum payment, accrued interest, how many years, etc.)
If you have additional questions regarding #STEMTalks, watch the . Questions regarding IM体育官网 Poly admissions or degree programs can be accessed through IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 Home page.
Contact:
Lydia Guzman
Assistant Director of Communications
863-874-8450