Career Services » Featured profile

Antonio Jakes

Shimrit Paley — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 20:16:19 +0000

A passion for cars. I have long had a passion for automobiles. When I came to Wheaton, I talked with a career advisor about finding an internship in the automobile industry. I wanted to combine my English major with my interest in cars – perhaps be a writer for an automobile publication. I sent out many resumes, but was unsuccessful. That summer, I returned to a summer job with the New York Department of Education. Sophomore year I started early. I looked for internships at all of the major car brands in the U.S. and secured an internship position with the Product Relations Department at Nissan North America, Inc. in Franklin, TN.

My internship. With the help of the Wheaton Fellows grant I was able to live in Tennessee and be a part of the Nissan community, an experience that was beyond amazing. Being at Nissan not only allowed me to explore the automobile industry but allowed me to explore the state of Tennessee. When I first arrived to Nissan HQ in Franklin, TN I was very excited because I was able to see the building in person instead of watching videos on the internet. Once I stepped through the front doors I felt that I was a step closer to getting my foot in the door of the automobile industry.

I worked in the Nissan Public Relations department which I felt very comfortable in. My co-workers really took me in and made me feel as if I had always worked with them before. When I first got there I made sure that I spoke with every one of my co-workers to find out their background and how they broke into the automobile industry.

Future goals. This experience made me want to start working in the auto industry right then and there. It just gave me more of a desire to begin a career in a field that I love. I now understand what I have to do to make my way into this industry, and the passion I must have to stay in it. In my exit interview, the HR manager told me that I would be the type of person that Nissan would want back. That made me extremely happy, and in the back of my mind I know that I can achieve my dream career.

Dorie Topolsky ‘11, San Francisco

Shimrit Paley — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 19:54:20 +0000

Community Scholar Dorie Topolsky ‘11 interned at UCSF Global Health Group (GHG) in San Francisco, CA.

James MacCarthy ‘10, La Preneuse, Mauritius

Shimrit Paley — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 19:24:05 +0000

Davis Fellow James MacCarthy ‘10 interned at the Mauritius Marine Conservation Society in La Preneuse, Mauritius.

Meghan Quigley ‘11, Portland, ME

Shimrit Paley — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:12:21 +0000

Blakely Bundy Fellow Meghan Quigley ‘11 interned at the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine in Portland, ME. Meghan is majoring in Art History and minoring in Women's Studies. She writes, “I spent my summer playing, laughing, imagining, creating and exploring alongside the many educators, children, and families who interacted with and visited the museum. Inspired by these children’s creativity, I began developing an art historical program for the museum to use in order to continue helping kids explore their creative potential."

Stephanie Funt '11 Explores Government & Law in California

Shimrit Paley — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:27:23 +0000

Wheaton Fellow Stephanie Funt ‘11 interned in the Office of Assembly Member Bill Monning and conducted independent research at the Monterey and Salinas Superior Courthouses in Monterey and Salinas, CA. She states, “I was fortunate enough to have a Wheaton Fellows stipend which allowed me to spend part of my time interning for my local state Assembly member Bill Monning and the rest of my time researching the sociological question of how the experience of the law is effected by the location of one’s courthouse.”

Max Enos '12 Explores a Career in Literary Journalism Abroad

Shimrit Paley — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:52:36 +0000

Max Enos '12, winner of the 2010 Literary Fellowship, traveled to the Czech Republic to work alongside Carolyn Harris Zukowski ’91, editor and co-founder of The Literary Bohemian, an online literary journal. Enos helped produce the September 2010 edition of the publication, reading submissions, managing the journal’s Facebook and Twitter sites, and writing book reviews. According to Max, “Working for the magazine was the best job I have had, and although it was an English journal I did learn some basic Czech. I had the true experience of what is like to work for a literary journal. From conversations with Carolyn, I learned the ins and outs of an online literary magazine (creating a domain, developing the back end and front end of a web site, etc). I also became a better reader, and in turn writer . . . I hope someday to be privileged enough to help more students have amazing experiences like the ones I had during my summer internship at The Literary Bohemian.”

Austin Davidson '12 Participates in Professor-Led Trip to South Africa & Botswana

Shimrit Paley — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 19:27:31 +0000

Austin Davidson ’12 used her Trustee Scholar stipend to help cover the costs of participating in a professor-led trip to South Africa and Botswana. The program, led by Professors Freeman and Allen of the Economics and Political Science departments, allowed students to learn through a unique educational lenses and thereby gain a deeper awareness of the governmental issues and economic struggles in these countries. According to Austin, “[the trip] was an incredible experience; one that could not be found inside the classroom. From my own experiences I know that knowledge gained outside of the classroom is crucial to a strong understanding of a subject and I will actively pursue every chance I get to learn in this way.”

Alison Mehlhorn '11 Volunteers at an Animal Reserve

Shimrit Paley — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:30:05 +0000

This summer, Trustee Scholar Alison Mehlhorn ‘11 volunteered at an animal reserve for orphaned and injured wildlife in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Alison found the experience incredibly valuable in that it allowed her to better understand herself and her future plans, which include medical school and a career focused on women’s health. In her reflection essay, Alison wrote, “I’ve heard that it is the hardest things in life that can reap the greatest rewards, and in this case that could not be truer. This has been one of the most challenging experiences that I have faced, but also one of the most rewarding which I think will influence me greatly in the years to come. Now I have to actually get out of bed, the sun almost beat me today. I’m on aviary duty this morning, which means I have to get the nectar pots ready and prepare the seed and … Just another day in Africa.”

Community Scholar Liza Detenber ’12 Volunteers in Nicaragua and Costa Rica

Shimrit Paley — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:35:02 +0000

This summer, Community Scholar Liza Detenber ’12 worked for a non-profit organization called Global Learning in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. She taught in local public schools using student-centered education, in which the classroom is broken up into small groups of 3-4 children. As the leader of the Costa Rica program, Liza learned best practices in student-centered education, community organizing, and leadership. As a result, Liza says that she is now a more effective and informed leader. In her reflection essay, Liza wrote, “I feel that I have come back with such a new perspective of our country and culture that will infuse new insights into my classes and future education. Working abroad has taught me the importance of working to cross barriers such as socioeconomic class, culture, nationality, etc. because once you let go of judgments and misperceptions a whole world of wonderful friendships can open up!” You can read more about Liza's experiences here.

Community Scholar Sabrina Fiori '12 Volunteers in Guatemala

Shimrit Paley — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:28:44 +0000

This summer, Community Scholar Sabrina Fiori ‘12 worked in an orphanage that housed 75 children in Xela, Guatemala. A studio art major, Sabrina organized painting and art activities for the children. Assisted by 40 of the children, Sabrina created 10 life-size Disney character cut outs to decorate the orphanage’s living and learning spaces. Sabrina writes “by painting with me, the kids worked on their motor skills, used their creativity, decorated their living space and had fun with an activity that they don't usually get to do.”