Noah Trainor ▪ trainor.24@osu.edu ▪ BS│Psychcology
Description
The Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP) is a program which hosts several internships at various locations across the country. While many of these internships are based in the STEM field, the particular one I am interested in is a paid psychology research position at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) in Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. I would be staying there all summer conducting research about LGBT issues, sexual harassment, race, gender, and many other topics. I am fully responsible for obtaining my own housing and transportation while there.
Process
I first heard about this internship from my assistant hall director. He told me about his experience at this very internship and encouraged me to apply. I did some research to confirm my interest in the DEOMI location, and I ended up with it after all. My goal is to complete this project the summer after my Junior year. The program is competitive, so I will need to start applying early next semester for the program (as well as for scholarships). I must start planning early with my family to make sure that the timing is right, and to ensure that I have all the necessary resources to attend his internship (such as a car, proper clothes, etc).
Results
As my project is not yet completed I do not have any definitive results. I do, however, expect that I will grow as a person not only via my potential career experience but also as a person. I hope to work in a research facility studying social psychology after graduation, so an experience like this can help me determine if that is a reasonable goal for me. I also feel that by traveling to a new state alone and having to live almost entirely independently will help me grow in my personal life.
Reflection
I feel that I will gain valuable experiences that I cannot obtain by just staying on campus. As I mentioned above, I aim to work in this field and I know that this internship will be a valuable tool in furthering my pursuit of this goal. I will gain valuable laboratory experience that can help show future employers that I have a genuine talent for and interest in the field. I enjoy the culture and art sides of the humanities field, and this will project has help me to experience and study new cultures in an area I’ve never been to.