General

Category: General

Sounds of Lawrence University (SOLU)

For the students:

Finding gigs in Appleton has never been easier! Introducing Sounds of Lawrence University, a student-run gigging service made to connect student musicians to the city of Appleton. Founder and President Alex Lewis says,

 “Sounds of Lawrence University is a student-run musician booking service that contracts Lawrence University student musicians to play gigs in the Appleton and surrounding areas. An Executive Board takes care of management, outreach, marketing, contracting, and other needs so that the musicians can focus on their craft and creating the best experience possible for their clients!”

If you are a student looking to get on the call-list for gigs, please fill out this form and you will be put on SOLU’s roster. If you have any questions, please email solu@lawrence.edu.

For the community:

Looking for musicians for your upcoming event? Whether it’s weddings, church services, or even dinner parties, Sounds of Lawrence University is the right place for you to find passionate musicians. With multiple 5 star reviews, SOLU strives to make sure that your event or big day is as perfect and stress-free as possible.

They offer string quartets, solo instruments, small wind ensembles, small jazz ensembles, vocal ensembles, and much more!

Have an event coming up? Liven it up with some live music from Lawrence’s musicians! Check out the website or email solu@lawrence.edu if you are interested in hiring musicians!

What Can I Do With a Computer Science Degree? (Part 1)

The Tech and Data industry is one of the fastest growing industries and with that, there is a growing demand from companies for people with skills in computer science. But because this industry is so big, there are many broad applications of computer science. What kinds of jobs can you do with a Comp Sci degree and what are the main differences between these options? 

Career paths in computer science require strong programming, analysis and problem-solving skills with most jobs preferring a bachelor’s degree. Here are some potential career paths and their respective requirements.  

1) Software Developer: 

Software developers write and debug software for client applications by using debuggers and visual development environments. They also create applications that can work on their own or boost access to other servers and services and test client software.  

Many employers require candidates to have some prior experience in the field and a bachelor’s degree in software development, computer programming, information technology, or computer science. They typically work in office settings and may also work in a company’s IT department to use their skills to help with any technical problems. 

Software developers need strong programming skills. Some widely used languages include Python, Java, JavaScript, C++ and C#. Different jobs require different languages and will specify in their requirements section what kind of experience they are looking for so you do not have to necessarily learn many languages badly or at a mediocre level, when you can learn a few languages well. Once specializing, you can apply to jobs and/or internships whose requirements match with your skillset. For example, if you are familiar with R, Python and Java and a job or internship requires those languages, then it would be easier for you to perform well in the coding interviews and during the job. But if you spread yourself too thin, then you will not be able to perform as well.  

Developers also need to have good communication skills because they need to communicate with people from non-technical backgrounds like managers and clients. They also need to work well as a team and be able to pay attention to small details to debug their code when it is not working.  

2) Computer Information Researcher: 

Computer information researchers work with human-computer interactions. They study and analyze problems in organizations, using computing technology to provide efficient solutions. They may evaluate the effectiveness of existing technologies and improve them by testing software systems and looking at user needs, analyzing results, and presenting them to stakeholders or at academic conferences. 

A Computer Information Researcher is one of the few careers where employers are likely to require or prefer at least master’s degrees in computer science or related fields. However, there are some federal government positions that only require a bachelor’s degree. This is because researcher roles typically need more advanced degrees. For this reason, information researchers may go so far as to get graduate degrees in computer science as they need to know more hard skills and languages when doing research.  

Computer information researchers need to know about software development to write and maintain source code, machine learning to improve how computers perform certain tasks and how to analyze data to evaluate how effectively a program or software is running. They may also need to know how to use the programming languages, Java and C, and UNIX, a portable operating system that helps programmers develop and run code so that they can share with their colleagues.  

3) Web Developer: 

Web developers deal with building technical front-end and/or back-end code that informs site function. They may work only on front-end code, back-end code, or both, and many jobs also require overlap into web design. They may work independently on a freelance basis or with marketing or IT departments.  

Programming languages that web developers may frequently use include PHP, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, ASP.NET and Angular.Js. Soft skills include multitasking, organizational skills and attention to detail. Web developers also need to consider accessibility and how easily the user can navigate the website to ensure a good user experience.  

4) Video Game Design: 

Video game designers develop video games for as computers, websites, and gaming consoles. Companies like Electronic Arts, Rockstar Games, Nintendo, Ubisoft etc. Hire software developers, graphic designers, web developers and many more with each concentrating on certain factors of game design, such as setting, character design, gameplay etc. They may also work with other gaming professionals to build or test games.  

Like most careers listed here developers need to pay careful attention to detail to spot glitches and ensure efficiency for all elements of a game and be great problem solvers because they need to ensure that all elements (such as story, gameplay, characters, player interactions etc.) come together. However, for video game developers, there may be a greater emphasis on creativity and candidates would need to create their own stories and characters, as well as create innovative ways to keep players engaged. There is also a high emphasis on time management skills as companies need to put out games by hard-set publishing deadlines.  

If you want to have a deeper look at more specific aspects like salaries, job outlooks, other education requirements etc. you can check the careers page on computerscience.org to do so! For help on getting started with a job or internship search, resumes, or interviews, feel free to make an appointment with us, at the Career Center! 

Idealist.org Review for #NES Community

Idealist.org is great for students who may not have their teaching certification yet, looking for non-profit work or mission-driven experiences. In the #NES Community, you can find relevant education and non-profit work easily through their search engine, and many of their opportunities are entry-level! Not only do they have jobs and internships but they also have relevant volunteer and graduate programs listed. This site is definitely a good catch-all source for those looking for relevant NES experience. Thankfully, the site is also well organized.

Their site is very easy to navigate, especially for students who are used to searching on Handshake. You just type in keywords for the field you are interested in, the area you are looking around, and then select if you are looking for “Jobs”, “Internships”, “Volunteer”, “Organizations” “Mutual Aid Groups” or “Grad Programs. There are also many other filters that can be used to apply to your search, such as “Job Function”, “Issue Areas”, “Education Level” and so much more! You can really curate the search to exactly what you are looking for, which is very helpful in narrowing down the thousands of search results. Once you find an opportunity you are interested in, then you can apply directly on their site, or it will direct you to the company site where you can apply. Depending on your specific field of interest, for those in the NES Community, we suggest using keywords such as “education”, “teaching”, “non-profit”, “social”, “fundraising” and “giving” to help kick-start your search. 

Idealist.org also has many resources listed on the bottom of its website. They have career resources and also grad resources for applying to grad school. They have hundreds of articles aimed at helping you find the perfect opportunity to apply to next!

Overall, Idealist.org is a very useful tool for searching for jobs, internships, and other opportunities. Those in the NES community should definitely check out what Idealist has to offer since they have thousands of opportunities and also many resources for applying and maintaining your opportunity. 

Career Highlight: Environmental Toxicologist

Adapted from environmentalscience.org 

Environmental toxicologists study the effects of toxic chemicals like pollutants (e.g., pesticides, industrial waste, etc.) and heavy metals on the environment and humans. They minimize these effects by investigating the sources of chemicals and examining how these chemicals move through ecosystems to predict where and how these chemicals may end up in our bodies. If this career interests you, read on! 

Job Duties: 

Environmental toxicologists conduct experiments on human cells and lab animals to investigate the effects of toxic chemicals. They forecast and analyze the impact of toxic chemicals using modeling technology. They also present their findings to stakeholders and administrators and may even consult with policymakers on the safety of chemicals.  

Where They Work: 

There are a variety of opportunities in academia, private industries and in federal and state regulatory agencies for environmental toxicologists. Those employed by federal , and state regulatory agencies often test new chemicals for safety or help develop regulatory policies. 

Toxicologists employed by private companies help with product development and safety testing. They may either work for product developers or research organizations that contract their expertise. Toxicologists are also being increasingly employed by consulting firms that advise public officials, industries and lawyers on toxic chemicals. 

Many environmental toxicologists are also employed as faculty or staff researchers at colleges and universities, with doctoral degrees being required for such positions. Some nonprofit organizations also hire toxicologists to conduct research on chemicals or issues of public concern.  

Education and Training: 

Toxicologists employed as faculty or staff researchers most often require doctoral degrees. Most professionals start with bachelor’s degrees in biology, chemistry, environmental chemistry, or ecology. Further graduate training then provides additional education in molecular and developmental biology, neuroscience and risk assessment.  

Pay and Job Outlook: 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the predicted job demand is an 8 percent increase between 2020 and 2030. Environmental toxicologists fall under the broader category of environmental scientists and specialists. According to the BLS, this category earned a median salary of $73,230 as of May 2020. The highest paying industry for these professionals is the federal government, which reported a median salary of $103,180 during this time. 

Career Spotlight: Occupational Therapist

Are you looking for a dynamic career where you can interact with people of all ages, in all places, and help create meaning in their lives? Consider becoming an occupational therapist. Occupational therapy is an incredibly flexible field, with opportunities to work in settings as diverse as hospitals, schools, homes, and community centers. Regardless of the setting, occupational therapisits can make a significant impact on a person’s quality of life. Are you interested in exploring this exciting career path? Read on to learn more about the field of occupational therapy.

What do occupational therapists do?

Long story short, occupational therapists help clients to participate in areas of their lives as independently as possible, doing the things that they find most meaningful. In practice, this can look many ways. OTs commonly work with clients who have injuries, acute illnesses, mental health and neurological conditions, and those who have recently had surgeries. The goal of the work is to increase a client’s ability to perform a task or tasks which are relevant to their daily lives. Examples of tasks are trips to the grocery store, socializing with friends, completing school work, engaging in tasks required by the client’s job, and performing certain physical movements. OTs also frequently participate in redesigning a client’s home or another space, in order to increase their independent use of that space.

Where do they work?

The work environments of occupational therapists are incredibly diverse. Depending on the nature of the task(s) that the OT is helping a client with, OTs may work indoors or outdoors, in hospitals, homes, or out in the community. An OT can often choose their work environment(s) based on the nature of their employment, for whom they work, and their client populations. For example, OTs employed in hospitals would be likely to work indoors in clinic/office settings, whereas OTs working with children would be more likely to spend time in schools and/or outdoors.

Who do they work with?

OTs can be employed by many types of organizations, and can also be self-employed entrepreneurs. This provides a lot of opportunities for growth and tailoring throughout a career: you can work in many settings, with many different kinds of colleagues and patients/clients, and in many types of organizations. It is fairly common for OTs to start out employed by various organizations, and to start their own independent practice later in their career. OTs who work in hospitals would tend to interact with other hospital staff, especially other practitioners seeing the same patients (such as doctors, physical therapists, nurses, etc.) In schools, OTs may collaborate with school staff such as teachers, school counselors, and advisors, as well as with parents.

What is the training required?

Practicing as an occupational therapist requires a license. The most common pathway to licensure is to attend a masters program in occupational therapy, which can take 2-3 years following a bachelor’s degree. A growing number of OT master’s programs are transitioning to OT doctoral programs. Browse a list of programs here and explore the differences between entry-level master’s and doctoral programs.

What is the job outlook?

The median annual salary for occupational therapists in 2020 was $86,280. Employment is expected to grow in the coming years. Occupational therapy is lesser known than some other similar fields, which often means there are jobs available with fewer candidates to fill them.

In the Know: Professional organizations and resources

Want to learn more, find resources, or connect with occupational therapists? It’s never too early familiarize yourself with professional organizations in your field of interest. Organizational websites can have a lot to offer, from program lists, to licensing information, to networks of professionals. Here are a few occupational therapy organizations:

Lawrence Connections: Alumni with occupational therapy backgrounds

These Lawrence alumni have backgrounds in occupational therapy. Feel free to message them on Viking Connect, Lawrence’s alumni platform. Alumni are on Viking Connect by choice (not by requirement), so they are here to connect with students! There is no better way to understand a profession than to speak to professionals in the field.

Wherever your career path leads you, we’re glad you took the time to learn about this vibrant, flexible, and expanding field!

Is a Clinical Psychology PhD Right for Me?

Are you considering applying to PhD programs in clinical psychology? The field of clinical psychology can be stimulating, rewarding, and might be exactly where you belong. However, it is important to understand the realities of this profession before ending up in a program or career that is not what you bargained for. Read on to learn some of the factors you might want to consider when making a decision. 

What are the realities of a PhD? 

The biggest challenge with pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology is the competitiveness of admissions to clinical psychology PhD programs. Many programs receive hundreds of applications and accept only 2-10 percent of applicants. Additionally, applicants may not realize exactly what to expect from such a program. For example, PhD programs in clinical psychology are almost always research-focused. They usually espouse a philosophy known as the “scientist-practitioner” model, meaning that they put science (research) first, and practice (training in providing therapy) second. Applicants are most often expected to have research experience. 

Examine your motivations. 

Despite its challenges, there are situations when pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology may be the best next step in your professional and academic pursuits. It may be worth your time to consider your motivations for pursuing a PhD, just to make sure that it really is the option that will make you the most fulfilled overall. 

In an article on psychology graduate school, a writer for the American Psychological Association lists several “bad reasons” one might be drawn to a PhD – in other words, reasons that might not make you the happiest in a PhD program long-term. Some of these reasons are: 

  1. Just wanting to help people (there are many ways to help people that require much less training) 
  1. Wanting to be rich and/or be able to say you have a PhD (clinical psychologists don’t always make as much money now as they used to, and teaching positions are difficult to get) 
  1. Wanting to understand yourself (a degree in psychology will not solve all of your personal issues, and is not the same as going to therapy yourself) 

The APA article also mentions “good reasons” to get a PhD – reasons that hopefully mean you will ultimately be happier in a PhD program than on another path. These reasons include having a passion for psychological research, and having specific areas within psychology that you want to learn more about. 

What are some alternatives? 

Many people interested in psychology or therapy think of a PhD as their only option. However, depending on your area of interest, there are many related programs that may allow you to pursue exactly the career you want without some of the difficulties of a PhD. Here are some graduate programs to consider: 

  1. Masters in Counseling (MA/MS) 

If you want to provide therapy to clients, a masters in counseling is a great option. A masters typically takes 2-3 years to complete, and includes an internship year prior to licensing. Masters programs typically focus primarily on training for working with clients, and the research component is often minimal. Following the program and internship, you would be eligible for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), or other similar designation depending on the program and state. 

The field of counseling has a distinct history from the field of clinical psychology, but in practice the fields are very similar today. However, be aware that while it is common to become a licensed provider with a masters in counseling, a masters in clinical psychology is usually only a step on the way to a PhD or PsyD, and would not qualify you for licensure. 

Organizations:  

American Counseling Association 

American Mental Health Counselors Association 

Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) 

  1. Masters in Social Work (MSW) 

A masters in social work is another great option for those interested in providing therapy to clients. A MSW may also fit well if you would like to work with agencies and in communities, working more holistically with clients, families, and organizations. Doctoral-level social work programs are also available for those interested in social work research. 

Organization: National Association of Social Workers 

  1. PsyD in Clinical or Counseling Psychology 

If you like the idea of a doctoral-level program but aren’t especially interested in research, consider looking into PsyD programs. These are doctoral-level programs that take around the same amount of  time as PhD programs, but emphasize clinical practice training over research. Rather than the “scientist-practitioner” model, PsyDs usually espouse a “practitioner-scholar” model, putting practice training first, and scholarly and research work second. They are often slightly less competitive than PhD programs, and the license designation is the same as that of a PhD: Clinical Psychologist. However, note that PsyD programs are usually NOT funded, and offer minimal scholarships. Thus, the cost can be quite high. If a PsyD sounds like a good fit, however, look into scholarship and assistantship opportunities, as they do exist. 

Organization: American Psychological Association (APA) (for both PhD and PsyD) 

  1. Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) 

MFT programs are masters-level programs similar to MSW and counseling programs. As the name suggests, they tend to focus more on training for relationship and family issues in therapy, but MFTs are licensed to provide individual therapy as well, just like LPCs, LMHCs, and MSWs. There are doctoral programs in marriage and family therapy as well, though one is not required for licensure. 

Organization: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy 

  1. School Psychology 

Would you like to provide services in schools? School psychologists do just that. They typically work with youth on mental health, learning, and behavior, and often collaborate closely with parents and other members of a school team. There are both masters and doctoral programs in school psychology, and both involve a year-long internship similar to other psychology-related programs. School psychologists are usually credentialed at the state level, although the National Association of School Psychologists also has a national certification process. 

Organization: National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) 

  1. PhD in Counseling Psychology 

PhD programs in counseling psychology are quite similar to PhDs in clinical psychology.  However, while clinical psychology programs lean toward the study of more severe  psychopathologies, counseling psychology PhDs often focus more on life transitions,  relationships, vocational guidance, etc. Additionally, while still highly competitive, PhD programs  in counseling psychology tend to be slightly easier to get into than those in clinical psychology. 

Organization: Society of Counseling Psychology (APA Division 17) 

As you make your decision and consider your options, keep in mind that psychology and related fields are incredibly diverse and flexible. Try to notice if you are placing value judgments on any of these options. If you are, just notice that and maybe ask yourself if those judgments are accurate. It would be a shame to close off options for yourself just because of misinformation, incorrect assumptions, or insufficient awareness of your own interests. As you consider, ask yourself what path will bring you the most happiness, fulfillment, and peace.