“So many people came to work and went right to their cubes,” said Alrayes, an electrical engineer- ing senior. “But there is so much to see there. The app was to get people outside, walking around and learning about the histo- ry that surrounded them.” She also worked with a group developing lightweight augment- ed-reality glasses for astronauts and rocket technicians. “The glasses allow for informa- tion to be shared visually and without the need to hold a book,” Alrayes said, noting they would be small enough to fit under an astronaut’s visor. “For example, technicians communicating with an astronaut can give step-by-step instructions on finding a solu- tion. The glasses will list those instructions and allow them to be checked off when complete.” Alrayes completed her four-month NASA internship in 2016 and followed that with an internship at Intel this past summer. She was able to land two high-profile positions, she said, because of support from the internship and co-op office and her UM-Dearborn coursework. “The advice and education I was given from professors and the internship and co-op office gave me the confidence I needed to push me in the right direction,” she said. Supply and in demand After dislocating his shoulder as a teen, NICOLAS MAISANO spent time in an emergency room. The only thing he remembered seeing was the hospital bed. Today—after completing an internship at Henry Ford Health System—the supply chain management senior sees a lot more. He notices workrooms, and closets for cleaning supplies and uniforms. He assesses how items are organized, notes incoming inventory points and more. Maisano connected with Henry Ford Health System during a College of Business Intern- ship and Career Management Center networking event. Once on board, it didn’t take long for him to start contributing. After visiting the four main hos- pital sites and the medical supply distribution centers, Maisano suggested updates for hospital standard operating procedures. One of his recommendations involved creating a program to lo- cate rarely used items in inventory. “I developed a moving spread- sheet that could sort through 100,000 or more lines of infor- mation that would show which items hadn’t been ordered in two months,” he said. “With different items being used at each hospital location every day, that infor- mation changes regularly. I used a lot of advanced Excel I didn’t even know existed before.” Maisano’s UM-Dearborn courses gave him the foundational knowledge on the logistics of the materials-to-end users supply chain. But it was the internship that confirmed his career choice. “I look forward to going to work every day. I’ve seen why this work is so important. Getting the right supplies in the right amount to the right areas gives patients the best care possible at the time they need it most.” Cultivating a future Kale. Squash. Tomatoes. Se- nior ALICIA ZELAYA works in the Joy-Southfield Community Development Center’s garden, picking the ripe produce for an upcoming farmer’s market. But it’s not her green thumb that encouraged her to apply for the in- ternship; it was her helping hands. Zelaya, a public health and education major in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services, spent her summer work- ing at the Detroit-based nonprofit. In addition to getting vegeta- bles ready for the community farmer’s market, she’s also been involved in creating programs for neighborhood kids and organizing a workshop about Type 2 diabetes for adults. “When I got into the community and saw how much good was being done, how appreciated the work was and how it made a dif- ference to the people here, I knew I was in the right place,” she said. Growing up in southwest Detroit, Zelaya remembers commu- nity groups coming into her neighborhood. She treasures childhood memories of her interactions with them, from learning how to play an instru- ment to reading Shakespeare. Now, when she sees kids enjoy themselves through her Joy-Southfield activities, it assures her that she’s giving back what she’s received. “I personally know how much the people of Detroit, especially the kids, need inspiration and need to know how much we care about them. They need more than words; they need action,” she said. “Now that I’ve had a taste of what I am going to do after graduation, put me out there. I’m ready.” NICOLAS MAISANO 16 | Fall 2017