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Jolene Mariotti

Student Profile

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Jolene Mariotti

BodyMedia, Summer 2005
McNeil Consumer and Specialty Pharmaceuticals, Spring/Summer 2006
Biology

Reflections.......

As a graduating senior, heading to medical school, I am able to look back at the past four years and reflect on the courses I've taken, the activities I've chosen, and the experiences I've had. When I do this, I find many of the memories that pop into my head involve co-op in some way, shape, or form. Whether they're memories of riding my first public bus, depositing a check for over $1000, playing soccer on Team Tylenol, celebrating my 21 st birthday, dancing for 46 hours in THON, or even writing this article here at work in the co-op office - these memories have all stemmed from my decision to co-op four years ago.

The summer after my sophomore year I had secured an internship position - as is recommended for most students. A month into my internship at BodyMedia Inc., I began receiving promotional emails from the co-op office and decided to retroactively register. At BodyMedia, I was responsible for conducting clinical testing to improve the algorithms for armband units that calculate calorie expenditure based on accelerometer and sensor recordings. The clinical/research position at BodyMedia qualified as a science co-op and after four months I had completed my first of three required rotations. I lived at home for the summer to save money, took the city bus to and from work daily, and enrolled in Business Law and Micro-Economics at community college. Working 40 hours a week plus class was a challenge but I adjusted to the schedule and enjoyed my summer with BodyMedia!

In the spring of my junior year, I relocated to Philadelphia for my second and third co-op rotations in a Research and Development Lab with McNeil Pharmaceuticals. I lived with three other Penn State students in a deluxe town home complex with complimentary Starbucks coffee, a pool, gym, and lighted-tennis courts. I enjoyed the freedom of not living at home, the change of scenery, and being able to make new friends. At McNeil, I joined the Corporate Soccer Team, played intramural softball, celebrated my 21 st birthday, studied for and took the MCAT, completed English 202 by portfolio, and developed a new formulation for Tylenol products. My co-op at McNeil was drastically different than BodyMedia but the difference is what makes co-op such a valuable experience.

I work in the co-op office and am president of the co-op honor society, Kappa Theta Epsilon. By choosing these activities I hope to encourage others to participate in the co-op program and take advantage of its value. I present to freshman about my own co-op experiences, talk to prospective high-school seniors, and recruit as many students as possible. Through KTE, I have met many amazing, motivated, and intelligent students that have already realized the potential of co-op independently. KTE sponsors blood drives, hosts huge career fairs, organizes financial planning and leadership seminars, participates in community events such as THON and Relay for Life and, of course, holds social events at local restaurants and bowling alleys.

Although my opinion may be biased (I am on the co-op office payroll), I would recommend that co-op be made mandatory for all students, especially in science. Too often, it is overlooked because of the emphasis on research and volunteerism, but co-op presents an outlet for growth on many levels. In my year of co-op experience, I built an extensive professional network of distinguished contacts. I partially attribute my success in medical school enrollment to the exceptional letters of recommendation these contacts composed on my behalf. The contacts I have made are not necessarily in science professions. While at BodyMedia and McNeil I worked with CEOs, CFOs, computer engineers, hardware developers, marketing representatives, and human resource personnel. Exposure to careers outside of the scientific realm confirmed my decision to pursue a MD. While professional development and networking are crucial, co-op also allowed me to take a break from the rigorous science curriculum, travel to a different city, and earn some income. My successes achieved while on co-op augmented my confidence in my own abilities and reassured me that the undergraduate education I've been working so hard for is making a difference in my future!