Gateway offers social sciences grads career options
By Franz Brotzen
Students majoring in the social sciences at Rice now have some answers to the frequent question, "What am I going to do with my degree?" The School of Social Sciences' Project Gateway is designed to help with the transition from the academic world to the real world.
Gateway offers three programs that let students gain firsthand experience in positions that put their education to practical use.
The Social Sciences Undergraduate Research Enterprise (SSURE) program funds independent research projects for students and provides course credit. Participating students work with faculty members on scholarly projects on topics of their choosing. They receive three hours of credit for SOSC 321 and a research budget of up to $1,500.
Last semester, Shireen Nasir, a political science major from Brown College, took advantage of the SSURE program to work on a study titled “Improving the Role of Women in the Public Sphere of Pakistan.” Nasir traveled to Karachi and Islamabad, where she interviewed prominent women in politics, academia and business to pursue her interests in the social and political empowerment of Pakistani women. Her mentor was Lisa Balabanlilar, assistant professor of history.
"These are experiences that you just cannot gain from a textbook," Nasir said. "The SSURE program allows students in the social sciences field to truly explore their research interests. Not only is it a great experience to work with a mentor who has experience in your field, but meeting with other SSURE grant recipients allows you to get a better understanding of the interests of other intelligent, motivated Rice students."
A second option under Project Gateway involves social sciences internships at various businesses, hospitals and government agencies, both in the United States and abroad. Students can earn up to three credit hours through SOSC 421 while developing skills they will use after they graduate.
Tyler Raugh, a mathematical economics major from Jones College, obtained an internship with Merrill Lynch this past spring. He was hired to work on innovative strategies for investors with net worths of $10 million or higher. "One of the greatest strengths of my internship experience was the chance to do the same work as a first-year analyst," Raugh said. "I was responsible for conducting research on investing strategies, investment funds and market conditions." He added that he tried to read every document that passed through his hands. "Through this, I learned important vocabulary and interesting facts through seemingly mundane activities," he explained. "Newly armed with key investment terms, I can decipher coded and complicated conversations."
The Merrill Lynch office was so impressed with Raugh’s performance in the spring that they recruited two new Rice students for fall: Atif Riaz, a senior economics/psychology/managerial studies major, and Jordan Shanker, a junior economics major, both from Brown College.
The third -- and newest -- offering is the Social Sciences International Ambassador Program, which awards stipends to Rice students who choose to study abroad. The students are picked from the pool of Rice Ambassadors, a program under the Office of Public Affairs that offers training in Rice history, campus tours and conversing with visitors, interpreters, dignitaries and the media. Selected students will work with International Programs to find a Rice-approved program that complements their academic interests, and they will be eligible for $1,500 to enhance their international experience. Students will be assigned an alumni mentor in their host countries and conduct interviews with public leaders and business executives.
Two students have been chosen for the ambassador program this fall. Mallory Johnson, a policy studies major from Jones College, is studying in Cairo, Egypt, and Adnan Poonawala, an economics major from Hanszen College, is studying in Prague, Czech Republic.
For more information on Project Gateway, download the Gateway Brochure for a PDF about the program.