Transformed by Lessons Learned: Engagement's Impact

From Tucson to Chicago to Massachusetts to Tanzania, four University of Arizona students experienced a 2015 summer they never will forget, a time when they took advantage of opportunities for immersion in their respective fields.

For all four, who were part of the UANews Student Columnist initiative, their work via internships and other training not only improved their skills, it deepened their commitment and sharpened their resolve. They lived out 100% Engagement, an essential component of the Never Settle strategic academic and business plan, gaining the hands-on experience and perspective that will differentiate them from others. 

For 10 weeks, these students shared their summer experiences with us as guest columnists: 

• Andrew Granatstein, an Honors College student studying aerospace engineering, spent his summer serving as a business associate intern for Aztera, a technology development company. At Aztera, Granatstein drafted the company's petition for exemption under the FAA's Section 333 and helped acquire an Unmanned Aerial Systems company. So successful was his summer that Granatstein, also a student in the McGuire Entrepreneurship Program, will continue to work with the Tucson-based company through the academic year.
• Elizabeth Sutton, a junior in the UA School of Dance who is also studying communications and business administration, completed two competitive dance intensives. The rigorous, immersive training programs were held at Perry-Mansfield in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, providing Sutton with more confidence and strength in preparation for her performances this academic year.
• Ashley Tsosie-Mahieu (Navajo), a doctoral candidate in the American Indian Studies program, was involved in a native artifacts case in her position as a Curatorial Fellow for the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts. Tsosie-Mahieu also helped organize the museum's "Native Fashion Now," a traveling exhibit of Native American fashion dating to the 1950s. 
• Leishara Ward, who is in the UA's Masters in Public Administration program, was a public administration intern with the U.S. Agency for International Development. Stationed in Tanzania, Ward worked with the U.S. Embassy.