Action and Reflection
At Dietrich College, put your education into action through experiential learning opportunities.
听Internships, undergraduate research, study abroad and community service are all opportunities to gain hands-on experience and transform theory into practice. Reflecting on what you learn during the process is also an integral part of your education. Every Dietrich College student completes at least one experiential learning activity as part of their general education requirements.
Undergraduate Research: Why is it Important?
Research and creative projects are at the heart of the CMU intellectual community, and they include significant work in the humanities and social sciences. From your very first year, you can participate in the thrill of discovery and creation of new ideas.
Research Opportunities include:
- Research Training Program: Learn to conduct research while working with faculty and other students.
- Senior Honors Program: Pursue an independent research or creative project with guidance from a faculty advisor.
- Honors Fellowship Program: Get a head start on your senior honors thesis.
- Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Development: Apply for funding for independent research during the academic year and summer, and make connections to a variety of funding sources.
Internships: Classroom Learning Meets Real-World Experience
Whether you choose an internship based in Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C. or another part of the world, it will be an experience that contributes additional context and meaning to what you鈥檝e learned in the classroom.
Internship Opportunities include:
- Pittsburgh Summer Internship Program: Apply for summer internships with regional nonprofits, government organizations and startups. It鈥檚 a great first internship experience for Dietrich College students, and it includes a stipend for living and travel expenses.
- Dietrich College Internship Opportunity Grants: Land your own internship anywhere in the world and receive funding for housing, expenses and more.
- Washington Semester Program: Spend a semester immersed with political, business and community leaders in Washington, D.C.
- Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC): Visit this campus-wide center to prepare for future internship and career opportunities.
Study Abroad: Gain a Global Perspective听
There are many opportunities to study abroad for the summer, the semester or an entire academic year.听
Community Engagement: A Vital Component of Learning
At Dietrich College, we believe that serving the community is an important part of your growth as both a student and a citizen of the world. Through these engagement opportunities, you鈥檒l enhance your cultural understanding as well as your problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Community Engagement Opportunities include:听
- Collester Family Community Engagement Fellowship Program: a unique program designed to equip students with the leadership skills needed for social change, the Collester Community Engagement Fellowship Program provides students with academic training and experiential learning opportunities which cumulatively build toward developing the capacity for community-based leadership.
- CMU Prison Education Project (CMU PEP): CMU PEP is committed to building dialogue across class, racial and social lines. The program offers several courses each academic year within nearby prisons. Each course, which combines incarcerated students and CMU students, offers full CMU credit.
- Capstone and Practicum Courses: these classes encourage you to engage with corporate or nonprofit partners and make an impact on the world. Read more about these courses in the stories below.
Meet Your Peers
Research for the Good of Science and Society
Jendy DeLeon, a member of the class of 2026 majoring in psychology, became involved in the Research Training Program during her first year at Carnegie Mellon.
"I saw the Research Training Program as an opportunity to become involved in something greater than myself. All of the research opportunities offered through the Research Training Program have implications for the greater good of science and society as a whole."听
Growing through Community Engagement
Anika Joshi, a member of the class of 2026 majoring in statistics and machine learning, put her passion for social engagement and community-centered uses of data into action as part of the first cohort of Collester Family Community Engagement Fellowship Program.
"I have always been involved in the community in some capacity but I really wanted to learn more about the nuances of community engagement and do so in a setting with peers that have the same passions as me. I thought that the fellowship would be a great way to see how to apply what you learn in the classroom to the real world."听
Learn more about the Collester Family Community Engagement Fellowship Program
Embracing the Pittsburgh Community
Matt Gershenzon, an Information Systems student graduating in 2028, was excited to prove that his technical foundation could build real business value at , a Pittsburgh technology company that develops patented software helping government and commercial vehicle fleets manage accidents and control repair costs.
鈥淚 was immediately immersed in the pace of a growing startup. I took ownership of projects spanning product development, marketing and operations. My time at SHzoom shifted my perspective from student to contributor, helping me develop professional confidence and a versatile skillset that I will carry forward throughout my time at 好色先生TV and beyond.鈥�
Creative Writing as Social Commentary
Samantha Mahler, class of 2026, has a triple major in Literature & Culture, Creative Writing and Film Studies. She brought her creativity and her passion for social change to her Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship project, a young-adult dystopian novel featuring a strong female lead battling against a patriarchal society.
"By writing a dystopian novel that addresses the current systems in place, I intended to teach young women that breaking out of the system is feasible. SURF was an outlet to work on topics that I'm passionate about, which I may not have had the opportunity to do otherwise. I couldn't be more grateful for the SURF program and its investment in my future career."
Researching Human Connection
Ethan Sterkeson, member of the class of 2026 majoring in psychology, jumped into research as a first-year student, assisting in studies focused on interpersonal touch and sleep quality, as well as reciprocal self-disclosure, the process by which sharing about oneself encourages others to do the same.
"CMU and Dietrich College have helped support my work by creating opportunities for any student (even a first-year with little experience) to participate in research. Through this I have learned more about how research works, gained experience that can be applied to future opportunities, and created connections with faculty and other students in Dietrich."听