Brenda Ramirez

Sociology major Brenda Ramirez has defined her time at Purdue by participating in multiple undergraduate research projects. Through the Wilke Internship Program, Ramirez earned the opportunity to participate in undergraduate research again, this time studying the nature of advice-giving in various cultures. Ramirez went on to co-author a paper with Communications professor Erina MacGeorge, which was presented at a national communications conference. "It was such a unique experience because it allowed me to listen to all the research that is currently being conducted and was helpful in giving me ideas for when I have to write my honors thesis for Sociology," Ramirez says.

Ramirez, who plans to apply to law school upon graduating, says her research experiences will come in handy when it comes to understanding and studying cases. Her most recent experience was a two-week trip to Washington D.C. during which she studied material from the C-SPAN archives and presented her findings. Ramirez was able to network with companies like the Barnes & Thornburg law firm, The Washington Post, and the U.S. State Department, among others. This experience allowed Ramirez not only to strengthen her networking skills, but it has also helped her realize the wide variety of career options made available to her by a Liberal Arts education.