Smiling woman sitting at her desk talking to a young long-haired female student.

CMU Welcomes First Career Consultant Dedicated to MCS Master’s Students

By Heidi Opdyke Email Heidi Opdyke

Heidi Opdyke

Melinda Somerville has spent her career empowering students to succeed. Now, she’s bringing that passion to Carnegie Mellon University’s Mellon College of Science, where she is helping master’s of science and doctoral students build the skills and confidence the need to thrive in their careers.

Somerville is the first dedicated career consultant for MCS graduate students. She joins Rachel Rosenfield, who serves as a career consultant for MCS undergraduate students, and Marcie Foy, who assists with doctoral students.

“Students of all ages are navigating transitions, new experiences, and skill development that supports their future goals,” said Somerville, who began at Carnegie Mellon’s Career and Professional Development Center as an associate director in July. “This is an exciting group of people to work with as they are experiencing so many emotions and changes all at once, and getting access to support and guidance is often the difference between those who succeed versus struggle.”

In her role at MCS, Somerville offers a wide range of services tailored to the career development needs of master’s students. She meets individually with students to review resumes, CVs, cover letters and statements of purpose. She also is available to help students strategize job, internship or Ph.D. searches as well as conduct mock interviews.

“I want students to feel confident about their skills, experiences and goals, and have the resources to be successful in their career planning and searching,” Somerville said. “They are talented individuals, and often just need some extra direction to stand out and rise to the top of the candidate pool.”

Beyond one-on-one support, Somerville is available to collaborate with faculty and departments deliver workshops and presentations on career and professional development topics.

“I love the impact I can have on my students in their present and future lives, and leverage coaching, reflection, and referral to resources to most effectively support their journeys,” she said.

MCS has eight master’s degree programs in biological sciences, chemistry, mathematical sciences and physics. Programs such as the M.S. in Data Analytics for Science build skills in programming, model, high-performance computing and statistics, while others like the M.S. in Computational Biology prepare students for career success in biotechnology, health care and related fields. All of the programs include an interdisciplinary focus, career-oriented training and are led by internationally recognized faculty who are actively engaged in research.

“Master’s students typically study for one to two years — a short amount of time — and are often entering the program as early career professionals who need career guidance and support to develop an effective career search strategy,” said Gwen Stanczak, director of graduate affairs for MCS. “Increasingly, Ph.D. students are exploring career options outside of academia and want to better understand how to parlay their research experience into an industry position.”

Along with pursuing academic and research careers, MCS graduate students find employment in a wide range of industries, particularly pharmaceuticals, medical device technology, financial services and autonomous transportation, to name a few.

“Students with scientific training are adept at solving complex, multifaceted problems that can translate to a variety of industries,” Stanczak said. “In addition to providing support to students, the Career Counselor also serves as an advocate and champion for the MCS graduate programs and can help to connect industry professionals to MCS graduate students.”

A Pittsburgh native, Somerville most recently served as a business development specialist at the University at Buffalo (UB) School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Previously she served as a UB living learning programs coordinator and oversaw residence halls at Robert Morris University and Heidelburg University. She graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2010 with a master’s degree in college student personnel and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and teaching from Slippery Rock University in 2008.

“I grew up in the Pittsburgh area and have always been proud to share a city with such inspiring students and professional,” Somerville said. “CMU’s campus culture promotes values I hold close: Dedication to your passions, interdisciplinary collaborations, striving beyond expectations and embracing challenges as opportunities grow.”