Capital CoLAB Student Spotlight: Thomas Levine, VCU ‘21
The background for this article was collected from an interview with Thomas Levine on May 20th, 2020
Like many college students across the Capital Region, Thomas Levine was forced to move back home before summer started, completed his spring semester online, and saw his friends graduate without having a chance to say goodbye. This has been his reality since March, and he doesn’t quite know when it will end. As a rising senior at VCU, Levine hears talk of the precautions the school is taking but is uncertain of what the fall will bring. What he is sure of is how he will be spending his summer, as an intern at the Smithsonian, tracking royalties on some of their folk collection as well as handling a hefty load of online classes.
After receiving a few emails notifying him that the internship positions he had applied to had been canceled due to COVID-19, Thomas had given up hope of finding work for the summer. The restaurant he usually worked at over the summer wasn’t hiring, so he decided to buckle down on schoolwork. It was only after he enrolled in 14 summer school credits he received a call from the Smithsonian. They handled the first interview over the phone, subsequent interviews via Zoom, and then Thomas was on his way to an internship in his field. He’s excited about what the summer holds and is eager to start the 10-week program.
When we asked him what advice he’d give other students in his particular position, he said, “Use your school’s resources.” Many universities have long-lasting relationships with employers, and these programs are being moved online. He actually saw an ad for the Smithsonian internship on the school’s website, reached out to the professor who posted it, and was connected directly to the organization. Other internships and job seekers may want to consider taking similar steps.
Thomas is a music major, but chose a unique path to graduation, adding minors in business and computer science to his degree. He decided to enroll in the Capital CoLAB after seeing an Instagram ad touting its unique features. He told us that he saw the Digital Tech Credential as a “substation for making a huge change.” Thomas explained that often students start studying what they like, but interests change and then there’s also the pressure of graduating and finding a job after college. The credential allows you to both: explore your passions and gain hard skills that employers are looking for in candidates.
When Thomas saw the ad for the Capital CoLAB’s Digital Tech Credential, he was actually looking into learning Python, a well-known programming language. He figured that the credential program would be a good fit. He reports it has been, as he has learned more technical skills than those offered in his music major track and didn’t have to take a bunch of new prerequisites to enroll. “In reality, [often] new skills are only learned through a degree change,” Levine said, adding that the credential was not a huge lateral move rather a level up because he didn’t have to change his current track/course load. He has one class left to complete the Digital Tech Credential and is excited about the opportunities it might open up to him come graduation.
Thomas is looking forward to the summer: Between his internship, course load, and bike rides along the Potomac River, he will no doubt be busy. Still, he is making the most of the situation he is in, which is a skill everyone needs, no matter their career.
To learn more about the Capital CoLAB Digital Tech Credential please visit — www.capitalcolab.com. You can also follow the CoLAB on Instagram at capital_colab.
