Student Stories

Henryque Alles Diehl

University of Pittsburgh Class of 2026

Major: Neuroscience

Minor: Chemistry

Hometown: Southern Brazil

Henryque’s Tips and Advice for Pitt Students:

  1. The first step is to make an appointment with your Career Consultant and start thinking about where you want your future to go. 
  2. Freshmen and Sophomores should explore their options with Career Consultants because a simple conversation about your interests could steer you to something unexpected. 
  3. International students will benefit from the Career Center because they can help you understand the U.S. system, employment, what careers and research opportunities are available, and how institutions operate. 
  4. You’ve made it here. That speaks something about the privileges you’ve been able to access, but more importantly, it underscores your resilience. 

Henryque Alles Diehl, a Pitt senior from southern Brazil was fascinated by human behavior and mental health. After high school, he started studying Psychology at a school near home.    

“I found myself increasingly drawn to the tangible world of neurons and synapses, to the idea that electrical and chemical properties could govern our ability to learn and remember,” Henryque recalls. This led him to look further and make the switch from Psychology to Neuroscience. 

Henryque gravitated towards Pitt because of its highly ranked Department of Neuroscience. Joined by his increasing feelings of ambition, Henryque felt a sense of uncertainty about what may lay ahead in a new country.  

Navigating his new life and studies in a country that was unfamiliar to him was exciting yet intimidating to Henryque. Seeking guidance about conducting independent research, he turned to the Career Center. Ingrid Beute, a Career Consultant for STEM majors, related to him because she had also been an international student in college. She helped Henryque organize his ideas and goals and even offered new insights that he hadn’t thought of before.  

Reflecting on his first meeting with Ingrid, Henryque says it “made a difference to my journey, since it strengthened a sense of direction in me and made me feel comfortable reaching out again whenever I needed feedback on my plans or just a qualified second opinion.” 

“The Career Center serves as an integrated hub—an accessible place where you can find initial direction and return to whenever you need guidance in shaping your career path.” 

Ingrid has continued to guide Henryque through his academic journey. Together, they refined his two-year plan for applying to PhD programs and strengthened his Curriculum Vitae using Career Center templates. Ingrid also introduced him to the Grad School Toolkit, which helped him organize his grad school applications and craft strong statements of purpose. Henryque credits these Career Center resources, along with Ingrid’s mentorship, as key factors in his success.  

Henryque is now in his last year of undergrad conducting research at the Schlüter Lab and was awarded an Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship to pursue his own project. Ingrid describes him as “highly self-directed, inquisitive, and thoughtful in both his academic pursuits and long-term career planning.” She added, “Henryque has the ability to turn challenges into opportunities, and with his perseverance and motivation to succeed, along with understanding and utilizing the value in reaching out to networks and resources and professional development initiatives, Henryque has a very exciting journey ahead of him!  

As Henryque continues to prepare for grad school and advance his research, he remains grateful to the people and experiences that helped him. Looking ahead, Henryque hopes to one day teach and run his own lab so he can inspire others to pursue the same curiosity that drives him. His story reflects not only academic excellence but seeking guidance and embracing new experiences. The Career Center offers the same guidance that helps students like Henryque. Whether you’re exploring graduate schools, connecting with professionals, or achieving new research opportunities, the Career Center is here to support you! 

Story by Madison Bozik.

Ramsey Smith

University of Pittsburgh Class of 2025

Majors: Chemical Engineering, Biological Sciences

Hometown: Garnet Valley, PA

Current Role: Manufacturing Leadership Development Program Associate at Merck

Ramsey’s Career Tips for Pitt Students:

  1. Don’t wait to attend! Meet recruiters as first-year and sophomore students to build your network and understand the skills required for future positions.
  2. Research companies! This both builds your confidence for interactions and leaves a strong impression on the recruiters. Your thoughtful questions can leave a lasting impact.
  3. Leverage connections with your academic departments to broaden your network into both industry and academia.
  4. Career Fairs are not the only way to secure positions, but they are always a great way to build your network. Learn what you can from the fair recruiters and then work with the Career Center to strategize your approach with organizations who might not have been able to attend.

Ramsey Smith came to Pitt as a student who seemed to have it all figured out. A double major in Chemical Engineering and Biological Sciences with excellent grades, Ramsey was prepared, focused, and ambitious. He landed a summer internship with a pharmaceutical company after his freshman year. Naturally, he thought that finding the next one would be easy, but he was wrong.

Ramsey knew that he needed to work hard to be competitive for the global pharmaceutical internships he was interested in, but he couldn’t do that by simply having experience and good grades. He needed the Career & Internship Fair and Handshake. To prepare, Ramsey knew that he needed to make himself stand out from his classmates.

He did this by planning out his time at the fair with every global pharmaceutical company in attendance. He did extensive research on these companies: learning about opportunities on Handshake, researching their websites, identifying skills required for their positions, and even reaching out to Pitt alumni on LinkedIn to get inside knowledge on company culture.

This preparation paid off when he met a Merck & Co, Inc. recruiter who was impressed by the information Ramsey knew, like how Merck’s West Point location outside of Philadelphia was primarily a vaccine manufacturing hub. Ramsey left this conversation with a feeling of confidence, and the recruiter left remembering an eager student who took interest in the details of their company.

Ultimately, Ramsey interviewed for a Merck internship that year but did not get the position. Instead of giving up, he continued applying to roles at other companies and secured a great opportunity at GSK. He credits this summer for helping him develop critical skills in digital transformation and lab automation.

When he got to campus for his third year, not only was his resume stronger—he already knew about Merck’s recruiting process because of his contact from the Career & Internship Fair. This is where Handshake comes in. Through the Handshake app, Ramsey was able to get messages from recruiters, learn about new opportunities, and get updates about which companies were attending at the fairs. Through Handshake, Ramsey was able to connect with the same recruiter he met the previous year.

To his surprise (and relief), this recruiter remembered him and helped him get a first-round interview. Soon after this interview, he received news from Merck that he had been selected for the internship he wanted. He attributes this quick turnaround to his continued contact with the recruiter he met at the Career Fair. 

During his internship at Merck, he applied to full-time roles in the company, and partly thanks to support from the recruiter who helped him get an internship, he was one of four interns selected to become part of the Manufacturing Leadership Development Program, which he started this September. This is exactly the type of position Ramsey had hoped to secure when he arrived at Pitt his freshman year.

The fact is this: Ramsey would not have landed this job if he hadn’t attended the Career & Internship Fair his sophomore year. He wouldn’t have made a lasting impression on the Merck recruiter if he had not done his research on the company. He wouldn’t have reconnected with this recruiter if he had not made an effort on Handshake to stay up to date on opportunities. “I owe my job at Merck to the career fairs, resources, and advisors at Pitt,” Ramsey says.

FAIR NOTE: Merck & Co., Inc. will be at the Fall Career & Internship Fair on September 16, 2025 at Booth 208.

Story by Madison Bozik.