​Dr. Whitney DeCamp, who is an Associate Professor at Western Michigan University, worked at the Center for Drug and Health Studies from 2007 to 2011 on a number of projects, such as the Delaware School Survey, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, College Risk Behavior Survey, SPF-SIG, and the Delaware School Health Profiles.  For Dr. DeCamp, one of the more helpful aspects of working at the Center was the experience that he gained from managing and analyzing large datasets, which has been invaluable and helps him with nearly everything he does!  Dr. DeCamp also got great experience learning about the research process, how to establish and maintain vital connections in the research community, and how to responsibly delegate to and to supervise those assisting with research.  Dr. DeCamp states that his favorite part of working at CDHS was "the people who I got to work with. I always enjoyed coming to work, even on days when I had a lot of work to do, and it was because it was a great environment to work in."

​Dr. Jess Hodge, an Associate Professor at the University of St. Thomas, worked at the Center for Drug and Health Studies from 20114 to 2017.  While at the Center she worked on various projects, with the final project was a comparison of two re-entry strategies for juvenile offenders.  Dr. Hodge gained experience in how to work closely with a variety of personalities, and how to properly manage a project.  Dr. Hodge's favorite thing about working at the research center was the people she worked with, everyone from the center's full-time staff to her fellow graduate students. Even though they were all juggling various projects, the full-time staff were generous with their time and wisdom and they provided ample opportunities for graduate students to learn what it was like to work with grants, to collect data in the field, and to present at conferences.  Dr. Hodge's advice for current graduate research assistants is to "Take full advantage of the opportunities presented to you. Even if a particular project doesn't fall into one of your specific interest areas, take the opportunity to learn a new research technique, to network with folks in the field, or to improve your writing skills. Our field is small – you never know who or what will benefit you down the road."

Laura Adarve worked at the Center for Drug and health Studies from 2012 to 2014.  After graduating, she was hired at the Latin American Community Center where she is a Prevention Specialist and does outreach to the community, prevention education sessions, partnering with businesses to promote healthy lifestyles, conducting alcohol and drug-free events, attending trainings and professional development opportunities, and referring clients to treatment services and other social services.  While working at the Center, Laura worked on the SPF-SIG project, which was helpful because she became familiar with the Prevention field, its structure, functions, and jargon. Additionally, she learned so much about the way projects are funded and also how to understand politics within service organizations.   Laura's favorite part of working at CDHS was "the variety of projects that were always going on. All of my colleagues participated in different projects, so there was never a lack of activity going on. My other favorite part was having the ability and proper venues to participate in training opportunities that would eventually help me out in my career."

Holly Swan worked at CDHS from 2009 to 2013 on the Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Studies (CJ-DATS).  One of the most important things that Dr. Swan takes away from her time at CDHS is that networking is everything!  Dr. Swan have been applying this valuable lesson since she began looking for post-graduate opportunities, and in her current fellowship have developed collaborative relationships with a variety of researchers, clinicians, and policymakers. These relationships have been critical for getting involved in projects and in developing successful grant proposals.  Networking has also been essential for seeking career opportunities post-fellowship.  Dr. Swan's advice to current graduate research assistants is to do not be afraid to put yourself out there.  A place like CDHS provides a lot of opportunities to present research at conferences and to meet other researchers and stakeholders locally and sometimes even nationally as part of projects.  Use every opportunity given to you and seek out others.  Also, no matter what you want your career path to be (academia, applied, something else) use your time at CDHS to get exposed to as many methods and techniques (quantitative and qualitative; design and analysis) as you can.  Those are skills that are transferrable and that make you marketable in every field of research.

​Dr. Leigey is grateful for the opportunities that being a graduate research assistant at CDHS afforded her. She acquired valuable research experience. Much of her current research is qualitative in design. The CDHS projects Dr. Leigey worked on gave her the opportunity to develop interviewing skills. They also provided her with the chance to travel and present at conferences. She is also thankful for the professional contacts she made as a result of my affiliation with CDHS. Dr. Leigey encourages current graduate research assistants to take advantage of the different opportunities available to them at the Center. Say yes! Even if they don’t perfectly align with their interests, they will gain valuable experience and skills which will help them in the future.

Dr. Thomas Mowen worked at the Center for Drug and Health Studies from 2012 to 2014.  While at CDHS, he primarily worked on the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Suicide Prevention Grant (GLS).  In this role, Tom gained experience working on a multi-year federally funded grant and was able to gain hands-on training in data management, reporting, and presenting.

One part of working on the GLS that he found both important and challenging was the emphasis placed on community outreach as CDHS worked with school-, governmental, and community-based organizations in efforts to promote positive mental health among youth in Delaware.  Dr. Mowen reflects on his experiences, “One of the best parts of working at CDHS was the opportunity to be involved in so many different projects and learning about all the exciting research that goes on in a vibrant research center.”  Tom credits his time at CDHS with helping him develop both research and writing skills.