August 08, 2024
Several Susquehanna University students spent their summer working in professional internships funded through a $50,000 grant from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education.
Four students interned with WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, while one interned with Transitions of PA, also of Lewisburg.
Funding from NetVUE provided students with wages and on-campus housing, which created equitable access for them to gain professional experience while also supporting the university’s regional partners and employers, said Peggy Peeler, Charles B. Degenstein professor of biology at Susquehanna University.
“Professional internships in health care are crucial for students, providing hands-on opportunities to learn and gain industry insights, and the chance to apply academic knowledge in real-world settings,” Peeler said. “These experiences not only enhance their skills but also shape their career paths.”
Peeler led weekly professional development workshops for students that included dinner and conversations with alumni about careers and graduate school opportunities, LinkedIn networking and profile development, and preparing for conference presentations.
WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital
Faiza Ahmed ’26, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, and Trinity Reedy ’27, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, both biomedical sciences majors, worked as medical assistants at WellSpan Evangelical’s Thyra M. Humphreys Center for Breast Health and the Department of Gastroenterology.
With patient consent, both students had the opportunity to observe cancer conferences and tumor board discussions that brought together clinicians from multiple specialties, including radiology, oncology, pathology and surgery, to discuss patient diagnoses and treatment plans. Ahmed also assisted in updating patient records in the American Society of Breast Surgeons database to assist surgeons in tracking patient care.
“The hardest part of the internship was sitting in on difficult conversations with patients, whether the topic was cancer or other serious medical conditions,” Reedy said. “While the topics were hard to hear, I learned a lot by watching each doctor and nurse provide excellent support and guidance to each patient. It was eye-opening to see just how tirelessly they work toward making their patients better.”
While Reedy plans to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, Ahmed plans to enter the health care field.
“This experience provided me with much-needed clinical exposure to specialist fields in breast health and gastroenterology where I gained valuable knowledge, skills and experience,” Ahmed said. “I was able to make great connections with my colleagues of all ages and truly enjoy my work.”
Ashley Newman ’25, of Palmyra, Pennsylvania, also a biomedical sciences major, interned in Community Health and Wellness, a department at WellSpan Evangelical that is dedicated to preserving and improving the health of the community through health screenings; classes, programs and events; support groups and more.
“I participated in almost 50 different events ranging from health care classes for local youth programs to comprehensive blood screenings. When I was not out in the community, I updated the CPR certification database or handled the distribution of naloxone to different groups and organizations,” Newman explained. “Every day was a little bit different, and I got to see many different aspects of public health.”
Newman plans to pursue a career in health care.
“I enjoyed getting to see first-hand the impact that I was having on people in our community,” she said. “This experience opened my eyes to a side of medicine that often gets overlooked. There is truly no better feeling than getting to provide equal and affordable access to health care for people in need.”
Isaiah Bomboy ’25, a biomedical sciences major from Berwick, Pennsylvania, interned with WellSpan Evangelical’s Guest Relations team.
His primary responsibilities included assisting patients arriving for one-day surgery and providing directions or escorting guests to their destinations throughout the hospital. He also assisted with managing the gift shop’s inventory.
“I enjoyed forging meaningful connections and relationships with my team and patients who frequently visited the hospital,” Bomboy said. “The Guest Relations team made my integration with the working environment of the hospital as seamless and easy as I could ever have hoped for, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to expand my communication skills and knowledge of the functioning of a hospital environment.”
After graduating from Susquehanna, Bomboy hopes to attend medical school to become a physician, possibly in the fields of pediatrics and/or neurology.
“We are always looking for new and innovative ways of connecting with the next generation of health care professionals,” said Rachel Smith, vice president of people and culture at WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital. “For the students, it’s a chance to gain some real-world experience in a field that ignites their passions; for our clinical and support professionals, it’s an opportunity to share their experience and knowledge with a motivated, engaged audience.”
Transitions of PA
Kat Shipsky ’26, of Clifford Township, Pennsylvania, a double major in neuroscience and psychology, interned at Susquehanna University’s VIP Center, through which she worked closely with Transitions of PA to reestablish support groups for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence that were disrupted by the Covid pandemic.
Shipsky helped to construct two group sessions — one for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and the other an educational support group that teaches students how to identify and prevent domestic violence and how to build and sustain healthy relationships. She also designed educational handouts for distribution at support group meetings.
“The part of my experience that I enjoyed the most was knowing that my work was going to directly help students on campus,” Shipsky said. “There are many career paths I can take with my degrees, and this internship has helped give me some insight into which if those I want to pursue.”
Awarded to Susquehanna in 2022, the NetVUE grant supports expanding the number of summer internship placements with local employers and a weekly vocational exploration program for all summer research and internship students in the natural and social sciences.
About NetVUE
The Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education is a nationwide network of 300 colleges and universities formed to support and enrich vocational exploration and discernment among undergraduate students. A program of the Council of Independent Colleges, NetVUE is supported by the generosity of Lilly Endowment Inc. and member dues. CIC administers NetVUE with guidance from an advisory council comprising representatives from participating institutions.