Category: Uncategorized

Ever since I began my journey as a student at The University of Scranton, I have searched for opportunities to work with children in a mental health capacity. The chance to work as a Children and Youth Programming Intern at Church World Service (CWS) is nothing short of spectacular and fulfills this desire perfectly. I am working with children of newly arrived refugees in the United States. My clients come from a wide range of countries and have experienced many hardships in their young lives thus far. I am so excited to provide an empathetic, kind, and professional presence in the lives of these children.  

I began my role as an intern with CWS this week, and I have been welcomed with open arms. So far, my responsibilities have been discussing programming and service provisions with members of the Children and Youth Programming team, completing sensitivity training, and planning for the start of my in-person supervision next week. Upon beginning my in-person training, I will start observing the provision of services to children and their families, provide support through companionship and activities while children are waiting for services, and help with administrative services and data cleaning/analysis. At the start of July, I will be leading a group of interns and volunteers in creating and implementing programming for the Children and Youth Program, which provides psychological services to children of refugee families. 

This experience is sure to be one of the most valuable of my undergraduate career and will enrich my education as a Psychology major deeply. I cannot wait to meet my clients in-person and gain the leadership experience of leading the summer program. I am immensely grateful to the Royal Experience Summer Internship Program and the Center for Career Development for their continued support in this amazing endeavor!  

Madeline Williams, Psychology & Philosophy 

 

Initially, I became interested in interning at the political fundraising firm Berger Hirschberg Strategies, LLC because it incorporates all my main interests into its business model: politics, finance, non-profit work, and networking. As a Political Science major at the University of Scranton, my goal of having a career within the political realm has been spurred on by my passion for public service, current events and social issues- topics with which BHS is extraordinarily aligned with.  

This internship will ideally serve as a stepping stone toward career opportunities in political consulting and/or finance. As an intern, I will be using NGP VAN to manage campaign databases: this is the campaign software used primarily by the Democratic Party. My goal of becoming familiar and adept with this technology will provide me with the necessary training and skills to maximize my hire-ability in the political campaigning field. Although I have used this software before, Berger Hirschberg Strategies handles many aspects of campaigns’ data, meaning that this internship will enable me to have a fully-formed and competent understanding of how their software and data management systems work.  

Additionally, I will be engaging in donor-outreach campaigns, through which I hope to gain stronger interpersonal and soft skills, and learn how to effectively communicate to others the incredible value that can be found in contributing to political campaigns, non-profit initiatives, and other worthy causes. Also, the political advocacy aspect of this internship will broaden my understanding of Democratic political campaigns during a Presidential election year, which will help me to be better informed and educated for any future career opportunities in campaigns and politics. 

Bailey Cornish, Political Science  

This summer, I am very excited to gain experience and knowledge in the marketing and social media fields as I begin my internship with the Scranton Fringe organization. Scranton Fringe has been creating innovative work since 2015 and is known as an award-winning arts organization. Their mission is “to create a bold, engaging platform for exciting, engaging, and thought-provoking art with minimal risk to artists and audiences alike.” I applied for this internship because I am passionate about the music and entertainment industries and would love to help a local non-profit organization.  

I hope to grow and sharpen my social media and marketing skills as this is my first internship solely focusing on my field of interest and college major. I would love to expand my expertise in navigating the various social media platforms of Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Threads and obtain a comprehensive understanding of each platform’s target audience, unique features, and best practices. Another learning goal is to produce exciting and impactful content that is catered to each platform and will connect with users to increase audience engagement and following while building brand awareness. Additionally, I would like to develop my marketing research skills by analyzing the social media strategy of Scranton Fringe and its competitors.  

It is my dream and long-term goal after graduation to secure a job in the music and entertainment industry. This internship with Scranton Fringe has tremendous potential to positively impact my career path by helping me break into these hard-to-enter industries, as I will obtain first-hand experience, knowledge, and skills working for a performing arts organization. This internship will give me the opportunity to grow my network and make lasting connections, which is an essential element to success in finding a job in the industry I hope to work in one day. Additionally, my Scranton Fringe internship will give me confidence in my marketing expertise since I will spend time developing my skills and knowledge, specifically in the digital marketing field. 

The picture below is from the first event the interns had the pleasure to attend and work at. The Big Gay StorySlam is an annual event celebrating LGBTQ and ally voices through powerful storytelling.  

Rebecca Miller, Marketing

 

I am doing an internship program at Indraloka Sanctuary/NEPA Rescue Clinic in Dalton, PA. The onsite veterinarian gives medical care to the resident farm animals and operates a low-cost small animal clinic and shelter medicine. I have so far intubated a dog, monitored anesthesia, looked at x-rays, drawn and given vaccines, and assisted with restraint of patients. I hope to learn and better develop my venipuncture skills. I have attempted multiple blood draws so far and am still learning to improve my techniques with the veterinarian’s and vet tech’s guidance. I can practice every time we have a patient needing a blood draw, so I hope with time I will improve with this skill.    

This internship will have a massive impact on my future career path since I intend to become a veterinarian. It is vital that veterinarians be proficient in blood draws and venipuncture techniques. While veterinary technicians are often the ones pulling blood, veterinarians need this skill as well. This is especially true in short staff situations and when working as a team. So far, this internship has given me a lot of hands-on experience and skills, and I am so excited for the rest of my internship to see how far I grow. 

Pictured are 5-week-old puppies coming in for their exam and deworming. The lamb pictured is one that Indraloka rescued; its mother stepped on its leg shortly after birth, resulting in a fracture. The lamb recently had surgery to repair the leg and is now on the mend. 

Julianne May, Biology

 

For the next several weeks, I will be interning at Island Dolphin Care (IDC), a non-profit organization in Key Largo, Florida. As a Therapy Intern at Island Dolphin Care, I am excited to gain more education in the practice of animal assisted therapy, specifically with dolphins, to help children and families with special needs, as well as veterans in the United States military living with PTSD. Throughout this unique internship experience, I am eager to learn about working with dolphins and a diverse group of clients with critical illnesses and disabilities during therapy sessions, while also understanding documentation and aiding the therapy staff in various therapeutic activities for participants. I am thrilled to apply my skills and knowledge I have gained in occupational therapy classes, as well as learn new skills with the therapy team at IDC. I am also looking forward to having the opportunity to learn a unique aspect of therapy with the inclusion of dolphins and to enhance my professional skills while interacting with families, staff, and the marine life. Dolphins have amazing social skills, create bonds, and are extremely intelligent, which I am excited to encounter during therapy sessions with clients. I also look forward to gaining more knowledge in marine science and its importance with the institute. 

This experience will impact my career path by allowing me to become familiar with a growing area of practice in occupational therapy. Completing this internship will help me gain more skill development in patient care, professional and career growth, and a network of individuals who are established in the field and can mentor me professionally. Animal assisted therapy has always been interesting to me as I have a passion for animals, especially with the inclusion of dolphins. This internship will help me grow as an individual and will allow me to share the values I have learned from my education at the University of Scranton and the Occupational Therapy Department. 

Justin Matzner, Occupational Therapy

 

This summer I am an intern with the Scranton Counseling Center. I work with the Community School-Based Behavioral Health (CSBBH) team at a local elementary school. Throughout my internship, I hope to gain clinical skills such as creating treatment plans and building rapport with clients. Not only will this opportunity strengthen my clinical skills, but it will also make me a more competitive applicant when I apply to clinical psychology PhD programs. Since I am graduating at the end of this year, it is crucial I spend my summer learning as much as I can from professionals in the field. This is my second internship relevant to my career interest, and so far, it has reinforced my desire to enter the mental health field.  

It has been a few weeks since I started my internship, and I have been given multiple opportunities to learn from the MT and BHT on the team. They have been amazing in educating me about their role and what they do for their clients. Since starting, I have participated in a classroom observation, attended an at-home family visit, assisted in writing a treatment plan, and designed crafts for the Therapeutic Summer Program. Additionally, I am interacting directly with clients nearly every day at my internship. I am beyond grateful to work with people who foster my growth and allow me to learn from their experiences. I am also extremely grateful for the Roche Family Center for Career Development and the Psychology Department because they have given me the support I needed to make the most of my internship. 

My-Kim Dang, Psychology

 

At the Bucks County Public Defender’s office, I have had the opportunity to interview clients, review police affidavits, watch discovery, observe trials and hearings, and assist attorneys with different projects. I have just completed my first week and this internship has been incredibly hands-on, providing me with many invaluable experiences that I will carry with me moving forward. As an intern, I have met many clients from diverse cultures and backgrounds and have assisted these individuals with navigating the complex justice system. 

Moreover, I have also gained a newfound respect for the devoted attorneys who work in this field. Even with the heavy caseloads and tight time restraints, the professionals in this office remain kind, sympathetic, understanding, and upbeat. I am inspired by the attorneys in the office who have taken on this kind of work to protect the disadvantaged from being punished due to financial restraints. 

From a young age, I have always been interested in going to law school and practicing criminal law. With this internship, I hope to get a feel for what my career could potentially look like and figure out if this is the job for me. So far, this internship has introduced me to a very welcoming environment filled with good people. As I continue to expand my understanding of the typical tasks of a public defender, I also hope to learn about the innerworkings of the criminal justice system in terms of representing indigent clients. On top of this, I hope to become more understanding of others who have varying experiences and backgrounds.

Chelsea Curran, Political Science

I have spent all of the summer working as an intern with the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office (RCDA) in Staten Island, New York. Having no real work experience in the criminal justice field, I did not know exactly what to expect, except for what is usually on TV if I’m being honest. Working in the crime strategies unit, as well as getting to meet many assistant district attorneys and members of the office, really opened my eyes and allowed me to appreciate the work that really happens at a District Attorney’s office.

The most rewarding part of my internship was being able to be a part of work that, to me, felt like it really mattered. The work ranged from simple entry of data to excel all the way to prepping evidence for trials or court hearings. Through all of it, I still felt like the work we were doing was aimed toward one goal: providing a safer community for people to live. All the work done by anyone at the office is typically peer or supervisor reviewed, and every case is carefully handled to ensure the proper justice is taking place. The bureau of the office I interned for, the crime strategies unit, dealt with many different tasks, including crime analysis, conviction review, and investigations of crimes, to name the major parts. As such, there were many different people always working in, or coming in and out of the office. The unit was comprised of three analysts, who the interns worked closely with. They are, without a doubt, some of the most hard-working and committed individuals I have ever seen.

There are some challenges that go along with working at a District Attorney’s Office, however. The main challenge, at least for me, was the nature of some of the cases that we worked on. Some of the cases and situations that come through the office can be quite heavy to deal with, and it’s important to understand that before going into this type of work. Everyone at the office was super understanding, however, offering people to sit out for more graphic discussions/presentations if needed and always giving proper warning. The other main challenge is that while this work can let you meet plenty of new people, a lot of those times those people are victims of a crime, or even criminals themselves. It can be incredibly difficult to deal with those kinds of situations. However, the members of the RCDA were incredibly well-trained and able to handle any situation they had to. It was incredibly rewarding to be part of the work the RCDA offered.

My initial plan out of law school was to “get my start” as a prosecutor and maybe go into a different field of law afterwards. However, after my time at RCDA, I am not even sure I would close the door to working at a DA’s office. The work done is so fulfilling and every day can feel like a difference is being made, so long as the hard and careful work is done thoroughly. Regardless of what I choose to do after law school, I will never forget the time I spent at the RCDA.

Jake Marchese, Criminal Justice ’25

Having the opportunity to be a research assistant in Dr. Jong-Hyun Son’s lab was such an impactful and educational experience. My research is focused on determining the long-term effects of hypoxia induced neurotoxicity on the dopaminergic neurons and swimming behavior of juvenile and adult zebrafish. Furthermore, the significance of this research is that these physiological paradigms, such as lack of oxygen to the brain, can be associated with the development of neurogenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders in human species. By participating in experimental analysis, scientific knowledge is increased, medical advances are made, and better assessment technology is invented. It is rewarding to know that this research is helping to further understand the precursors to and effects of disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Autism.

The most rewarding part of this internship was being able to carry out a research experiment from start to finish and fully understanding the mechanisms behind it. The first stage of my internship allowed me to understand the responsibility and importance of maintaining the zebrafish colony. This task included following a feeding schedule, balancing water pH, and cleaning the tanks and filters. I learned to never underestimate the simplistic activities and responsibilities of the research process. The second stage of my internship was completing the behavioral trials, which consisted of placing each zebrafish in a swimming arena for a 20-minute duration, 10 minutes in a light environment and 10 minutes in a dark environment. The velocity, total distance traveled, and the amount of time spent moving and not moving were measured using a motion-detection camera. The third stage of my internship was to analyze the data on the cellular and molecular level by performing CLARITY and immunohistochemistry. This staining protocol allows for the dopaminergic neurons to be visible under fluorescent light, which helps us to compare the brain development and neuronal spatial distribution of the two different treatment groups, normoxia and hypoxia. Moreover, the most challenging part of my internship was the unpredictability that comes with performing research. There are times the experiment did not go the way I expected, so I then had to rerun the trials or statistics to find the inconsistency or error. Research is a humbling experience because it requires patience and determination to reevaluate the procedure and make the proper modifications. Each time, I learn something new, and it helps me to process the information from a different lens.

Having the opportunity to connect this research to my role as a future physician has truly enhanced my perspective on how to carry out the scientific method when diagnosing and treating a patient. This internship has not only increased my critical thinking, communication skills, and lab techniques, but it has also given me the confidence, leadership, and endurance needed to be successful in medical school. As a physician and diagnostician, I will be educating other medical professionals and patients, performing research, and taking part in medical breakthroughs and advancements. My passion is to change the lives of others by finding ways to improve their course of treatment and prevent other diseases from developing. This opportunity has brought me one step closer to accomplishing my goal of becoming a neurosurgeon. At this moment, I am gaining more knowledge about the nervous system through research, but one day I will be using these techniques and understanding to operate on the brain of an individual. 

Olivia Manarchuck, Neuroscience ’24

I have spent several weeks working as a Clinical Research Intern at Friendship House in Scranton. My duties included harvesting data from archival records while observing Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). I have learned so much from this wonderful experience.

PCIT is a therapy for children with behavioral problems that focuses on coaching the parent to deal with the behavioral issues. The therapy format is fascinating – the therapist sits behind a two-way mirror and coaches the parent through a microphone that feeds straight into the parent’s ear. I was fortunate to watch the therapy and sat right alongside the therapist and observed. I was able to ask lots of questions, and the therapists I worked with were extraordinary.

The most rewarding part of the experience was seeing the same clients almost every week and seeing how they improved drastically. It is such a rewarding feeling to see parents master skills that they struggled with previously. I was fortunate to see the effectiveness of PCIT in this practical manner.

The most challenging thing about the experience was dealing with no-shows. No-shows are common in community mental health centers and generally affect a client’s course. Thanks to the format of my experience, I could utilize the time advantageously by harvesting data. The data collected will be used to complete the quantitative section of my University Honors Program research project. My project will be related to no-shows and dropouts – seeing it in the practical sense is critical so that I can understand and relate to the project.

The Royal Experience was a fantastic opportunity, and I am perpetually grateful to the Center for Career Development and the Psychology Department for granting me this exceptional opportunity.

   

Jack Burke, Psychology ’25