The Royal Experience Summer Internship Program

This week, I concluded my 10-week long internship with Church World Service. I cannot even begin to express my gratitude for the people I met as a Children and Youth intern. My coworkers were so patient and kind, truly dedicated to improving the lives of those they serve. Together, we provided services to more than 50 refugee children from around the world, from countries such as Ukraine, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Syria. Working directly with these children, I communicated in both English and Spanish about their experiences, traumas, and their changing lives. It was an honor to be a part of these children’s journeys towards growth and new lives. 

As head intern, I communicated with the other interns and volunteers to plan out the day’s activities. I also spoke directly with case managers about the progress of the children, or if any behavioral concerns existed. Alongside a youth case manager, I also researched college preparation and learning strategies for immigrants and refugees hoping to attend a U.S college. I am so grateful for all the work I had the privilege of being a part of with CWS.

This experience has certainly prepared me for a career working with children, and I feel confident moving forward with graduate school applications. Thank you to the Roche Family Center for Career Development and all my fellow Royal Experience Interns for the support this summer!  

Madeline Williams, Psychology & Philosophy

During my time as a therapy intern at Island Dolphin Care (IDC) in Key Largo this summer, the most rewarding and fulfilling experience was witnessing the profound impact dolphin-assisted therapy has on our clients and their families. Over the course of six weeks, I saw firsthand how our therapy sessions—both in the classroom and in the water—significantly improved the daily living skills of our clients. Understanding the challenges they’ve faced and seeing how IDC has empowered them to make meaningful progress has been truly inspiring. As a person with a disability myself, it was welcoming to see a fully accessible facility that offers a space where clients and their families can enjoy their time without the usual constraints of their conditions. Having my own challenges daily, and having a lense into what these clients experience, made the experience even more rewarding. I feel deeply proud and grateful to have been part of the IDC family this summer. 

The most challenging aspect of this internship was only having five days to focus on each client’s targeted goals. Most clients participate in a five-day program that combines classroom and swim sessions, and while it’s inspiring to watch their progress, it’s always hard to part ways at the end of the week. It was also difficult to say goodbye to the remarkable clients, dedicated staff, and incredible dolphins I had the privilege of working with. I gained invaluable knowledge from the animal care team about marine life and the complexities of working with dolphins during therapy sessions. Throughout this experience, I’ve interacted and got to know clients from all over the world, including Spain, Poland, and Germany. Learning about their diverse backgrounds and languages has greatly enhanced my cultural sensitivity. It’s amazing to witness how the dolphins leave a lasting impression on everyone they meet. 

This internship has continued my decision to pursue a career in animal-assisted therapy as an occupational therapist, and I’m excited to see where this path will lead me. I wish I had more time at Island Dolphin Care, as it truly feels like a second home to me. My time there has been invaluable, teaching me so much about myself and how to grow as an occupational therapist. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to work with the incredible team of therapists, animal care specialists, and the seven dolphins I was fortunate to work with, including Fiji, Tashi, Dalai, Squirt, Sarah, Bella, and Grace. Thank you to the Royal Experience Program for making this life changing internship possible. 

Justin Matzner, Occupational Therapy

I have learned so many valuable skills during my internship at Indraloka Animal Sanctuary/NEPA Rescue Clinic. I’ve intubated animals, improved my venipuncture skills, monitored anesthesia, and learned so much more. I think everything I’ve learned and was able to accomplish has been the most rewarding part of my internship. Also, an extremely rewarding aspect has been the animals I’ve helped. We often have shelter pets come in that have been neglected in some way and seeing the help we provide, and their health improve after care, has been very fulfilling.  

Not to say that this also does not come with challenges. I think the most challenging part for me was watching the neglect cases come in and seeing the status of the animals’ health, or lack thereof. We’ve seen some animals come in with severe hair loss due to flea allergy or upper respiratory infections that cause distress. Therefore, it is hard to see these animals suffering from lack of care; however, watching them improve is so rewarding.  

I’ve attached some pictures of recent patients. I also have an update on the little lamb with the broken leg. We were trying to get the leg to heal after a surgery to repair it, but the leg was not showing improvement and needed to be amputated. Indraloka Sanctuary plans to raise funds for a prosthetic for Loni, because as he grows, his back leg will not be able to support his heavy weight on its own.

Julianne May, Biology

I have spent the past few months working with the Community School-Based Behavioral Health (CSBBH) team at a local elementary school. My time with the team has been an incredible learning experience. Not only have I gained and strengthened my clinical skills, but I have also made wonderful memories with the team as we progressed through the Therapeutic Summer Program.  

The most rewarding part of my internship was seeing the growth within the clients. By providing clients with psychoeducation, they can have a better understanding of their condition and work towards implementing effective coping strategies. Seeing clients build their confidence and achieve the goals they set for themselves makes the work meaningful. The attached photos show crafts the children created during the summer program. 

The most challenging part of the internship was working with the complex interconnected system of the clients’ lives. The CSBBH program aims to assist youths dealing with problems that hinder their educational growth, function within their homes, and function within their community. This requires looking holistically at the clients and their environment to understand their behaviors and challenges better. To best serve the clients, it requires not only direct work with the clients but also the cooperation of those within their support network. My time with the clients has demonstrated the truth in the proverb “It takes a village to raise a child”.  

Working alongside the CSBBH team has allowed me to work directly with clients, assist in developing treatment plans, and learn more about the profession. I am beyond grateful to the team because they have given me plenty of opportunities to learn from their expertise. Lastly, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Roche Family Center for Career Development and the Psychology Department for granting me this opportunity. 

My-Kim Dang, Psychology

 

Over the past few months working at the Bucks County Public Defender’s Office, one of the most fulfilling parts of my experience has been learning from others. I have had the opportunity to seek advice from judges, experienced attorneys, and law school interns about being successful in the legal field. I have learned what motivates people and gained insights into various types of law, the LSAT, and strategies for being successful in law school. Without the guidance and reassurance that I have received from these individuals, I might not have gained such a valuable perspective on my career aspirations.   

Another rewarding aspect of my experiences was being able to observe how attorneys interact with clients and witnessing their success in court. I am so grateful for the opportunity to watch various trials and hearings, as shadowing has allowed me to see each attorney’s unique approach to criminal defense. Although it initially seemed daunting, the internship has left me feeling very enthusiastic about the prospect of litigating and making a difference in someone else’s life. 

The most challenging part has been hearing about the difficult circumstances that people have found themselves in. Despite the complexities of the criminal justice system, I have admired the ability of attorneys to remain empathetic and kind, while consistently putting forth their best efforts for indigent clients. Even with their heavy caseloads, I have met several experienced attorneys who have demonstrated a genuine concern for each client on top of achieving impressive results in short amounts of time. 

Chelsea Curran, Political Science

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  

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