Inside the Internship: Real-World Experience, Hartwick Style

Name: Dylan Dwyer ‘26

Hometown: Monroe-Woodbury, New York

Majors: Biology and Psychology

Minor: Chemistry

Internship Title: Medical Shadowing (Emerson Scholarship)

Internship Site: Barcelona, Spain (Hospital El Pilar and Hospital Universitari General de Catalunya)

What are your main responsibilities in this internship? I spoke with physicians of all sorts of specialties (general surgery, urology, oncology, cardiology, etc.) and was able to shadow them in action. I was in the room with patients and the doctor as they discussed their cancer prognosis and recent imaging results. I was shoulder-to-shoulder with a general surgeon as they pointed out different blood vessels and muscles in a patient’s neck during the removal of their tumor-occupied thyroid and surrounding lymph nodes. I was able to listen to a patient’s artificial heart via stethoscope and so much more cool stuff! As a pre-med student and as part of the Atlantis program, I made sure to follow Association of American Medical Colleges guidelines, which make clear that I have no active role in patient care. Nevertheless, I was still able to be fully engaged and present throughout my time shadowing.

Does this internship relate to your major, or is it an area you’re simply curious or passionate about? My experience abroad shadowing doctors directly relates to my goal of going to medical school and becoming a physician. More specifically, this opportunity gave me experiences in a range of medical fields, which have already helped me narrow down my choice for when I need to decide on my residency program towards the end of medical school. Additionally, my choice to pursue this experience abroad in Spain was very intentional. I was captivated by Spain’s geography, culture, language and history while studying abroad during my sophomore year through a J Term course and I wanted to return. While I have no direct goals of living or practicing in Spain, I am passionate about understanding outside culture and healthcare systems outside of the United States, which will undoubtedly aid me in my career as a physician.
What have you enjoyed most about this internship experience? I really enjoyed learning from experienced doctors and listening to patients. I also got to enjoy the area, people, and culture.
Has this internship helped confirm your career goals—or has it shifted your future plans in any way? This internship has further solidified my goal to be a doctor.

Advice you’d give to a fellow student about securing/engaging in an internship? Go for it! If you have an idea, there is a path and people to help you get there.

Name: Megan Bryla ‘26

Hometown: Endicott, New York

Majors: Environment, Sustainability & Society, French and Art

Internship Title: Riparian Buffer Steward

Internship Site: Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District

What are your main responsibilities in this internship? My main responsibilities at this internship include planting and monitoring trees, and maintaining buffer sites. Riparian buffers are the areas of vegetation by streams or other waterways, so the overall goal of my internship is to restore these areas. I also participate in community outreach events with the office.

Does this internship relate to your major, or is it an area you’re simply curious or passionate about? Yes, this internship relates to my Environment, Sustainability & Society major, which is also something I’m very passionate about.
What have you enjoyed most about this internship experience? One of my favorite parts of this internship is getting to see so much wildlife, from foxes and fawns to bald eagles and butterflies. I’ve also gotten to eat lunch by some beautiful places, by lots of creeks under willow trees.
Has this internship helped confirm your career goals—or has it shifted your future plans in any way? This internship has helped confirm my career goals by showing me what the field of conservation looks like. It’s also very encouraging to know that what I’m doing is making a difference.

Advice you’d give to a fellow student about securing/engaging in an internship? Be confident in what you’ve learned and open to learning new things on the job!

Name: Raven James ‘27

Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts

Majors: Psychology and Sociology

Minor: Social Work

Internship Title: Violence Intervention Program (VIP) Summer Intern

Internship Site: Opportunities for Otsego VIP

What are your main responsibilities in this internship? To shadow advocates as they provided services to clients. I would shadow intake calls for clients who wanted compensation for expenses that occurred due to abuse. This included attending court cases with advocates where their client had to testify to the abuse they’d suffered. I also had some responsibilities around the office. I designed social media posts and every intern has to create a “passion project.” My passion project was centered around hope and I came up with the idea of vision boards. This was a way for survivors to visualize the things they want in their lives that they didn’t think were attainable. Everyone was able to come to this event. To prepare, I had to create four separate social media posts, gather supplies, as well as print photo collages that people could add to their vision boards. 

Does this internship relate to your major, or is it an area you’re simply curious or passionate about? This internship is in the field of human services, which relates to both psychology and sociology, but leans more toward sociology. The advocates at the Violence Intervention Program are similar to social case workers, but they don’t hold a master’s degree in social work. They are trained to listen to survivors and direct them to the correct services. I am passionate about the human services field, especially as it relates to the livelihood of children and adults who need support. This organization allowed me to be on the giving side of support for families when I’d only seen this system from the receiving end.

What have you enjoyed most about this internship experience? I enjoyed being on the frontline and being able to provide support to those in immediate need. Clients would come into the office and I would hear what they were going through and empathize with them. That’s what I loved most about the VIP. No case was ever sheltered from me and they treated me as an equal instead of just an intern doing busy work. This organization made my summer worthwhile. Being able to laugh with clients as they were going through big life changes meant a lot to me, and I could see the relief and comfort on each client’s face. 

Has this internship helped confirm your career goals, or has it shifted your future plans in any way? It gave me a lot to think about. The way I interacted with clients made me take another look at pursuing a career in human services. Talking to clients face-to-face was my favorite part of this entire internship. This internship also makes me think about my interest in research and data. I can do both. I don’t have to choose one path: psychology and sociology go hand in hand. It’s important to understand both. 

Advice you’d give to a fellow student about securing/engaging in an internship? DO IT! It’s not just something to put on your resume. It’s real-world experience that you can get before going into your prospective career. Don’t go in blind. Test the waters and see where you are most comfortable. If you think of it as a chore, that’s what it’ll be. Treat your internship like it’s your job. Get up early, put effort into your appearance and SHOW UP! 

Name: Hannah Gilliand ‘27

Hometown: Trenton, Michigan

Majors: Criminal Justice and Political Science

Internship Title: Business Assistant (Baker Simpson Fellowship)

Internship Site: Boustead Apex in Singapore

What are your main responsibilities in this internship? I was the assistant to the CEO. I help organize the company’s files, assist with meeting scheduling, note-taking and preparing him before large conferences. 

Does this internship relate to your major, or is it an area you’re simply curious or passionate about? Although it doesn’t relate to my major, I believe financial literacy is something everyone should learn about. I was able to discover more about economics, trading and listing companies on stock markets, which helps inform me on how to invest myself!

What have you enjoyed most about this internship experience? Singapore, overall, is an amazing country. It’s very small and yet very innovative. My boss and coworkers made it a priority to show me around the country and have me try all of the local cultural dishes. 

Has this internship helped confirm your career goals, or has it shifted your future plans in any way? Being able to intern outside of my interests was extremely eye-opening. Although I want a career aligned with my majors, I realize that there are so many unique jobs and workplaces that I would love to be involved in as well. Having a more ‘liberal arts’ approach to my summer showed how beneficial a well-rounded education is. If I had done an internship within my major, that would have been fine, but being able to explore the world of business surrounded by experts was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.   

Advice you’d give to a fellow student about securing/engaging in an internship? Be honest and be curious. Companies want to help you and are invested in watching you grow. Ask questions to understand what is happening around you, even if it is intimidating. Diving straight into trying to understand financial lingo was not easy, but by being engaged and wanting to learn, my bosses helped me every step of the way until I understood everything they were saying. 

Name: Ireayooluwa Otoki ‘26

Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria

Major: Nursing

Internship Title: Nursing Assistant

Internship Site: Fresh Air Fund in Fishkill, New York

What are your main responsibilities in this internship? As a nursing assistant at the camp, I support camp nurses, monitor campers’ health and safety, and support infirmary operations. I assist with health checks, medication distribution, record-keeping and enforce infirmary policies. 

Does this internship relate to your major, or is it an area you’re simply curious or passionate about? This internship is directly related to my major. As a senior nursing student with only one year of college left, I was eager to experience a healthcare setting outside the hospital. After recently completing my pediatrics rotation this spring, I wanted to dive deeper into that world and see what it had to offer.

What have you enjoyed most about this internship experience? The way it has pushed me. Taking on this internship was a challenge. It was outside my comfort zone and any experience I had. Now, I can say that I have really enjoyed working here. The kids are amazing and their imagination and view of the world are remarkable. I have also gained more skills than I would have imagined. I have met great people with whom I have connected on many levels.
Has this internship helped confirm your career goals—or has it shifted your future plans in any way? This internship has confirmed my love for this profession. Nursing is really for me. While I’m still open to other specialties, I know that pediatrics is a good one.

Advice you’d give to a fellow student about securing/engaging in an internship?

Don’t just rely on your resume.’ Your voice is your biggest asset. Speak up for yourself, even when it feels intimidating. Take that leap into the unknown and immerse yourself in the experience. Document your journey and most importantly, have fun along the way.

Name: Grace Torto Asamoah ’26

Hometown: Kumasi, Ghana

Major: Public Health 

Minor: Healthcare Administration 

Internship Title: Student Assistant Intern

Internship Site: New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Oneonta District Office 

What are your main responsibilities in this internship? As a student assistant intern, I support the administrative and environmental health teams at the NYSDOH. My main responsibilities include organizing and filing health inspection records, scanning documents and naming each document appropriately within the department’s computer system. I also handle shredding documents that contain confidential or sensitive information to ensure privacy and data protection. These administrative tasks play an important role in supporting the Environmental Health Division’s day-to-day operations. 

Does this internship relate to your major, or is it an area you’re simply curious or passionate about? Yes, this internship closely relates to my public health major. It provides me with real-world experience in administrative functions that support environmental health and key areas in public health. It has allowed me to apply concepts I have learned in class.

What have you enjoyed most about this internship experience? What I have enjoyed most is working in a professional public health setting and understanding how the administrative side of environmental health contributes to community well-being. I have also appreciated the opportunity to observe how the department handles inspections, communications and documentation. The team has been supportive and their mentorship has made the experience even more valuable.

Has this internship helped confirm your career goals—or has it shifted your future plans in any way? This internship has definitely confirmed my interest in pursuing a career in public health, specifically in administration and epidemiology. It has also inspired me to consider roles that involve health data management. I now feel even more confident in my plans to pursue a master’s of public health degree after graduation.

Advice you’d give to a fellow student about securing/engaging in an internship? Take the initiative and don’t be afraid to reach out for opportunities even if they are outside of your zone. Internships are a great way to apply what you have learned in class and gain new skills. Use the resources available at Hartwick, like career services and faculty advisors, to help you find a good fit. Once you are in the role, treat it professionally and be open to learning from every task, no matter how small.

Hometown: Frisco, Texas

Majors: Psychology and Sociology

Minor: Criminal Justice

Internship Title: Research Assistant

Internship Site: Remote/ University of San Diego Public Health Department

What are your main responsibilities in this internship? Receiving training in qualitative research methods and scientific writing via weekly mentorship meetings. Assisting with data collection, including pilot testing interview guides, managing data and supporting transcription, conducting qualitative data analyses (e.g., coding and thematic analysis) focused on illicit substance use behaviors.

Does this internship relate to your major, or is it an area you’re simply curious or passionate about? It relates partially to my major, but it is a broader interest in learning about vulnerable populations, understanding the barriers and what the communities are like.

What have you enjoyed most about this internship experience? I have loved having the opportunity to truly get a broad understanding of what it is like to partake in research at every single step. But my absolute favorite part was the opportunity to go out to San Diego and get in-field experience to see what it’s like on the ground where the research was taking place and interact with both the target population and the organizations we have been working with throughout the entire experience.

Has this internship helped confirm your career goals—or has it shifted your future plans in any way? A bit of both. It has confirmed and strengthened my interest in research. It has sparked my interest in vulnerable populations and to try and unearth the truth behind stigmatized gazes and learn what is hurting these people.

If applicable, is your supervisor a Hartwick alum, or do you work closely with one? Yes. A Hartwick alum named Will Eger ‘19.

Advice you’d give to a fellow student about securing/engaging in an internship? Take every opportunity you hear, even if you think you’ll eventually get another chance later on. Put your name out there and be greedy for every job fair and every connection event. And talk to your department about anything they might know or be able to give you a chance on.

Name: Cassidy Miakisz ‘26

Hometown: Duanesburg, New York

Majors: Business Administration and Digital Marketing

Minor: Data Analytics

Internship Title: Marketing Sampler 

Internship Site: Pepsi-Cola of the Hudson Valley 

What are your main responsibilities in this internship? Sampling free products at local events, grocery stores and gas stations. Promoting the products and participating in marketing campaigns to engage consumers and boost sales for the company. 

Does this internship relate to your major, or is it an area you’re simply curious or passionate about? This internship has allowed me to explore opportunities in the marketing field, which aligns with my interests and correlates with one of my majors. 

What have you enjoyed most about this internship experience? Meeting new people and forming new connections that can help me achieve my future goals. I’ve also formed strong friendships with my coworkers.

Has this internship helped confirm your career goals-or has it shifted your future plans in any way? This internship has been a great experience for me. I would like to explore the digital side of marketing and gain more behind-the-scenes insight than the tasks included in this internship. 

Advice you’d give to a fellow student about securing/engaging in an internship? When looking for an internship, it is great to know people in the field in which you are looking. Networking is one of the most important things when it comes to your future career. Also, don’t be afraid to try things outside of your comfort zone. That’s how you learn about yourself and figure out what path you want to go down.