Twenty-three Presbyterian College students and new alumni were awarded Outstanding Intern Awards by the Office of Career Development and Student Success. The 23 students who received this award represent less than 20% of students who completed an internship during the 2015-2016 academic year.

These students demonstrated excellence in more than one of the following during their internship: career development and planning leading up to the internship; workplace accomplishment and excellence verified by an employer evaluation; strong written reflection and discussion of campus-wide common learning topics; and demonstration of having accomplished the learning goal outcomes established for the specific internship. Each student was evaluated based on the criteria by faculty intern advisors, employers, and the internship program staff.

The students are Nicole Alleva, Clinton Animal Hospital; Matthew Andrews, Disney College Program; Ryan Blake, SLED Forensics; Hillari Cantrell, Adair Apothecary; Ethan Casey, Surgical Observation at Laurens County Memorial Hospital; Jillian Collier, Thomason Library Reference; Allison Cooke, Office of Marketing and Communications and Dr. Terry Barr Authorship Promotion; Staci Ernandez, Hometown Pediatrics; Courtney Griffin, Gateway Chiropractic Management; Rachel Grosick, Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy Research; Sara Walden Hanna, Functional Pathway Speech; Frances Hattink, Griffith Interior Design; Meredith Hightower, Hampton Inn Hospitality Management; Olivia Inman, Laurens County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Administration; Lauren Mahon, euphoria Event Marketing; Kia Mattison, Greenville Health System Kidnetics Pediatric PT; Reid McCandless, Video Production; Hayley Potter, Republican Political Party; Sidney Ronzulli, PAWS; Morgan Rowden, Dogwood Alliance Conservation; John Suber, Mahon & Ryan Personal Finance; Thomas Valente, Palmetto Bone and Joint; and Christen Van Hoy, Advanced Family Medicine.

For the past nine years, PC has had a campus-wide internship program which took form by growing previously existing internship programs from several academic areas. In its current model, the program has built a strong history of students completing internships on campus, in the local community, and around the world, as part of their academic program. Over 50% of all graduating students complete at least one internship for academic credit.

Across the board, these students report having incredible experiences through their internships. “Interning with the South Carolina GOP was an amazing experience,” said Hayley Potter ’16, a recent graduate of the College. “During my time there, I had the opportunity to volunteer at two national presidential debates, attend media filing for the South Carolina primary, and help with the Silver Elephant and State Convention. My internship not only gave me real world experience, but was also eye-opening to the important role state parties play in the promotion of political knowledge, information, and efficacy in American democracy.”

Staci Ernandez, an intern for Hometown Pediatrics, said, “Throughout the progression of my internship, I was able to learn, witness, and reinforce a wide variety of things from the doctors, nurses, and patients at Hometown Pediatrics. I am mostly thankful for being presented with the opportunity to achieve these learning objectives that helped me to form the essential foundation necessary to build myself as a future medical professional.”

The accomplishments of these students demonstrate how internships can help students gain professional work experience and build networks in order to become competitive job seekers. “My internship put me way outside of my comfort zone and asked me to do a lot of public speaking through petitioning in the local community, speaking before the Laurens County council, and hosting a public meeting for a group of 50+ local residents. Internships are an opportunity for you to try something new. By challenging yourself in areas that you may not be the most comfortable in, you are allowing yourself room to grow and improve with practice.”

Presbyterian College is located on a striking 240-acre campus in Clinton, between Columbia and Greenville, S.C. Offering challenging academics and a culture of honor, ethics, and service that prepares students to be leaders in communities, PC offers its students the benefit of engaging with an exceptional faculty who take individual interest in their students’ well-being, both personally and in the classroom. The Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy opened in 2010, and is dedicated to the ideals of leadership, honor to the profession, and service to the community. For more information about Presbyterian College, visit www.presby.edu.