SPHHS Students Thrive in Summer Internships with Support from the Office of Career Planning
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SPHHS students thrived in their summer internships with support from the Office of Career Planning (OCP). The office awarded applicants, including rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors, along with 4+1 and MPH students, the Summer 26 Unpaid Internship and Summer 26 Unpaid Practicum Scholarships. Members from each group received $2,000 as a financial boost while they focused on an internship or practicum related to their career area of interest, major, or life goals.
Among the students the OCP awarded scholarships were MPH student Kayanna Franklin, rising senior Shakira Cadet, and rising junior Ella McTasney.
Kayanna Franklin is completing her practicum at UMass Center for Community Health Equity Research (CCHER) leading young learners in lessons and activities highlighting the various aspects of public health.
"I was excited by the opportunity to gain more hands-on experience with youth engagement, health education, and community-based programming while applying skills I had been developing throughout my MPH program," Franklin said.
Read more about Kayanna Franklin here.
Kinesiology major Shakira Cadet interned as a coach at UW Sports Ministry in Virginia, which builds community and faith through sports. In her role, Cadet travelled to different states to teach children ages 6-12 the sport of cheerleading. She said the OCP's Summer 26 Unpaid Internship Scholarship helped her get the most out of the experience.
"I was beyond grateful and relieved because I didn’t have to stress about where I would find the funds to help me with the internship I was doing. It helped with meals, transportation, and fully getting to experience different states without any worries," Cadet said.
Read more about Shakira Cadet here.
Nutrition major Ella McTasney spent her summer teaching kids about nature as an intern with the Hitchcock Center for the Environment in Amherst. McTasney already had strong ties with the group, which she volunteered with for the past year.
"My experience at UMass through the Experiential Learning Project run by Dr. Cordeiro has prepared me tremendously for this internship. I first volunteered for Hitchcock through the Experiential Learning Project, and this connection has proven to be invaluable," McTasney said.