The ExcitED Team would like to reach out and share a recap of the second ExcitED summer.  Please see the details below:

• We had a total of 73 paid internship slots at 17 different host sites

  • Grew from 30 slots and 6 host sites

• Students earned a total of $63,200;

  • Grew from $38,650

• In addition to internships in the Biotechnology and Student Design fields, we added internships in business, marketing, and manufacturing

  • Student interns this year included students from the BCIT and Manufacturing programs
    

• Some of our hosts included:

  • The Uncommon Individual Foundation - Caruso Challenge : students took part in an entrepreneurial boot camp during which they identified a problem, tested their assumptions, and presented solutions.  Interns received three college credits for successful completion of the challenge.

  • Lampire Biological: students took part in a six-week experience during which they worked alongside professionals in a variety of departments at Lampire.  They learned a wide variety of Biotechnology techniques and had the opportunity to experience various aspects of the company.

  • Charles River Labs: students worked with various scientists at CRL and participated in the hands-on process of drug testing using animal models from beginning to end.

  • PSBR: three students worked with PSBR to develop educational outreach material focused on teaching elementary students about biomedical research.  The interns developed a Gamebook approach that PSBR will hopefully turn into a resource they offer to their audiences in the future.  

  • Align Precision: Students worked in high-precision metal manufacturing creating parts that go into all sorts of machines big and small. Some projects were government-related and were/are secret.   

  • Fox Chase Cancer Center: students worked in the Duy lab which conducts research on cancer and epigenetics

  • Doylestown Biotech Center’s Hep B Program: student interns worked in a variety of laboratories under the direct supervision of scientists at the center.  Their experience culminated in a final presentation that highlighted the research techniques they learned.

  • My Doll: student interns collaborated directly with MyDoll CEO and redesigned My Doll's Social Media Content Pillars, created a content calendar, recorded and edited content, and helped to secure their 1st beauty supply store contract in Sacramento, CA.

  • Red Door: student interns worked under the guidance of Tennent alumn Brendan Sherwood and co-created marketing content for several clients at RedDoor.

  • Pression: student interns worked alongside CEO Adam Salamon in order to improve the user interface for a portable external counterpulsation device created to treat the symptoms of intractable angina.  Our student interns got to work with several college interns in this experience.

    
    

• Feedback from our students was incredibly positive:

  • The internship 100% changed my career aspirations! At first, I knew I wanted to go into the healthcare field and had thought nurses doctors and physical therapists were the only options. This internship has made me change my mind and look into a career in biotech and research! (Tanzeela Rafe, Hep B Doylestown Biotech Center intern)

  • This internship really helped me get my foot in the door with a career in the lab. I would love to be in the lab in the future, and this internship helped me solidify that desire. (Adriana Fernandez, Charles River Labs)

  • This internship provided me with a clear understanding of what it's like to work in this field and fueled my desire to pursue a career in it. It was a truly inspiring experience that solidified my passion for this area. (Madina Khasanova, Lampire Biological)

  • I enjoyed getting first-hand experience at a company and since this is a startup company, I am glad I was able to form stronger connections with my coworkers rather than working at a larger company. I also enjoyed the creative freedom that came with this internship as I was able to make choices about the user interface and wasn’t told exactly what to do. (Nicole Irwin, Pression)

    
    

• Feedback from the host sites was very positive as well.  Site supervisors shared that our students were prepared, professional, and hard-working.  All of the host sites are willing to host students again this coming summer. Some students were hired after their internship as summer employees and some are working during the school year. 
  

• Moving forward

  • We have applied to present at the SAS Conference in December and have also been invited to sit in on a panel discussion.  We are in the process of creating an updated presentation;

  • We are in the process of creating marketing materials highlighting the summer experiences;

  • We are looking for additional partners and host sites for the upcoming summer;

  • We are strengthening our connections with various industry/educational professionals regarding the Genetics and Student Design Lab classes.  

    • This involves host site visits, guest speakers, and Zoom conferences.

  • We are creating paid internship opportunities for our students that happen during the school year;

  • We are continuing to work alongside Dr. Garbe at PSBR to enrich the Genetics and Biotechnology curriculum and expose students to high-level techniques including cell culture, protein identification, and more;

  • We are partnering with professionals from the Think company to continue iterating the curriculum and process of the Student Design Lab

  • We are looking for additional funding to extend paid internships for our students in years to come.

  • We continue to build our website/brand and share our stories on LinkedIn and IG.  

We are thrilled with the growth we saw this year as well as the quality of the internships and our interns' performance.  We look forward to improving and enhancing the program’s opportunities and experiences for our students.  We welcome questions and comments should you have any.

We hope everyone has a great school year!