The Senior Project program at Holy Cross is three weeks at the end of senior year for LOTAs to participate in an internship to prepare them for work life. The class of 2024 applied for their placements in the fall and then in May experienced a wide variety of internships where they were able to see how people work in their daily lives.
Seniors, like DeAirra Williams, went to local places to learn more about their potential careers. Williams did her internship at the University of the District of Columbia where she worked with several scientists.
“I worked with them doing soil and water testing while learning about the importance of keeping a data sheet and using machines such as the ICP-MA, turbidity, and PH,” WIlliams explained.
Fellow senior Samaa Afoke is interested in public health and also did her internship locally.
“I went to the Office of the County Executive in Prince George’s County. I interned under the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Health, Human Services, and Education,” Afoke described.
Millie Durbin is the director of the senior project. Durbin believes that the project gives students experiences that they will need for their future. The seniors end school early to have time to do their internships, so their days are fully dedicated to working.
“I think they gain a sense of responsibility, getting up, going to work every day, reporting to someone,” Durbin remarked
During the internships, seniors are able to explore subjects they are interested in or are going to study in college. Williams will be attending La Salle University in the fall where she will be studying biochemistry.
“My passion is to become an epidemiologist because I want to better the diseases in soil in order to better the nutrients in our food,” Williams said.
The internships are meant to prepare seniors for college and their jobs. They learn new skills and get to adapt to an environment that they might have not been used to before. It also helps seniors gain confidence in a work environment.
“I enjoyed my experience and it provided me with a lot of insight into what public health officials do on a day to day basis,”Afoke shared. “My experience also exposed me to public health literature that’s similar to what I’ll be studying in college.”
Williams also had an enjoyable experience. She felt it was an amazing and eye-opening experience while also being able to learn about something she is passionate about.
“I feel as though I’ve gotten a head start in the lab and have a better understanding of the tools and science involved in the lab,” Williams added.
Senior Project also helps seniors who are unsure or hesitant about what they want in the future. They may decide to do their internships in a field that they are questioning whether to major in.
“It may be something that they’re thinking about majoring in in college but they’re not really sure,” Durbin explained. “This will kind of let them know that ‘yes this is something that I want to do’ or ‘no absolutely not, I don’t want to do this.’”
Afoke will be studying public health in the fall at George Washington University. Her internship helped her learn more about her career.
“I think that my internship prepared me for the future by demonstrating what a career in public health could look like for me. This internship has made me even more excited about public health,” Afoke concluded.
