Summer of Success: Stories from Chatham Interns

Written by: Grace Conde, Assistant Director of Experiential Learning | Reviewed by Hannah Su Hepler, Director of Career Development 

Many Chatham students spent this past summer semester completing an internship. These internships allow students the chance to engage with future careers paths and explore their interests outside of the classroom. Students find that this experiential learning can often solidify their future professional choices, and are extremely useful in preparing them to continue building their skillset and knowledge.  

Sofia Pinto at Yipao Coffee

Sofia Pinto is going into her Senior year here at Chatham and spent this past summer interning at Yipao Coffee, a Columbian coffee company based in San Diego. Rooted in her heritage, Sofia explained she was “drawn to this internship because it allowed me to combine my Colombian roots with my academic interests in marketing and psychology”. She was also able to use her internship to “[promote] the important work of Colombian coffee farmers, especially women in the industry, who are often overlooked”. 

Her projects over the course of her internship included restructuring the company’s loyalty program, the Yipao Fans Club, and creating strategies for social media and in-store engagement. “Observing customers in two different stores and tracking how they interacted with products gave me insights you simply can’t replicate in a classroom” she said. “I learned how to balance a brand’s cultural narrative with the practical aspects of marketing such as promotions and customer loyalty programs”.  

Sofia said that one of the biggest challenges she found over the course of her internship was “finding ways to design marketing strategies that respected the authenticity of Colombian coffee culture while also appealing to American consumers”. She had to balance many different cultural perspectives, a challenge that strengthened her skills in marketing and reinforced her passion for connecting culture with consumer psychology. 

Reflecting, Sofia noted how “I felt it was an opportunity to give back to my culture while also gaining professional experience. I also challenged negative stereotypes about Latinos and Colombians, and I was able to showcase who we are through coffee, which is something that connects people.”  

Her advice to future interns? “Don't be afraid to accept an internship that feels new or outside your comfort zone. The best learning happens when you're faced with situations you haven't studied in class. Often, the idea of ​​internships is daunting, and you feel unprepared, but often you need that push to believe in yourself, your abilities, and speak your mind.” 

Bella Bruno at Concord Hospital

Bella Bruno spent her summer interning in the Interventional Radiology (IR) department at Concord Hospital in New Hampshire. Bella is a Junior at Chatham University studying Biology. She explained that she was “drawn to this internship because of my interest in procedural medicine and the unique role that interventional radiology plays in bridging imaging with patient treatment”.  

Bella described how her role as an intern at the Concord Hospital consisted of “shadowing physician assistants and physicians, while also engaging directly in patient rounds, imaging reviews, and observing a wide range of procedures”. She described how she “also spent time in the ultrasound and CT departments, learning how diagnostic imaging guides clinical decisions and patient care”. This was influential because she was able to “see firsthand how teamwork between providers impacts patient outcomes”.

Throughout the internship, she found that she was able to develop skills that reach far beyond the classroom, and explained how “the procedure room taught me how critical communication, adaptability, and precision are in real time”. She further noted how her work allowed her to “[gain] a deeper appreciation for how imaging translates directly into clinical interventions, something that’s difficult to fully grasp in the classroom”.  

Adapting to such a specialized environment was not without its obstacles, and Bella explained how her biggest challenge was “stepping into such a fast-paced and advanced environment where everything was new to me at first”. She pushed herself to engage, and “found that the providers were very willing to explain and involve me”. This internship has been very influential in her future plans, and Bella explained her experience as an intern “confirmed my desire to pursue a career as a physician assistant [and] gave me a clear picture of the kind of environment where I see myself thriving in the future”.

Her advice to future interns? “Go in with an open mind and a willingness to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to admit when you don’t understand something—internships are the perfect place to learn. The more engaged you are, the more rewarding the experience will be”.

These reflections highlight the importance of experiential learning at Chatham University for gaining confidence and clarity in their future career paths. Going into these experiences with an open mind and being willing to engage and question, even in situations that are new or unknown, is often the strongest tool for success. Internships are a chance to explore and to discover, and making mistakes is an inevitable part of the process. Both of these stories illustrate the ways that students can find deeper connection throughout their internship, and how they can often provide clarity about your own future profession or journey.

We are so proud of both Sofia and Bella for their achievements at their internships this summer and wish them continued success!