High-impact learning takes many forms, the chief of which are internships. From summer programs to longer-term academic credit opportunities, internships provide invaluable real-world experience. They also enhance employability and career prospects.
Studies show that internships—paid or unpaid, virtual or in-person—facilitate post-graduate success.
Here are a few such stories from members of the Class of 2025:
Soaring to New Heights
“I’m excited to apply my skills to real-world problems,” says Allyson Almeida ’25, a former National Grid intern who has a job offer from the satellite communications company Iridium.
Allyson Almeida ’25 is well grounded for someone with her head in the clouds. While interning at National Grid, she helped the energy company obtain a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) waiver.
These kinds of documents permit drone operations to occur beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS)—crucial for the inspection and maintenance of hard-to-reach, overhead transmission lines.
“It was great being part of a team, doing something I’m passionate about,” recalls the New Jersey native, who is based in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS).
At National Grid, Almeida became a certified remote pilot while making strategic connections at the FAA. She also mastered the BVLOS waiver process, which is notoriously complex.
“The waiver lays out every aspect of a drone mission according to industry standards,” says Almeida, an aerospace engineering major who has a job offer from the global satellite communications company Iridium. “I’m excited to apply my skills to real-world problems.”
Pursuing Her Passion
Tara Cuddihee ’25, who has interned in Syracuse and Chicago, is enrolling in Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
Wheaton, Illinois, is less than an hour’s drive to downtown Chicago. But for Windy City suburbanite Tara Cuddihee ’25, it’s a journey that’s included a four-year stopover in Syracuse.
A health and exercise science major, Cuddihee enrolls this fall in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Northwestern University. The program is part of Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine in the heart of Chicago’s business district.
“I’m excited to apply my passion for research, patient-care advancements and human movement,” says the Wheaton native, who is a member of Feinberg’s centennial class.
Cuddihee attributes her med school acceptance to “impactful” internships through the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. She’s interned this past year at SUNY Upstate Medical University’s Institute for Human Performance, conducting gait analysis of people with cerebral palsy (CP).
But it was an internship at Chicago’s Shirley Ryan AbilityLab that sparked Cuddihee’s interest in CP and other neurological disorders. The experience was admittedly a departure from her previous stint at the Syracuse VA Medical Center, focusing on physical therapy.
“Syracuse has brought me joy that I had never anticipated,” Cuddihee continues. “Now I’m sharing that excitement with people who need it most.”
Strengthening Her Skills
“I have a passion for medicine,” says Shelby Fenton ’25, G’26, who interns at St. Mary’s Hospital and Healthcare Network in eastern New York.
Shelby Fenton ’25, G’26 is a testament to the power of accelerated learning. In May, she graduates from Falk College with a bachelor’s degree in public health—part of a five-year, combined degree program culminating in an MPH. Fenton is on track to finish a year early.
“I’m getting a jump on med school,” says the native of Amsterdam, New York. “I’m interested in both the science and practice of public health.”
Amsterdam figures prominently in Fenton’s academic career, which has included internships at St. Mary’s Hospital and Healthcare Network. Currently a patient care technician at St. Mary’s, she’s used one of her internships there to implement Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiatives.
“I have a passion for medicine,” says Fenton, who also has volunteered at Global Medical Brigades and SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital. “My internships have strengthened my leadership, problem-solving and patient advocacy skills.”
Fenton lauds Syracuse University for its social justice approach to public health. She’s fiercely committed to wiping out health inequities while finding ways for physicians and public health practitioners to collaborate more effectively.
“Public health involves diverse voices, experiences and perspectives,” Fenton observes. “I’m honored to see some of my ideas already take shape within hospital policy.”
Engineering a Legacy
Eager to help “fix the climate crisis,” Andrew Vanderwege ’25 is pursuing a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering.
Attending Syracuse University is a family affair for Andrew Vanderwege, a senior majoring in environmental engineering (EE). He and his brother, John ’27 (also an EE major), along with their parents, Maureen ’97 and Mike ’96, are card-carrying members of ECS.
Vanderwege became interested in “fixing the climate crisis” at a young age. This led to his enrollment at ECS, where he’s been exposed to the “world of academic research” and to new battery and fuel cell technologies.
In addition to working in various labs, like the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, Vanderwege has interned at Ramboll, a global architecture, engineering and consulting firm with offices in Syracuse.
“Ramboll introduced me to the industry side of environmental engineering. It also reinforced my interest in [developing] engineering solutions to solve the climate crisis,” says Vanderwege, who minors in electrical engineering and energy systems in ECS and mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Western New York native is excited to continue honing his technical design skills. The 2024 recipient of the Samuel Brundage Scholarship Award from the Alumni Club of Rochester, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. “There’s so much I still want to learn.”
For more information about internships, visit Syracuse University Career Services.
