Student Internship Stories
In the Career and Community Engagement Center, we believe in learning by doing. The Whitman Internship Grant (WIG) program provides students with invaluable hands-on experience across various industries, both in the U.S. and across the globe. In this series, we’ll share inspiring stories from students who have leveraged the WIG to explore work in tech startups, environmental organizations, art galleries, public health initiatives, and more. Discover how these internships are shaping students' futures and how you, too, can benefit from this incredible opportunity.
Finding Patterns in Complex Biology
Bassant Said ‘27 spent her summer conducting computational biology research at Johns Hopkins University. Through the internship, she explored how different types of data can be used together to investigate a complex and still poorly understood chronic pain condition.
August 18, 2026
Prevention and Response with Local Public Health
Finn Stukerjurgen ’29 spent his summer working at the Polk County Health Department in Des Moines, Iowa, for their Epidemiology and Emergency Preparedness teams. There he learned the skills and group dynamics to respond to public health emergencies and prevent them in the future.
August 17, 2026
Communicating Local History at the Ol’ Fort
Emmali Simmelink spent the summer as the Communications Intern at Fort Walla WallaMuseum, a local historical institution. She’s had many opportunities to learn about operations,media, and collections over the past few months/
August 17, 2026
Exploring Nature with Kids
A single mention of a day camp for kids on a local Walla Walla farm motivated Mairi Sessions ‘27 to ask the farm owner about their outdoor educator internship position. This summer, she led seven weeks of camps to encourage the campers’ confidence in the natural world and experience the impact of non-traditional learning spaces herself.
August 17, 2026
Filling Elementary Schools With Creativity And Color
Amy Charnholm ’27 recently had the opportunity to reach for new heights- quite literally- over twenty two feet in the air, elevated in a scissor lift when creating the largest mural yet of her portfolio, bringing her creative passions to local elementary schools in Independence, Oregon.
August 17, 2026
What Research Taught Me About Health Care
This summer, Brianna Garcia-Andrade ’27 gained hands-on research experience at an Oregon Health & Science laboratory studying barriers to health care for children living with autism. By interviewing participants, managing data and preparing survey mailings, she saw how research can shape better care.
August 17, 2026
Uncovering Stories From the Numbers
For Monyati Alsabbagh ’27, a corporate accounting internship has turned classroom concepts into real responsibilities. From posting residency invoices to analyzing purchasing trends, she is discovering how accounting can tell a story about an organization’s decisions and operations.
August 17, 2026
Stepping Into Veterinary Medicine
For Anneliese McCullum ‘29, a summer veterinary internship is providing an opportunity for her to put her interest in veterinary medicine to practice. Working alongside a veterinary team she is learning hands-on skills that have deepened her passion for animal care.
August 17, 2026
Kinematics at Cosmic Noon
Cassidy Novack's summer at the University of Texas at Austin
December 16, 2025