Excellence in Education: Mon Health helps high school students with future careers

MORGANTOWN, W.Va (WDTV) - In this week’s Excellence in Education report sponsored by Davis & Elkins College, we are highlighting Mon Health System hosting local high school students for an internship program.

Mon Health System is hosting five local high school students as part of a partnership with the Education Alliance.

This is the first year for the high school internship program.

Emma Burns (Morgantown High School), Taylor Hart (University High School), Cheyenne Hoover (Preston High School), Michael McCombs (Doddridge County High School) and Kailynn Sinnett (Lincoln High School) were chosen from a pool of 22 applicants.

Students spend time every day working with different departments in Mon Health System, like administration, nursing units, and the emergency department. Each week, they take a trip to different locations within Mon Health.

On top of taking in the work environment, the students will be working on two capstone projects over the course of their 25-day internship. They will then present their projects to Mon Health employees.

Anna Sellaro, a college intern with the Human Resources office at Mon Health, says programs like this help give students a better idea of what their future could look like.

“You’re able to see and learn everything without the responsibility of having a job title. You’re just learning and able to ask any questions... so being an intern is a really crucial part to figuring out what you want to do with your career,” says Sellaro.

The internship program is also a way for Mon Health to give back to the community through preparing local teens for their careers.

Lotoya Henry-Ojugbana, system director of talent acquisition for Mon Health, says students can then take these lessons back to their peers.

“They’re able to take this back to their high school their senior years, their junior years, and share with their classmates what they’ve learned and help bring more awareness about what the workforce is all about,” says Henry-Ojugbana.

Although the program has not yet completed its inaugural run, which will conclude on July 28th, there is already hope to continue and expand it in the future.