By Ava Swearingen, student writer
Intro
For many University students, summer offers an opportunity to relax and slow down between semesters. For others, this is the prime opportunity for a summer internship. Internships provide students with a valuable stepping stone toward their future careers. For many ambitious Harding students, summers are spent researching, learning, and gaining experience in their chosen field. These students return to campus equipped with knowledge, confidence, and excitement as they embark on the next steps of their education.
Chidinma Otuechre
Chidinma Otuechre is a third-year graduate student in the Pharmacy program (PharmD/MSIS). This summer, she made her way to Baltimore, Maryland for the Johns Hopkins Pharmacy Summer internship program. There, she spent the following nine weeks conducting research, completing independent project work, and preparing for upcoming presentations. From meetings to professional development sessions to shadowing experiences, Otuechre was able to grow alongside the current pharmaceutical field, in the middle of the action. In fact, Otuechre got to be directly involved in two projects that continued supporting the pharmacy team after her internship was over. The experience reaffirmed Outechre’s career path. “It further confirmed my interest in combining pharmacy, data analytics, project management, and medication access,” she said. “There is no single route into the pharmaceutical industry.” This time also reinforced the value of a Harding education. Everywhere she went, she met people, students and pharmacists alike, with Harding connections. Now, she returns from this adventure rejuvenated in her educational pursuits and ready to become a leader in her field.
Cooper Manning 
Cooper Manning is a senior psychology major. He spent his summer with HopeWorks, a ministry group based in Memphis. HopeWorks is a faith-based nonprofit organization that provides various services and educational opportunities to aid the impoverished community in the city. Manning, having grown up in Memphis, was no stranger to this ministry. During intersession this year, Manning was a student in Harding’s urban ministry course, Ministry in the City. As part of the experience, the group was able to visit one of the HopeWorks classes at the prison. Manning took this time to gather contact information, and within the next few days, he was accepted for an internship. Manning was primarily connected to the Forgiveness House, a rehabilitation facility for men who just got out of prison. There, he assisted in leading Bible studies and counseling sessions. He experienced the value of being part of someone’s support system daily. As Manning looks forward to a career as a mental health counselor, he considers all that he learned this summer. “The programs that HopeWorks offer provide hope for change – hope that anyone can change,” he said. “The foundational principles that HopeWorks leans on are essential to my future career. My job is not to judge, but to guide.” Manning jumps back into his education this fall with a deeper understanding of his role, better equipped to love people through the hardest parts of life.
Nathan Thomas
Nathan Thomas is a junior pursuing a double major in Film and Media Production and Theological Studies. This summer, he went all the way to Washington, D.C., where he interned at the White House. Thomas learned about this compelling opportunity when he visited the White House on a tour last year. He sent in an application, not really expecting to be offered the internship. However, he soon found himself hard at work in one of the most significant buildings in the country. Thomas’ days consisted of editing short-form content, designing engaging social media graphics to support digital campaigns across multiple platforms, contributing to social media strategy, assisting in the production of cohesive digital content, and more. When reminiscing on the impact this summer had on him, Thomas said, “I felt like I was part of something truly meaningful. I got to do what I love, which is video editing, for a huge audience.” Getting to be in the nation’s capital during the country’s 250th anniversary didn’t hurt his experience, either. Thomas returns to campus with the confidence that anything is possible. The doors that feel perpetually closed might just open if you’re brave enough to knock.
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