Sydney Burke & Abigail Rathman are seniors completing an internship at Celebration Villa of Exeter. Sydney is focusing on Nursing, while Abigail is focusing on Human Resources. Heather McCool, the Executive Director of Celebration Villa, says that the district's partnership with the assisted living facility has been advantageous to both organizations. "We have been so thankful for our relationship with Exeter... Two of our interns took positions with us and we couldn’t be more proud to have them as team members on board with us! This has also given our team the ability to learn how to mentor and lead others. Our company has a “Pathway to Promotion” program, and having students start with us through their internship is the perfect way for us to see the growth of people through this program. Thank you so much to Mr. Ricketts and ETSD for your partnership!"

Can you tell us a bit about what your plans are for after graduation? Have you selected a college and a major?
Sydney: After graduating I plan on attending college to study Nursing. I have my colleges narrowed down to three and hope to make a decision soon.

Abigail: I plan to attend a four-year at Bloomsburg University, with a plan to major in Business.

Can you tell us a bit about your internship? What does a typical day look like for you?
Sydney: A typical day would be to meet with Shirley, the Director of Nursing, and discuss the plan for the day. Usually I begin with taking vitals of residents and documenting the information to give to Shirley. In addition, I work with the residents on crafts, cooking or other activities. Finally, I have the opportunity daily to interview and talk with the residents to get to know them better.

Abigail: A typical day at Celebration Villa consists of me sitting at the front desk answering and transferring phone calls while I work on sorting through resident or potential applicant files. I often call applicants for over-the-phone interviews as our team is always-expanding and growing (especially with the introduction of the upcoming memory care unit)! While I work, I also greet anyone who walks in or leaves our facility in order to help create a warm, welcoming environment.

How did you select your internship? Did someone help you select it? Did you seek out the opportunity on your own? Were you asked to do the internship?
Sydney: Once I knew I wanted to study nursing, I knew an internship in this field would benefit me in college. I spoke with Mr. Ricketts who advised me about the opportunities on internships involving nursing, and the internship at Celebration Villa felt like the best fit.

Abigail: I found my HR internship through Mr. Ricketts’s internship website. I communicated my interest to Celebration Villa and traveled there for an interview. Afterward, they told me that they would love to have me join their team! I was also offered a job as a Dietary Aide, and have worked (in that capacity) since April 2023. My internship officially started in August of 2023, and I have enjoyed it every step of the way. I am so proud to be a part of the Celebration Villa family!

Do you think your internship is helping you feel more confident about your decision to go to college and pursue your major?
Sydney: Definitely! This opportunity to begin thinking about my future in nursing, and mentoring with the nurses made me realize the decision to go into nursing was the right one for me. Each day, as I get the chance to take on new responsibilities, I get more excited to enter the field of nursing.

Abigail: I think that my internship has affirmed my decision to pursue a business major in college. I have not yet decided if I want to go for Business Management or Marketing, but I have found that I really enjoy working in an office environment. I love conducting meetings and heading projects! I am unsure if I want to continue working in HR when I graduate because the hiring process can be monotonous, but I am definitely staying within the business world.

What do you like most about your internship? What do you like least?
Sydney: The part of the internship I like the most is the residents. I enjoy talking with them, doing activities and learning about their lives. The part I like the least is the limited interaction medically that I have; I look forward to being able to learn more as the internship progresses.

Abigail: My favorite part of my internship is completing employee satisfaction projects. I had the privilege to plan and host our staff's holiday party at the end of last year, which was a huge success! Just recently, my facility celebrated Caregiver Appreciation Week to spotlight all of our incredibly hardworking employees and the amazing work they do every single day. The residents of my facility and I created ‘Caregiver Survival Kit’ cards, and I decorated the break room bulletin board to help share the love! My least favorite part of my internship is reviewing applications on our hiring software. Sometimes I review and call applicants for days straight, which can become slightly tedious.

And finally, what would be your advice to a high school student who's thinking about Exeter's internship program?
Sydney: My advice is to definitely find a place and take the opportunity. This has been an amazing and eye-opening experience, and helped me solidify my decision to become a nurse.

Abigail: If you are someone who is considering the internship program, I would 100% go for it! I have learned and experienced so much in my time with Celebration Villa, and am always excited to show up to intern each day. Being able to have the opportunity to work in a real business setting has helped me gain more professionalism, improve my communication skills, and has made me more confident that I will be able to survive in the workforce.