DCCC student Lillian Yost at work in the lab at The Wistar Institute.

(Delaware and Chester Counties, PA)—Working in fields ranging from Science to Government to Manufacturing, more than 25 Delaware County Community College students gained invaluable experience this summer in fields related to their majors. The County of Delaware, Maguire Products, Russell Roofing, Trinity Property Consultants and The Wistar Institute are just a few of the places DCCC students could be found learning the ropes, thanks to internships facilitated by DCCC’s Student Employment Services & Co-Op Center, which offers a Cooperative Education & Internships Program. Through the internships, students can receive college credit and can be paid.

Engineering major Albano Balili had an internship with Maguire Products of Aston, where his duties included designing parts using Computer Aided Design software, assembling machines, and assisting with drying theory testing.

“I got to work closely with two great engineers who were very helpful and taught me a lot about certain aspects of the engineering profession,” he said. “It positions me very well for future career and education plans because I have received hands-on experience, I’ve worked with individuals who do great work, and I have a much better understanding of what I can expect as a future engineer.”  

Kadiatou Balde, a Computer Science major, interned at the County of Delaware in Media. “I enjoyed gaining hands-on experience with real IT issues and learning how to troubleshoot effectively,” she said. Her duties included setting up and configuring computers, updating software, and taking part in projects with the IT team. “My internship gave me practical experience working in a professional IT department, which will support both my future studies and my goal of pursuing a career as a cloud architect or engineer.”

Six other DCCC students did internships with the County of Delaware, including Cybersecurity majors Khadidiato Diallo, Elizabeth Dada and Asavir Khan, Computer Information Systems major Gianni Christian, Accounting major Diego Garcia-Cintora and Communication major Paulina Jaus. Jaus served as communications and public affairs intern for the County, a job that included public speaking, media relations, data analytics and constituent services. Things went so well that the County offered her a part-time position for the academic year.

“My internship through DCCC has given me a much larger perspective and understanding of the possibilities that I can achieve on my path to earning my degree,” Jaus said. “I can focus on how my personal interests and strengths can align with a future career.”

Mathematics and Natural Sciences major Eden VanDyke was one of five DCCC students who took part in The Wistar Institute’s Biomedical Technician Training Program (BTT), a paid, credit-earning, 12-week pre-apprenticeship program. Wistar is the Philadelphia-based global leader in biomedical research with special expertise in cancer, immunology, infectious disease and vaccine development. “The BTT program—to which my DCCC professors encouraged me to apply—gave me the opportunity to experience firsthand what it is like to work in both academic and industry job settings,” VanDyke said. Joining VanDyke as interns at Wistar were fellow DCCC STEM majors Daniel Tien, Kyle Hocevar, Leila Nair and Lillian Yost.

Other local organizations employing DCCC students as interns this past summer were Crystal Bailey Productions, Llanerch Country Club, Plum Catering, Chester County Housing Authority, 250America and Collegium Charter. More information on internships available through DCCC can be found at dccc.edu/coop.