Co-Op: Stories from the Field is a series profiling the summer internship experiences of undergraduate students participating in Penn State Schuylkill Co-Op. Each series of stories is authored by a different Penn State Schuylkill student each year. The 2023 series was written by second-year student Kacey Harper, who is earning her degree in corporate communication.
Co-Op Stories: Tori Schnovel aims to be a difference maker in human services
Second-year Penn State Schuylkill student Tori Schnovel is majoring in psychology with a minor in human development and family studies. In this Co-Op story, Schnovel reflects on her first internship at the Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling Center (SARCC) in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, and how it aligns with her academic and professional goals, and provides her with valuable real-world experience.
Read Schnovel's Co-Op story here >
Co-Op Stories: Arrianna Perez finds her place in cybersecurity
Arrianna Perez, a second-year cybersecurity analytics and operations student at Penn State Schuylkill, has a passion for helping others that inspired her to pursue a degree and career path in cybersecurity.
Read Perez's Co-Op story here >
Co-Op Stories: Student nurse Brianna Muffley ready to embark in chosen field
Student nurse Brianna Muffley reflects on her first nursing externship at Lehigh Valley Health Network. In this Co-Op: Stories from the Field piece, Muffley emphasizes the role Penn State Schuylkill Co-Op has played in helping her secure this externship and improve her confidence in the workplace.
Read Muffley's Co-Op story here >
Co-Op Stories: Amanda Moyer channels passion for wildlife into internship
Through Amanda Moyer's summer internship at Red Creek Wildlife Center, she has helped rehabilitate native Pennsylvania species of wildlife and birds, including opossums, squirrels, cottontails, owls, robins, kestrels, eagles and more. A third-year Penn State Schuylkill student pursuing a business degree and biology minor, Moyer said she credits Penn State Schuylkill Co-Op with helping her secure this dream internship.
Read Moyer's Co-Op story here >
Co-Op Stories: For Liam Ortiz, hands-on cyber experience advances skills
After experiencing issues with malware on a personal computer, Liam Ortiz gained interest in the cybersecurity field. Now a third-year cybersecurity analytics and operations student at Penn State Schuylkill, Ortiz recently completed a summer internship with Penn State Schuylkill's Information Technology Services department and served as a Teaching and Learning with Technology coach.
Read Ortiz's Co-Op story here >
The 2022 series was written by Jontae Martin, who was a fourth-year Penn State Schuylkill student majoring in corporate communication and completing her summer internship in the campus’s Office of Strategic Communications during the time these stories were published.
Co-Op Stories: Ava Clauser gains international accounting experience, locally
Second-year Penn State Schuylkill student Ava Clauser is majoring in business with the accounting option. In this Penn State Schuylkill Co-Op story, Clauser explains how her internship with Cardinal Systems, Inc., helped solidify her choice to seek an education and career in accounting.
Read Clauser's Co-Op story here >
Co-Op Stories: Quon Banks diversifies skill set to expand opportunities
Third-year student Quon Banks is majoring in health policy and administration, a relatively new field of study that is increasingly critical in the modern health care landscape. In this co-op story, Banks explains how his internship with Reed Tech helped him understand the importance of being happy with his career choice.
Read Banks' Co-Op story here >
Co-Op Stories: Renee Paetzell inspired by geriatric health care internship
Second-year business student Renee Paetzell is a dedicated student who maintains a delicate balance between work and family life. As this Penn Stater completes her degree to better support her family, she also is gaining important workplace experiences through Penn State Schuylkill Co-Op, where she interned in geriatric health care this summer.
Read Paetzell's Co-Op story here >
The 2021 series was written by Courtney Weikel, who was a fourth-year Penn State Schuylkill student majoring in corporate communication and completing her summer internship in the campus’s Office of Strategic Communications during the time these stories were published.
Co-Op Stories: Poetic Session seizes potential with therapy center internship
Penn State Schuylkill second-year student Poetic Session found her perfect internship match at Gym-Jam Therapeutics, a therapy center serving individuals with autism and other special needs in Pottsville, Pa. Through her internship, Session has been able to get real-world working experience in her chosen field of psychology.
Read Session's Co-Op story here >
Co-Op Stories: Corinne Ellis’s internship highlights importance of networking
Corinne Ellis, a fourth-year Penn State Schuylkill student, is spending her summer in Washington, D.C., interning with the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association Organization. Through her experience, she has learned the power of networking and formed important connections with prominent leaders while furthering her knowledge in economics.
Read Ellis's Co-Op story here >
Co-Op Stories: Lucas Centola E Silva connects from Rio De Janeiro to San Diego
Lucas Centola E Silva is a second-year Penn State Schuylkill student from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, who landed a unique remote internship opportunity with Sizigi, an eportfolio company based in San Diego, California. Through this internship, he’s learning fundamental principles that will benefit him throughout his academic and post-graduation career.
Read Centola E Silva's Co-Op story here >
Co-Op Stories: Sean Duffy launches law enforcement journey with an internship
Sean Duffy, Penn State Schuylkill third-year student-athlete, finds internship with Bucks County District Attorney’s Office located in Doylestown, Pa., that will prepare him for his future in law enforcement. As an intern, Duffy has the experience of attending court trials, providing information to defense attorneys, and sharing his viewpoint on evidence that will be used in trials.
Read Duffy's Co-Op story here >
Co-Op Stories: Dominique Hughes strengthens internal communications at her internship
Third-year Penn State Schuylkill student Dominique Hughes is expanding her knowledge of internal communications through a summer internship with Independent Dock & Door. As part of her internship, Hughes developed a business-critical project intake form and helped plan an event to show appreciation to the company’s hard-working technicians.
Read Hughes's Co-Op story here >
Co-Op Stories: Carina Garcia gets big-city police experience through internship
Carina Garcia, a second-year criminal justice major at Penn State Schuylkill, secured an internship with the Houston Police Department this summer. She’s been accompanying officers on ride-alongs and helping with daily administrative tasks. A fluent Spanish speaker, Garcia also has served as a translator, helping bridge a communication divide between citizens and officers.