UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — To complete the required internship for his bachelor’s degree in health policy and administration, Luke McClendon thought he would have to find time to work at a local hospital or travel to Pittsburgh, an hour away.
Finding extra time is no easy task for McClendon, 30, who, in addition to pursuing his degree online through Penn State World Campus, works 30 to 40 hours a week as a shift supervisor at Starbucks and is the father of two young sons.
McClendon was thrilled to learn about a new virtual internship program being offered by World Campus and was selected as one of its first crop of interns this fall. As an intern for the Alzheimer’s Association, he has worked on developing social media campaigns and increasing enrollment in a program that matches volunteers with research studies.
McClendon, who lives in Avella, near the West Virginia border, said his internship ties in well with his studies, and on occasion he has been able to join with local staff to participate in events such as the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
The 25 to 35 hours a week he spends on the internship is a challenge for him and his family, “but this is probably the way to minimize the strain the most,” he said. “This was a very fortuitous find.”