by Ellie Prather ‘15
Child and Family Studies Major, Health and Wellness Minor
During Summer 2014, I was accepted into the Boston University Summer Study Internship Program in the Public Health and Social Policy Track. This unforgettable opportunity provided me with eight college credits and guided me to my internship placement at Medically Induced Trauma Support Services, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting patients, families and clinicians who have been involved in medical error. The experience exceeded my expectations as I was subjected to such a prominent yet undervalued issue, and was surrounded by inspirational people striving for a safer and more transparent healthcare system.
Having the opportunity to be a member of this team motivated me to be an agent of change. In addition to my incredible internship experience I have been lucky enough to be a research assistant for Project Ethics, a study taking place on campus about the inclusion of adults with intellectual disabilities in research. This has shown me how research unfolds and the amount of work that goes into producing results that could affect people’s lives for the better. As the president and founder of the student organization, Protect Our Breasts, I have had the opportunity to educate my community on breast cancer prevention while strengthening my leadership skills and truly understanding the importance and power of teamwork. This work in conjunction with my Child and Family Studies, and Health and Wellness coursework has showed me first-hand how the education I have been receiving plays out in the real world context. I am grateful for the major and minor that I chose because knowing how children and families function on community, national and global levels, and how health and wellness tie into that has not only been beneficial for me in a professional sense and towards my career outlook but for me personally as a growing individual.
Courses like Child and Families in the Healthcare Setting, and Sport and Human Development opened my eyes to potential careers. Prosocial and Moral Development was another important course for me because it taught me valuable lessons about human nature, inspired me to be a better person and looked at development from an incredibly unique perspective. I thank SU and Falk College for the endless resources and opportunities and look forward to taking the experiences and education with me to implement in my career. Syracuse has formed me into an incredibly motivated individual and I pride myself in how career driven I have become. After graduation, I plan to be working in the field of health improvement, whether that be large scale or community level work.