Other

Grantee Name

Health Career Connection, Inc.

Funding Area

Other

Publication Date

September 2015

Grant Amount

$32,500

Grant Date:

March 2014 – March 2015

Health Career Connection, Inc., (HCC) is a national nonprofit organization that provides undergraduate students from under-represented or disadvantaged backgrounds with internship placements at health care and public health organizations.

The majority of students recruited by HCC are first-generation college students who come from low-income families and communities with limited resources and networks. Ultimately, HCC seeks to improve the health of populations by motivating and developing values-driven, capable, and diverse leaders with an interest in public health.

In 2014, NYHealth awarded HCC a grant to support five 10-week summer internships, including two internships hosted at NYHealth.

Outcomes and Lessons Learned

  • Matched interns with Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, New York Immigration Coalition, Henry Street Settlement, and NYHealth;
  • Connected interns to seminars, site visits, and mentors and role models to help them explore career possibilities and gain a perspective on how health organizations operate; and
  • Provided alumni network support and connections.

Three of the five interns were offered extensions to their internships, with two staying on for the year and one declining to return to school instead. Interns reported that they are better prepared to choose a well-suited health career path and developed important relationships for their professional growth.