Students gain real-world experience with summer 2025 internships

Numerous McDaniel College undergraduate students gained real-world experience by participating in summer 2025 internships. 

Internships and other experiential learning opportunities, such as study abroad, student-faculty research, and independent study, are key elements of the My Experience component of the college's signature McDaniel Commitment. 

The McDaniel Commitment is a guarantee for all students during their time at McDaniel and is supported by the Center for Experience and Opportunity, McDaniel's one-stop shop that focuses on experiential learning and career development.

Through the McDaniel Commitment, a team of mentors helps students construct and tailor their personal educational path. The McDaniel Commitment is comprised of four components that are embedded within the college's general education curriculum: My Place, My Design, My Experience, and My Career.

Read more about the various experiences of our students: 

Ariana Psathas, a sophomore Social Work major from Baltimore, interned at Rising Above Behavioral Health Services, a behavioral and addiction recovery-based program that offers residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient services. Psathas was hired to continue in a brand new full-time position after completion of the internship.

Zach Olvey, a junior Biology major from Columbus, Ohio, worked as an intern zookeeper at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, assisting the zookeepers in tasks such as habitat maintenance, animal care, and guest interactions.

Jamara Taylor, a senior Psychology major from Glen Burnie, Maryland, interned at the Department of Juvenile Services for Howard County in Ellicott City, Maryland, shadowing a wide range of skills and jobs within the department.

Nicholas Griffin, a junior Computer Science major from Sykesville, Maryland, interned at Adventure Web Digital as a web developer, updating and assisting in the development of websites for clients.

Ryan Shaffer, a sophomore Criminal Justice major from Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, interned as a private investigator with PhotoFax, a national leader in private investigations based in Hampshire, Illinois.

Alexis Keller-Posen, a junior Kinesiology major from Nottingham, Maryland, interned with Fx Physical Therapy to gain exposure to the physical therapy profession. Keller-Posen evaluated and treated patients while shadowing a Doctor of Physical Therapy and observed many different treatment techniques.

Marcus Kershaw, who plans to work in human resources or hospital management after graduation, interned at MS Family Medicine as a patient care coordinator. Kershaw is a sophomore Communication major from West Hempstead, New York.

Tony Miller, a senior Business Administration major from Pasadena, Maryland, was a field marketing intern with Western & Southern Life, where Miller assisted with marketing campaign development and execution, coordinated projects and reporting, collaborated with sales teams to align regional efforts, and supported branding initiatives.

August Jankowski, a senior Art major from Clarksburg, Maryland, interned with Caprock Creative, LLC, as a graphic design assistant. During the internship, Jankowski worked alongside a small team and learned how companies develop their branding by contributing to logo designs.

Zachary Gaeta, a junior Marketing major from Baltimore, worked for Xposure Sports as a social media marketing intern. Gaeta assisted with curating content, creating posts and advertisements for their social media platforms, as well as onsite work with data analytics focused on baseball metrics.

Terrin Bergschneider, a senior Cinema major from Hagerstown, Maryland, interned with Authentic Community Theatre (ACT) in Hagerstown, Maryland. As an intern, Bergschneider did photography, videography, graphic design, and video editing work to help promote ACT shows.

Kailey Young, a senior Health Sciences major from Ellicott City, Maryland, interned with Way2Grow Frederick, working closely with occupational therapists and some speech-language pathologists. 

Carl McLamb, a senior Accounting and Business Administration major from Baltimore, interned with the University of Maryland Medical System. McLamb was a finance intern as part of the inventory team and is continuing the internship with the grants and funds team.

Sam Fadel, a senior Kinesiology major from Brooklyn, New York, interned with Rockawave Volleyball Training as a coach for both beach and indoor volleyball, directly applying what Fadel learned in sports coaching and management classes at McDaniel. “I created practice plans, facilitated various drills, as well as fostered a positive learning environment for the athletes. I also collaborated with and learned from other coaches in the club,” said Fadel. In addition, Fadel attended the 2025 Girls Junior National Championship in Dallas, Texas.

Micah Hagander, a sophomore Health Sciences major from Stafford, Virginia, interned with Embry Mill Physical Therapy, shadowing the lead physical therapist. 

Trent Hillis, a junior Criminal Justice major from Sykesville, Maryland, interned with the Sykesville Police Department, helping to assist with the daily operations of the department, supporting administrative tasks, and gaining firsthand experience in law enforcement procedures. Hillis also helped represent the department at festivals, the Torch Run for Special Olympics, and National Night Out.

Kai DePollar, a sophomore Economics, Business Administration, and Marketing major from Laurel, Maryland, was a social media and administrative intern for Duckstew Fashion, LLC, supporting the brand founder with daily business and creative tasks. DePollar assisted with the Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok accounts by planning and scheduling content, engaging with followers, and researching current trends and hashtags. He also provided email and customer service support.

Peyton Viggiano, a junior Kinesiology and Health Sciences major from Brick, New Jersey, worked as a physical therapy aide at AccuCare Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, helping patients and supporting the therapists. “It was a great opportunity to be involved in patient care and get a better understanding of how physical therapy works in a real-world setting,” Viggiano said.

Brendan Glaser, a sophomore Communication major from Rockville, Maryland, interned with Koa Sports as an operations and marketing intern. Glaser worked on a variety of marketing and operations materials, including writing weekly newsletters, photographing camp activities, and assisting with paperwork for camp enrollments.

Ellie McGinty, a junior Psychology major from Collegeville, Pennsylvania, completed an internship at Hoffman Homes for Youth, a nonprofit residential treatment program that provides mental health services, education, and therapeutic support for children and adolescents, based in Adams County, Pennsylvania. There, McGinty worked directly with youth ages 12–17 and supported the staff, assisted with daily activities, observed therapy sessions, and built meaningful connections with the residents.

“This internship gave me the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience in the field of psychology while learning how to support and encourage young people facing unique challenges,” said McGinty.