Professional Venture
Scholars spend their fourth summer interning in any industry or field they choose, exploring possible career paths and gaining firsthand work experience. Scholars have interned in corporate, government, non-profit, and faith-based organizations in the United States and around the world. As the capstone experience in the Summer Enrichment journey, the Professional Venture summer is designed to help scholars build upon the skills they’ve learned during their three years in the Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program and prepare for their future careers.
Scholar Experiences
Dan Courtney, Class of 2015
Civil Engineering Intern at McMahon & Mann Consulting Engineers, P.C. - Buffalo, NY
“As a McMahon & Mann intern, I gained both geotechnical engineering experience as well as experience working on public infrastructure projects. I saw the many ways that government is involved in public infrastructure projects to fulfill their most basic roles: keeping the general public safe, creating access to markets, and providing basic services like clean water and sanitation….Most importantly, I have seen firsthand how well-designed infrastructure can enhance the lives of the residents who use it, for recreation, travel, sanitation, and daily life.”
Nicole Sganga, Class of 2015
Winner of the New York Times “Win a Trip with Nick Kristof” Contest - New York and Myanmar
“Reporting alongside Nicholas Kristof for the New York Times was an indescribable adventure, filled with rare encounters and fascinating interviews. I spent three weeks on the ground covering an ethnic conflict and humanitarian crisis in Western Burma — one that’s putting Muslims in 21st century concentration camps. My experience documenting these tragic events taught me so much about the responsibility that comes with storytelling. As a journalist and a Hesburgh-Yusko scholar, it is not enough for me to simply search out and report the truth. My reporting must also seek to humanize neglected parts of the developing world, bringing to light untold stories and unknown faces. ”