Reading Hospital to Host Graduation for High School Interns

Reading Hospital will recognize eight local seniors from Reading and Wilson High Schools who have completed the Reading Hospital High School Internship Program at an end-of-year celebration.

The reception celebrating the accomplishments of the fifth annual class of interns will be held on Thursday, May 23, 1 to 3 p.m., in the Thun/Janssen Auditorium of Reading Hospital. Desha Dickson, Associate Vice President, Community Wellness at Reading Hospital; Eric Turman, Principal, Reading High School; Matt Bender, Assistant Principal, Wilson High School; Sergei Szortyka, President; Quaker Maid® Meats; Jayah Roman, Senior, Reading High School; Sofia Curtis, Senior, Wilson High School; and Nereida Salvador-Abreu, Past Intern, Class of 2016 will make remarks starting at 1:30 p.m.

Four students from Reading High School and four students from Wilson High School served as interns during the 2018-2019 school year. The goal of the program is to expose students to the wide variety of careers in healthcare, both clinical and non-clinical, and provide them with hands-on opportunities to learn. The internship also teaches them skills they can use in the future, such as financial literacy, resume writing, and interviewing techniques.

This year's interns worked in a variety of departments, including: Emergency Department, Respiratory Therapy, Nursing, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, Procedure Area, Call Center, and Beginnings Maternity Center.

A total of 38 students have participated in, and completed, the Reading Hospital Internship program since its inception in 2014. The majority of the interns have gone on to pursue higher education, many of them solidifying their interest in pursuing a career in healthcare upon completion of the Reading Hospital Internship Program. Four past participants are current employees of Reading Hospital, while a number of others have served as interns over summer breaks.

"Reading Hospital is proud of all the participants of the internship program, past and present," said Desha Dickson, Associate Vice President, Community Wellness at Reading Hospital. "These students came to work every day and made a difference in the lives of our patients and their families. They succeeded in supporting their colleagues as well as our community. I know they will continue to do that in all of their future endeavors."

Past graduates include:

  • Sianny Starks - Starks was a 2014-2015 graduate of the Reading Hospital Internship Program and now attends Pennsylvania State University majoring in Psychology and Business. Starks studied abroad in England during Spring 2017 semester and returned for Spring 2018 semester. She is the Treasurer of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, Member of the Society for Human Resource Management, and member of the Tennis Club. Upon graduation she plans to go to business school to obtain an MBA.
  • Santiago Morillo - Morillo was a participant in the 2015-2016 Internship Program and currently attends Pennsylvania State University - Mont Alto campus. He is studying Human Development and Family Studies. Morillo was a member of the basketball team in 2016-2017 and was involved in Penn State THON, Campus Activity and Multicultural Planning (CAMP), Alternative Spring Break (ASB), Film Club, and Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. Morillo served as an Orientation Leader, is a member of Student Activity Fee Committee, is Student Activity Worker, and is interested in being a Resident Assistant for the 2019-2020 school year.
  • Yomari Salvador-Rivera - Salvador-Rivera completed the 2015-2016 Reading Hospital Internship Program and attends Cedar Crest College majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Health Care Management. She is a member of the Tennis team, singles and doubles, and is involved with the Investment Club. She currently works as a Care Manager at an assisted senior living home near campus and will soon be promoted to a Medical Technologist.
  • Colleen Borian - Borian is a 2016-2017 participant in the internship program and attends Alabama University. She is majoring in Public Relations with a minor in Communication Studies and plans to specialize in Non-Profit Communication Management. Borian is involved in Capstone Agency (a student-run integrated communications firm that was named the #1 student firm in the nation by the PR Student Society of America), works as an Account Executive for the client LessThanUThink (a campaign implemented on college campuses by students to emphasize the negative social and physical consequences of college-aged binge drinking through humor), a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, serves as the Assistant Director to Judicial Affairs on the Alabama Panhellenic Association Executive Board, and is involved in U of A's dance marathon.

Reading Hospital

Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.