On-the-job experience is critical factor for many college graduates, seeking employment in an increasingly competitive market. Internships provide that edge, a consistent advantage over masses of other applicants. Aquinas helps prepare students for their niche, for internships that will fit their unique talents while preparing them for fulfilling careers. Take alumna Kayla Barr, whose internship with Spectrum Health has led to advancements within the organization.

As a 2012 graduate, Barr majored in business with a minor in biology. She remembers first encountering Aquinas at a Girl Scout leadership conference, during high school. “I really liked the campus,” she said, “and it was close to home. I have two younger brothers, so I wanted to go to their football games and watch as they grew up. But I liked the small feel at Aquinas - I didn’t want to go to a giant school. I visited a few larger places and realized that they weren’t for me. I’m an outdoorsy person, so the nature and trees around campus were a good fit.”

“I loved it here,” she said. “I lived off campus, so I didn’t do a lot of the ‘extra-curricular activities,’ but I still made many friends and lasting bonds at Aquinas!”

Graduating a semester early, Barr searched for internships that would take advantage of her business and medical interests. “I was looking on Spectrum Health’s website,” she said, “and, in addition to offering internships to people enrolled in school, they have positions for those who recently graduated. So that was really helpful!”

Landing the internship, which began in May 2013, Barr and her fellow interns were quickly put to work. “We were thrown right in,” she laughed. “We went to training, had a dress rehearsal, and then brought a site live on EPIC - their Electronic Medical Records system (EMR) - the following Monday. There were three other interns on my team, and it was a lot of fun! We worked with outside consultants and actual Spectrum employees, bringing five urgent care sites live around Grand Rapids. Our internship then got extended, and we brought West Michigan Heart live on EPIC, which was a huge project. They have several satellite sites, so it was quite the undertaking!”

Barr said that her time at Aquinas left her well-prepared for the experience, giving her a foundation of knowledge in the field. “I learned a lot of the medical terms with the biology minor,” she said, “which helped my work with the product end-users, who were MAs, nurses, or doctors. So I was able to understand what they were talking about in medical terms when they would say, ‘I want this immunization to go here, how do I draw a person’s details on the EMR,’ etc. On the business side, we saw a lot of dealing with managers and bringing in new equipment, so I believe both my major and minor really played a big role in developing how I got a job there.”

Barr fostered a strong commitment to service in the community while at Aquinas, a passion well at home in her experience with Spectrum. “For our internship, it was actually a requirement to volunteer at the Renucci House, which is like a Ronald McDonald House,” she said. “They serve food to the families who stay at the hospital. There were twenty-seven of us cooking dinner for all of these people. We were really able to see the community grow there, and I really enjoyed it! Just to see their faces and the impact that we made, it was great. I know Aquinas definitely stresses the community service, and their service activities really helped to emphasize and focus that commitment.”

While the internship officially ended in September 2013, Barr’s contribution led to a full-time offer from Spectrum in August. “I went to training, I got certified in EPIC, and I really like it! I never saw myself going into IT, ever. That’s what my dad does, he works at Spectrum as well, but I never saw going into IT. But it’s a really good fit! I still get to work with people, when the help desk routes people to us with issues in printing, security, that sort of thing. So I still get to see the medical side, which I was very interested in, but I also get to see the business on the back-end, how it all works behind the scenes.”

In retrospect, she points to her internship as a valued experience, urging others to find similar opportunities in their own fields. “I would definitely recommend pursuing an internship. Whether or not you get a job after the internship, you do gain networking, you make friends who could help you with a job somewhere else, and you figure out if this degree or job is something you really want to do. I thought it was a great experience, I enjoyed my time with Spectrum, and I continue to enjoy it!”

As a parting word of advice to students, Barr stressed the need to become involved with the Aquinas campus, to take advantage of its many opportunities. “Get involved!” she said. “Definitely get involved with clubs, activities, sports... there are so many opportunities! It’s such a family atmosphere, people definitely enjoy the community here. Just to go to AQ Idol or other events, meet people and make those bonds, because it’s really important!”