UNMC has welcomed 10 summer interns through Omaha’s Step-Up program, giving the students an introduction to the med center and a chance to see their future selves returning.
Step-Up Omaha is an initiative of the Empowerment Network and the City of Omaha to give youths ages 16 to 21 valuable job experience through the summer. More than 100 employers around Omaha have participated.
UNMC joined the participating employers in 2016, and this summer Step-Up Omaha interns will work in in human resources for UNMC and the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the chancellor’s office, academic affairs, dermatology, internal medicine-hospital medicine and orthopedic surgery, along with the UNO book store.
Sarah Gloden Carlson, JD, UNMC’s interim assistant vice chancellor and director for human resources, addressed the interns last week as they started their internships.
Gloden Carlson said the Step-Up program provides the interns a wonderful opportunity to truly experience life working at UNMC.
Said Gloden Carlson, "It allows individuals to be exposed to various areas and working groups across campus, with the goal of helping participants imagine a future working in health care or business operations at UNMC or Nebraska Medicine.
"We are so excited to have our Step-Up interns on campus and look forward to all they will achieve in this program while on campus this summer."
Evelyn Grixby, who helps organize the campus’ participation as UNMC’s employee relations program coordinator, urged the interns to see the possibilities available to them in the future at UNMC.
"If you can dream it, you can be it," Grixby said.
Intern Billiana Mekoum, who recently graduated from Millard South High School and will attend UNO to study business administration, said the program already has been amazing.
"I love the environment of the university, even though it's huge," Mekoum said. "It's really — they treat each other like family. I love the fact that I feel comfortable and I feel welcomed."