Children’s Minnesota’s 2022 summer equity and inclusion internship program

Children’s Minnesota was thrilled to host 20 interns this summer as part of our equity and inclusion (E&I) internship program! 

The goal of the E&I internship program is to expose high school and college students to different career options at Children’s Minnesota, as well as to allow students the opportunity to learn and engage in areas that they potentially see as a future career opportunity. 

About the E&I internship program  

By 2050, one out of two eligible workers in Minnesota will be people of color and Native American. This is why enhancing Children’s Minnesota’s existing internship program to include even more opportunities for diverse high school and college students will significantly impact our ability to recruit and retain a diverse workforce today and in the future. 

“We want all who engage with us to feel valued, included, respected and supported. That means having a workforce and partners who reflect the diversity and rich backgrounds of the communities we serve,” said James Burroughs, senior vice president, government and community relations, chief equity and inclusion officer. “Having the equity and inclusion internship program creates a pipeline of talent that ensures that those from diverse backgrounds have access to future employment opportunities at Children’s Minnesota. This, in turn, ensures best-in-class care for patients and families.” 

Nearly 40 students have completed the E&I internship program since it launched three years ago.  

Our 2022 E&I interns 

• Maria Hernandez-Chaire, marketing and communications intern 
• Annisa Mohamed, palliative care and integrative medicine intern 
• Olga (Iveth) Morales, center for professional development and practice (CPDP) intern 
• Phoua Lee, foundation intern 
• Kelly-Jovian Ngwa, finance intern 
• Pajxong (April) Vang, finance intern 
• Samera Muse, finance intern  
• Mayela De Luna Alonzo, human resources intern 
• Lorena Cortes, talent acquisition and compliance intern 
• Samia Ali, equity and inclusion intern 
• Riyan Said, equity and inclusion intern 
• Deqo Hassan, ITS intern  
• Sabrin Yusuf, special care nursery intern  
• Suad Nur, ambulatory care intern 
• Bisharo Abdikader, ambulatory care intern 
• Fathumo Mohamed, value and performance intern  
• Zachary Gbor, business development intern 
• Hani Ali, infant care center intern 
• Arian Ghafoori, advocacy intern  
• Lilah Xiong, simulation intern 

What our interns had to say

We are grateful for the amazing work of our 2022 E&I interns. Hear from some of them about their internship experience at Children’s Minnesota!

Our internship partners 

In 2022, Children’s Minnesota worked with the following partners to provide high school and college internship opportunities: 

Step Up 

Step Up is a collective of support that unites businesses, schools, nonprofits and the city for a common goal: to build and strengthen our future economy and the talented youth who will power it. They help organizations—like Children’s Minnesota—diversify their workforce and build a competitive pipeline of young, skilled workers for the entire region. Step Up is a partnership of the City of Minneapolis, AchieveMpls, CareerForce Minneapolis and Project for Pride in Living. 

Achieve College Internships 

Achieve College Internships launched in 2020. The new program provides career-building opportunities for college juniors – especially Minneapolis Public Schools graduates and Step Up alumni – who are underrepresented in Twin Cities companies and local internship programs. The program connects students with high-quality paid summer internships, mentors and professional networks that can help launch their careers. It also helps employers strengthen their recruitment and retention of talented, diverse students who want to begin their careers in the Twin Cities. 

Right Track 

Right Track provides summer jobs and internships for Saint Paul youth who are from low-income families or have a barrier to employment. 

Urban Scholars 

Urban Scholars is a leadership and professional development internship program for students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds with distinctive professional experience. Focused on essential leadership skills and creating resume-building career pathways, Urban Scholars is training the next generation of leaders. 

Dougherty Family College 

The University of St. Thomas’ Dougherty Family College provides students with the opportunity to explore careers, build relationships with the top organizations in the Twin Cities and learn the soft skills necessary to successfully navigate the professional workplace—all as an integral part of their high-quality academic experience. 

Wallin Partners 

Wallin Partners enables college and career success for Minnesota students with financial need through scholarships, comprehensive advising support and collaboration with educational, business and philanthropic partners. 

Thank you to the 17 Children’s Minnesota departments and all of the mentors for hosting interns this year. We are grateful for your support in providing this special opportunity for students to learn and engage in various areas at Children’s Minnesota.