Bergami Family Interns Reflect on a Summer of Opportunities

As part of the Bergami Family Summer Internship Program, eight students participated in internships that enabled them to network, apply what they learned in the classroom, and explore their passions.

October 10, 2019

By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications

This summer, Erin Satkowski '21 watched as police officers chased down a young driver who had allegedly committed a hit and run. Police believed he had hit a parked car, knocked off a tire, and ran away with the tire in his hand, later dumping it in a backyard with a backpack containing drugs.

This was the first arrest she witnessed as an intern with the Derby Police Department, the department in which her late father had worked as a police officer. She helped officers collect video surveillance from neighboring homes and watched as they questioned the suspect.

"My experience as an intern helped me decide that I want to work in the public sector, as opposed to the private sector."Erin Satkowski '21

"I hope to become an investigator with a police department," said Satkowski, a criminal justice major. "My experience as an intern helped me decide that I want to work in the public sector, as opposed to the private sector."

Satkowski was one of eight students who spent the summer completing internships as part of the Bergami Family Summer Internship Program. They completed internships locally and as far away as Nashville, learning about their chosen fields and about themselves.

Madeline Morrisson '20 worked in a cancer research lab at the Yale School of Medicine. Focusing on ovarian cancer research, she used mice to study how exercise can affect tumors and new drugs that can be used to treat the disease. She hopes to publish her research.

"I put in a lot of work over the summer," said Morrisson, a biology major. "With the others in the lab, we generated enough data for several manuscripts. Publishing will give me an advantage in future job opportunities in the research field, as well as in gaining acceptance into a Ph.D. program, which is one of my goals."

Now in its eighth year, the program is funded through the generosity of Board of Governors member – and former Board Chair – Sam Bergami '85 EMBA, '02 Hon. and his wife, Lois, and the Division of Student Affairs. Students recently discussed their internship experiences with the campus community, including the Bergamis.

Jo Sinta '20, a music and sound recording major, spent the summer in Nashville. During her internship at Blackbird Studio, one of the top recording studios in the world, she made important connections, gained hands-on experience using state-of-the-art equipment, and learned about client relations.

"I hope to move back to Nashville to pursue a career as a recording engineer," said Sinta, who met singer-songwriter Gladys Knight on her first day at her internship. "Blackbird is a well-respected studio. I hope having it on my resume, along with the skills I gained working there, will make me a strong applicant for future positions."

The Bergami Summer Internship Program is funded through the generosity of Board of Governors member – and former Board Chair – Sam Bergami '85 EMBA, '02 Hon. and his wife, Lois, and the Division of Student Affairs.