A Student’s Perspective: Interning at Foxdale Village
Internships offer valuable opportunities to gain hands-on experience, develop new skills, and explore career paths. In this guest blog, Molly Hulme reflects on her internship at Foxdale Village and shares insights from her experience.
This summer, Molly Hulme spent eight weeks gaining firsthand experience at Foxdale Village in State College, Pennsylvania, through AQORD’s summer internship program. A junior at Penn State studying health policy and administration (HPA) and participating in Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), Molly arrived at Foxdale interested in long-term care and eager to explore what a future in the field could look like. Working alongside Foxdale’s team, she gained an inside look at the people, operations, and experiences that bring a senior living community to life.
Molly’s interest in senior living started well before this summer. In high school, she worked in senior living dining, where she got her first exposure to the field.
When her Penn State program required her to complete an internship, she knew long-term care was an area she wanted to explore further.
At Foxdale, Molly worked with Nursing Home Administrator Jeannine Shade and Director of Health Services Meg Clouser to participate in internal audits and learn about the clinical, operational, and regulatory work involved in running a long-term care community. She also participated in a mock survey coordinated by the AQORD Compliance Collaborative, giving her a closer look at how organizations prepare for surveys.
One of Molly’s biggest takeaways was how much happens behind the scenes. She learned about the complexities of staffing and scheduling and strengthened her familiarity with medical terminology and professional communication. But her time with residents stood out most.
Molly continued to work in dining on the weekends during her internship, allowing her to bond with residents throughout the community, including Ed, a resident who shared her connection to the military. Later, during her internship, Molly helped welcome Ed’s wife when she moved into the community.
“I think interacting with the residents and meeting with their families was the most rewarding aspect of my internship experience,” Molly said.
Molly plans to pursue medical service and hospital administration through the military. She is also considering long-term care for her future and hopes to eventually earn her nursing home administrator license.
Long-term care is one of several career paths available to HPA students, but Molly believes many students overlook the field when considering their options after graduation. Her advice to them is simple: Keep an open mind.
That willingness to explore is exactly what AQORD aims to encourage. By connecting students with member organizations, AQORD helps introduce the next generation of professionals to the opportunities and rewarding careers available in health and human services.
To learn more about AQORD’s internship program, visit https://aqord.org/education-development/internship-program/.