WVU Hospitals (WVUH) had a commencement ceremony for the fifth Challenge SEARCH class of interns on Thursday, Might 22.
Challenge SEARCH is an internship expertise for college students with gentle to average mental and developmental disabilities who’re of their final yr of highschool eligibility or have just lately graduated.
As soon as accepted into this system, the coed interns report back to WVUH as a substitute of their house faculty districts. Throughout this time, they achieve real-world employment expertise rotating by means of job roles and departments. 
Challenge SEARCH serves as the coed interns’ capstone instructional expertise and sometimes results in employment as soon as the internships are full.
“Our leaders and department staff see the importance of Project SEARCH and working with these good people and helping them on their journey and after as they become employment eligible and move, hopefully, within positions at WVU Hospitals,” Michael A. Grace, Ed.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.H.E., WVU Hospitals president and CEO, mentioned.
In 2019, J. W. Ruby Memorial Hospital grew to become the primary location in West Virginia to host Challenge SEARCH and has led greater than 20 program graduates to employment.
“I can see how we are changing lives, internally and externally, with the students that are here, with their parents and families, the schools – just everyone they interact with,” Colleen Sybert, WVUH vice chairman of human assets and Challenge SEARCH govt sponsor, mentioned. “I have watched this program grow over the past five years. We have tripled the number of rotations that we have had since year one, and the change in our culture has been incredible.”
This yr’s graduating class consists of eight interns from Marion, Monongalia, Preston, and Taylor counties:
“One of the reasons I love Project SEARCH is that every department we work with in the hospital welcomes our interns into the program and makes them feel at home,” Kim Hartsell, WVU Hospitals Challenge SEARCH enterprise liaison, mentioned.
“Their transformations from their first day with us to graduation is astounding. These students have learned how to work as members of a team and communicate with their peers and managers. Several of them also learned how to drive and obtained their driver’s licenses through the program. The skills they have learned will help them be successful as they enter the workforce.”
The interns started their coaching in August 2024 with a five-day summer time camp to turn out to be accustomed to their instructors and hospital employees. Stephen Callen, Challenge SEARCH abilities coach, mentioned this was the primary yr for the camp, and it supplied the scholars perception into the expectations of the upcoming rotations and classroom studying. Callen mentioned this enabled them to turn out to be extra comfy as they ready to embark on their new challenges.
“Each intern is different, so they need a different set of skills,” Callen mentioned. “It’s like that balancing act in the classroom where you have to pull someone in a little bit and others you have to raise up and give them the confidence to speak up in the classroom, which then translates into their rotations.”
Biszantz mentioned the immersive expertise allowed her to realize the arrogance and abilities wanted to compete within the workforce. She additionally mentioned she gained priceless friendships and an opportunity to be taught past a typical classroom setting.
“Project SEARCH gave me an opportunity that most kids don’t really get and actually makes it easier for me to get a job because I have experience in different types of categories,” she mentioned. “Don’t think about this like a school, think about it like this is a class to start your future in working.”
Challenge SEARCH is supported by the West Virginia Division of Training in partnership with West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Providers, PACE Enterprises, the Mitsubishi Electrical Basis, Livability, Vibrant Horizons Childcare Improvement Heart, the Fairmont Incapacity Motion Heart, West Virginia College, and WVU Heart for Excellence in Disabilities.
