Bridging the Gaps: Students Highlight Work Helping Underserved Communities

Nursing and medical studies students who spent the summer working with underserved communities highlighted their hard work for the campus community.

The students took part in a poster symposium to showcase their seven weeks in the 11th annual Bridging the Gaps (BTG) Community Health Internship Program.

“It was a super rewarding summer; I can’t advocate for this program enough,” says Abigail Donnelley, a junior nursing major who worked with elementary school students at the Casa Guadalupe Center. “It really gave me such a broad perspective of the world and what goes on outside the hospital.”

Ninety-two students participated in the program, with the majority from DeSales. They focused on health education in the areas of cardiovascular health, oral health, nutrition, job readiness, and bullying and violence prevention. 

“Students really get to know the population and its stressors, needs, strengths, and weaknesses, the community agencies benefit because they have the expertise of these students. It’s a win-win for both.” 

 Dr. Mary Ellen Miller, associate professor and director of the Bridging the Gaps Lehigh Valley Affiliate

BTG is a paid, community-based summer internship program that helps students in the health and social services fields gain a broader understanding of the factors that affect health in underserved, economically disadvantaged communities.