Page 44 - Gates-AnnualReport-2019

EDUCATION
THE GATES SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Row 1 (Seated): Austin Schoppe, Kaleb Todd, Emily Thomas, Micaela Roy
Row 2 (Middle): Anit Tyagi, Kavya Ganuthula, Drew Harrahill, Anna Martch, Ryan Tseng, Griffin Hampton
Row 3 (Standing): Marina Schlaepfer, Kevin Winkler, Maggie Jewett, Isabella Martus, Sukriti Bhattarai, Iryna Chelepis, Khoa Nguyen, Christopher Schaff, Aiden Jacobs, Madison Kraus, Elizabeth Golding, Kelley Coakley (absent: Stefan Marasligiller)
Hope such as that expressed by our 2019 intern Kelly Coakley in her quote on the top of the facing page has permeated the Gates Summer Internship Program (GSIP) from the beginning.
Inspired by years of positive experiences allowing young people to work under them as summer interns in Gates Center laboratories, Drs. Tamara Terzian, Neil Box and Enrique Torchia (see photo) thoughtfully conceived of an official internship program they hoped would inspire outstanding young college undergraduates to pursue careers in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Their hope and initiative proved to be a great catalyst, inspiring the heartfelt and generous support of Gates Center friends Rhondda and Peter Grant (see photo), whose 2014 gift enabled the launch of the GSIP program in the summer 2015 with 12 students. Five years later this program has attracted increased and widespread visibility, ignited professional careers, gained additional supporters along with the Grants and become a signature of the Gates Center’s educational efforts.
Recruiting the best and brightest undergraduates is key to the quality of the GSIP, and the number and quality of the applications received speak to the program’s growing reputation. Having expanded substantially in offerings and demand since the initial class of 12 students, the program attracted a record number of 230 applicants from 42 states in 2019, and the 23 interns and affiliates accepted were assigned to Gates Center members’ laboratories across campus to work on specialized research topics and therapies. They also assembled regularly for 24 bi-weekly seminars on research, clinical subjects, and professional development, and gathered for social and volunteer activities on campus, in Denver and across Colorado. The program concluded with a Closing Day Ceremony on August 9, 2019, featuring guest speaker and CEO of Avita Medical Dr. Mike Perry talking about the vast array of career possibilities available within the field of regenerative medicine and a presentation of the interns’ work at a poster session and reception for family, friends, donors, mentors and the wider campus community.
44 Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine