I wanted to explore the possibility of a career in oncology, so I applied to the undergraduate clinical research program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York City. For ten weeks I was involved in metastatic prostate cancer research at one of the oldest and largest cancer research facilities in the world. I wrote portions of a research article manuscript on the use of the Bone Scan Index for determining cancer progression and predicting overall survival. I also assembled and managed a PET scan database comparing different imaging procedures for detecting disease. I spent two weeks doing inpatient rounds, which was a very enlightening experience. A Ladd Internship through the Bates Office of Career Services provided the funds that allowed me to live in New York City. A Scher Fellowship further offset my costs.

I learned so much about the biology of cancer, but as a psychology major and pre-med student, I’m also interested in its psychological impact. That’s where my internship ties into my senior thesis: I’m analyzing data regarding distress levels and psychosocial needs of newly diagnosed cancer patients for the Patrick Dempsey Center at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

The opportunity to do undergraduate research is awesome. It should give me a leg up when I apply to medical school, but it also inspired me to engage in clinical research for a few years first.

Devin Wigler’s interest in oncology began when she volunteered at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston during Short Term. She worked in the Cancer Resource Center, providing literature to patients and their families.

“I wanted to explore the possibility of a career in oncology,” Wigler said, “so I applied to the undergraduate clinical research program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York City. For ten weeks I was involved in metastatic prostate cancer research at one of the oldest and largest cancer research facilities in the world. I wrote portions of a research article manuscript on the use of the Bone Scan Index for determining cancer progression and predicting overall survival. I also assembled and managed a PET scan database comparing different imaging procedures for detecting disease. I spent two weeks doing inpatient rounds, which was a very enlightening experience.”

A Ladd Internship through the Bates Office of Career Services provided the funds that allowed her to live in New York City. A Scher Fellowship further offset her costs.

“I learned so much about the biology of cancer, but as a psychology major and pre-med student, I’m also interested in its psychological impact,” Wigler said. “That’s where my internship ties into my senior thesis: I’m analyzing data regarding distress levels and psychosocial needs of newly diagnosed cancer patients for the Patrick Dempsey Center at Central Maine Medical Center. I’ve found it very convenient that Bates is so close to two hospitals – Central Maine and St. Mary’s!

“The opportunity to do undergraduate research is awesome. It should give me a leg up when I apply to medical school, but it also inspired me to engage in clinical research for a few years first.”

– Virginia Wright

This year’s Ladd Internships were offered to nine juniors, three sophomores and one senior. The recipients are: Katie Burke, of Canton, Mass., a junior American cultural studies major interning at the Institute for Higher Education, Washington, D.C.; Ryan Champagne, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., a junior art major, at the Ah Haa School for the Arts, Telluride, Colo.; Sophia DeMaio, of Westfield, a junior environmental studies major, at the Rural Community Action Ministry, Leeds; Christina Doukeris, of Saco, a sophomore biology major, at Salomon Smith Barney, Portland; Stephanie Eby, of Burlington, Mass., a graduate biology major, at the Environmental Projection Agency, Chelmsford, Mass.; Malinda Gilbert, of Bethel, a junior English major, at Beacon Hill Showrooms, Boston.

Also, Loretta Kim, of Philadelphia, a junior double-major in economics and psychology, at Marathon Capital Group, Boston; Maya Levine, of Hollis, N.H., a junior political science major, at the Environmental Projection Agency, Boston; Jenna Mullen, of New York City, a sophomore anthropology major, at Thieme Medical Publishing, New York; Nga Phan, of Hanoi, Vietnam, a junior economics major, at Banknorth, Lewiston; Ayana Sawai, of Tokyo, a junior interdisciplinary studies major, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City; Endri Trajani, of Cleveland, a junior double-major in economics and physics, at Per-Se Technologies, Lewiston; and Eric Ursprung, of Princeton, Mass., a sophomore political science major, at the Environmental Projection Agency, Boston.

Made possible by the George and Helen Ladd Charitable Corporation, the Ladd Internship Program was begun in 1978 by George E. Ladd Jr., a Bates benefactor interested in exposing liberal arts students to the working world. Through the program, the college and the sponsoring organization divide the cost of the salaried internships for up to four months.

This year, seven of the individual sponsors at the participating companies or institutions are Bates alumni.