COOL FOR THE SUMMER: Interns learn importance of communication, working as a team

By Ryan Clark

CHS Communications Director

This week: Claire Glenn

Sometimes, you just know.

And for Claire Glenn, she just knew when she met Jill Hunter, director of Payer Administration Policy and Project Collaborations for University of Kentucky HealthCare.

“I met Mrs. Hunter and clicked with her instantly,” says the 20-year-old Glenn, a Clinical Leadership and Management major from Franklin, Tenn. “We met at the CLM Internship Speed Dating Fair at the end of January 2022.”

Hunter told the student to reach out to Michael Hatfield, external affairs coordinator, and Mark Birdwhistell, Vice President for Health System Administration & Chief of Staff, for the University of Kentucky HealthCare. They all chatted, and the next thing she knew, she had an internship.

“I worked at UK Chandler Hospital’s EVPHA (Executive Vice President for Health Affairs) office,” she said. “After attending a three-on-one interview, I was offered the position to be an intern for one month at their office.”

What did she get to do?

“This role was an immersive shadowing experience that gave me the opportunity of sitting in on professional meetings, learning about exciting upcoming projects, and the importance of communication and working as a team,” she said. “Another aspect I really liked from this internship was the opportunity to hop around to various offices.”

She spent one week with the project management team, and another with corporate communications.

“I got to learn about the marketing and communication methods used within such a large organization to get messages across to patients, providers, and various staff,” Glenn said. “Overall, this experience was very valuable, and I will maintain the important connections I made with the welcoming and friendly staff at UK.”

In the CLM department, Claire says there is a strong emphasis placed on interning — and that, paired together with classroom experience, can give students a full picture of what the professions are like.

“Interning is such an important part of one’s occupational journey,” she said. “It provides students the opportunity to get to know more information on a position they are curious about. Interning allows students to make important connections with people in their field of interest. There are countless organizations that are excited to meet the next generation of their staff and want to see them grow.

“I truly valued this experience because it allowed me to network and meet so many important people.”

Each week we'll feature another student who is participating in a summer internship.