Medline and Evanston Scholars Bring Real Work Experiences to First-Generation College Students

Supporting tomorrow’s talent with hands-on corporate experience and career development today

Mundelein, Ill., Aug. 24, 2015 – Medline, a global manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies and clinical solutions, and Evanston Scholars, a non-profit organization that improves college access and success for a diverse group of underserved Evanston students, many of whom are the first in their family to attend college, joined forces to offer 10 participants hands-on training in sales, clinical services, product development and more at the company’s Mundelein headquarters this summer.  In addition to acquiring tangible skills, these students learned about teamwork and leadership during the 10-week internship program.

“Working at Medline gave these ambitious students the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of the medical supply industry – applying what they’ve been learning in school to real business practices,” said Andy Mills, president, Medline. “They’ve learned how their contributions can help advance healthcare.  And, it’s been exciting to see their impact on the success of our business.”

Introducing this summer’s interns

From translating 25 education courses for healthcare professionals into Spanish to conducting new product sales forecasts, the students were tremendous assets in helping their assigned teams complete a wide range of projects.  Here’s a look at a few of the students and their accomplishments:

Jocelyn Becerra – The incoming freshman at Dominican University is preparing to study nursing. This summer, she worked in the Clinical Solutions division, contributing to the development of several Medline University education courses and translating courses into Spanish.

“The responsibilities handed to me were extremely beneficial for my major,” said Becerra. “Medline University offers clinicians ongoing education on a wide variety of subjects. Because I plan to study nursing in school, it was great to learn about proper patient care techniques through these courses.”

Leslie Coronel – The incoming senior at Amherst College is studying economics and Spanish. This summer, Leslie developed market research reports and helped forecast sales for the introduction of potential new products. In addition, she compiled competitor information and shadowed a medical sales rep, traveling to Florida for a customer visit.   

“I’ve truly enjoyed my experience this summer. It’s provided me with the knowledge and confidence I need to one day excel in a corporate setting,” said Coronel.

Juan Villasenor – The incoming sophomore at Amherst College is leaning towards mathematics and environmental studies. This summer he helped facilitate product distribution, getting the right medical supplies to the right healthcare facilities on time and on budget.

Other Evanston Scholar students who participated in the summer internship program included Nikkole Wade who worked in Textiles, Nick Halman in Information Services, Travis Wallace in Quality, Tyler Dixon in Equipment and Furnishings, Vanessa Beaudouin in Sales, Jonathan Martinez in Sales and Naomi Jones in Central Data.

“Medline is our first corporate partner to launch a job program for Evanston Scholars college students. We are honored to have the support of such a prominent company,” said Caryn Summer, associate director of college success, Evanston Scholars. “The experience Medline offers the scholars is a critical component of our college success program. These internships present the Evanston Scholars students with the ability to work in a business environment and establish important corporate connections that will be invaluable as they graduate college and navigate their career paths.”

“As one of Medline’s project managers working closely with the Evanston Scholars students, I was impressed by their passion, work ethic, and growth,” said Jessica Taylor, director of clinical solutions. “They added an exciting dynamic to our teams and we hope to see them back one day.”

To read more about the students who worked at Medline this summer, visit the “Voices of Healthcare” blog post at http://mkt.medline.com/advancing-blog/students-get-a-feel-for-careers-within-healthcare-supply/.

About Medline

Medline is a global manufacturer and distributor serving the healthcare industry with medical supplies and clinical solutions that help customers achieve both clinical and financial success. Headquartered in Mundelein, Ill., the company offers 350,000+ medical devices and support services through more than 1,200 direct sales representatives who are dedicated points of contact for customers across the continuum of care.  For more information on Medline, go to www.medline.com or http://www.medline.com/social-media to connect with Medline on its social media channels.