WVU Medicine welcomes fourth Project SEARCH intern class

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital welcomed its fourth and largest class of Project SEARCH interns today (Aug. 28).

Project SEARCH is an internship experience for students, in their last year of high school eligibility, and young adults with mild and moderate disabilities. The program was first established at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in 1996. J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital is the first Project SEARCH site in West Virginia.  

This year’s intern class includes:

• East Fairmont High School – Makia “Kia” Bowen 
• Fairmont Senior High School – Brian Blackwood
• Grafton High School – Tammy Hose 
• Homeschool – Dylan Daugherty
• Morgantown High School – Jana Fletcher
• North Marion High School – Devin Copen and Nathan Gorman
• Preston High School – James Saucer
• University High School – Peyton Cross, Hayden Hamon, Kwasi Lawer-Yolar, and Brooklyn Northern 

“It is truly humbling to have so many employees at WVU Hospitals support our Project SEARCH program and welcome our fourth and largest class of interns,” Kimberly Hartsell, business liaison for Project SEARCH at WVU Hospitals, said. “It takes our entire hospital community to make this program a success.” 

The interns will rotate through various job roles in the hospital throughout the year and obtain CPR/first aid, Stop the Bleed®, and food handler certification before graduating the program. Project SEARCH often leads to employment once the internships are complete.

Project SEARCH is coordinated and hosted by WVU Medicine and supported by the West Virginia Department of Education. Together, in partnership with other community organizations, they create a one-year immersion experience that combines classroom instruction, career exploration, and hands-on training through worksite rotations.

Participating community organizations include: 

• the WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities; 
• West Virginia University; 
• the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services; 
• local school systems in Marion, Monongalia, Preston, and Taylor counties; 
• PACE Enterprises; 
• the Mitsubishi Electric Foundation; and 
• the Fairmont Disability Action Center.

For more information on WVU Medicine, visit WVUMedicine.org.