Every summer, Penn’s office of Development and Alumni Relations partners with the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) to host the Penn/CASE Advancement Internship program. Designed to diversify and attract students to a career in institutional advancement while strengthening the higher ed advancement profession overall, this summer Penn Nursing/Wharton student William Xi, Nu’27, W’27, was placed with Penn Medicine’s development professionals.
The UPenn Nursing Department recently sat down with William to get the inside-scoop on how things are going, what he is learning, and where he’ll go from here.
As a student in the dual degree Nursing Healthcare Management program, what drew you to the CASE Summer Internship program and the chance to play a role in educational advancement?
I heard about the eight-week CASE Summer Internship through my job as an Engagement Ambassador for the student fundraising office. The opportunity to work in a very niche field and really expand on my experience as an Engagement Ambassador in a healthcare-related space in the Penn Medicine office is what drew me to the CASE Summer internship.
What are your specific advancement project(s) at Penn Medicine and UPHS during the internship—and what does a typical day look like for you so far?
The specific advancement projects at Penn Medicine and UPHS revolve around data management, artificial intelligence, and social media engagement. On a typical day, I arrive early at the office, start working on projects, and have a number of meetings (check-ins, department meetings, business lunches, etc.) throughout the workday.
How are you drawing on your education from Penn Nursing and Wharton as you approach solutions and look at challenges related to institutional advancement?
My education at Penn Nursing and Wharton has significantly shaped my problem-solving approach in advancing initiatives. My nursing education has instilled a keen attention to detail, enabling me to efficiently address various challenges. Concurrently, my experience at Wharton has helped me look at problems through a long-term lens, particularly through the marketing principles I learned last semester, which have been instrumental in tackling issues related to engagement and alumni relations.
Read more at Penn Nursing.
Posted: July 18, 2024
