Inspiring the Future: The Louis Stokes High School Internship Program

Podcast Transcript

Dr. James K. Stoller:

Hello, and welcome to Med Ed Thread, a Cleveland Clinic Education Institute podcast that explores the latest innovations in medical education and amplifies the tremendous work of our educators across the enterprise. 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

Hello, welcome today's episode of Med Ed Thread, an Education Institute podcast exploring the Cleveland Clinic's Louis Stokes Summer Internship program honoring congressman Louis Stokes' legacy of public service, and his longstanding commitment to the youth of Cleveland. I'm your host, Dr. Tony Tizzano, Director of Student and Learner Health, here at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.

Today, I'm very pleased to have Donajah Bragg, administrative intern with the Clinic's Center for Youth and College Education, which we will call CYCE, here to join us. Donajah, welcome to today's podcast.

Donajah Bragg:

Thank you for having me.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

To get started, can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your educational background, experience with the Louis Stokes Summer Internship program and your current role here at Cleveland Clinic?

Donajah Bragg:

Sure. So as you mentioned, I am the administrative intern for the Center for Youth and College Education, which is short for CYCE. We are housed in a education institute and my career journey with Cleveland Clinic dates back to when I was in high school. So I participated in the Cleveland Clinic Louis Stokes Summer Internship program, between my freshman to junior year of high school. And I always say that this internship had a profound impact in my life, because it was through this program I was able to gain first-hand experience in a field that I'm passionate about intern one day. So in the future, I hope to open my own cancer center to treat patients and conduct research to entirely eradicate this disease, and this program was critical in putting me on the path to attain any future goals that I have set for myself. 

And there was also a professional connection I had made during this time, which was with Jacque Tinsley, the program manager for the Louis Stokes Internship program, and she played a key role in helping me secure my current internship with the CYCE team, this time at the collegiate level. In addition to my internship experience, I am a recent graduate from Notre Dame College, where I earned by Bachelor's of Arts degree in Business Administration.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

Wow, you have quite the trajectory-

Donajah Bragg:

(laughs) 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

... plan for yourself.

Donajah Bragg:

(laughs) 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

So, Donajah, if you could please help frame today's topic for our listeners, giving us an overview of this very innovative program.

Donajah Bragg:

Sure. So, we have three summer internship program tracks. The first is the Louis Stokes Internship program, which is named in honor of congressman Louis Stokes, and this focuses on non-clinical business areas, empowering young talent as well as enhancing work readiness and fostering career growth. We also offer the Science Internship program for our clinical focus opportunities. And we also have a Advanced Technology program for those interested in advanced technology pathways. And all these internships are paid, so for anyone interested in joining or learning more information, please visit our website.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

So, if you would, could you take some time to walk us through your personal journey with the program, which I know you've touched upon.

Donajah Bragg:

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

What were some of the challenges and memorable moments, perhaps key takeaways.

Donajah Bragg:

Thank you for asking that question, Tony. So during my time in the internship, some of the challenges I faced was time management and adaptability. I was new to the clinic and I was still getting familiar with the clinic's processes and protocols. So for some tasks, it took me longer than expected. (laughs) It was challenging adjusting to being in a new physical environment. And if I was to give a memorable moment, I would definitely say when I interviewed a cancer survivor. It was truly inspiring to hear her testimony and how she didn't let cancer take control of her life. And through all of that, a key takeaway that I took with me was I learned the importance of teamwork and collaboration, and this is truly the backbone of patient care. You want to ensure that care is safe, efficient and patient centered.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

Yeah, I couldn't agree with that more. And along the way, you mentioned when we first met that you kind of inspired an interest in philanthropy. Where does that come into play?

Donajah Bragg:

So, as I started to grow in my career, I learned that it wasn't always the doctors on the forefront. You have people behind the scenes that are very instrumental to the cause. And when I was able to attend the philanthropic meeting with the Reinberger Foundation, and help my team attain a $50,000 grant, I seen how the work they were putting in behind the scenes, and it made me want to, you know, look at that route as a possible occupation. Because I'm still contributing to the cause.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

Yeah. I couldn't agree more. And you know, from the first time I met you, I, I just stepped into the area a week or two ago, and you, you jumped right out, met me, shook my hand, and got me started. So, you know, y- I can just see there must have been a tremendous amount of personal growth.

Donajah Bragg:

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

I mean, I don't see that right out the gate for most persons just coming out of college.

Donajah Bragg:

Hm.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

So what source of wisdom did you gain from this journey so far? 

Donajah Bragg:

Just taking everything one day at a time. Sitting down to truly map out your, your journey. You know, and not rushing the process.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

Perfect. So, when you look at all the individuals who come through, who's eligible to participate, and how does one get started?

Donajah Bragg:

So, to participate in our programs, you must be in grades nine through 12, you must live in one of the specified Northeast Ohio cities, and to get started, you can visit our website to choose a program that you are interested in and from there, you can quickly apply. 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

And there is this Effective Leadership Academy. What's that all about?

Donajah Bragg:

So the internships are for seven weeks. In the first week, the students are participating in the Effective Leadership Academy, which teaches them about professionalism. And from there, they spend the remaining six weeks with their mentors. They are then assigned different tasks and projects to work on. They would then put all of that information into a poster presentation to showcase at our culminating graduation event. And we have poster reviewers that are assigned to different posters, and they ask the students uh- questions about their work experience. 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

And that's where I got to meet you, but not in that capacity.

Donajah Bragg:

(laughs) 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

There were other students. And it was outstanding. It was absolutely outstanding.

Donajah Bragg:

Yeah, it's truly amazing to see the work come through. 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

Yeah. And the enthusiasm that they had, I could see where it's just such a great starting point.

Donajah Bragg:

Mm-hmm. 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

So, the poster presentations, these very topics that I wasn't expecting, how do those get selected, and then the student sends off on this trajectory? So does the person that they're working with decide, "This is what I want you to do"? Or do you pick the topic? 

Donajah Bragg:

Yeah, so the students pick the topic.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

And what was yours?

Donajah Bragg:

When I started in an internship program, I didn't get a say so. We were in a whole different department. I was new to the internship, so I didn't really know anyone. But once I went through my first year, and I figured that where I was placed I didn't have a interest for it, I spoke to the director at the time, let her know my passion, and from there I was placed in radiation oncology for my last two years of my internship. 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

So great. So it's a dynamic process.

Donajah Bragg:

Yeah, yeah.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

So if you-

Donajah Bragg:

So they definitely work with the students to see what fields they're interested in working in.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

Perfect. That's exactly what I like to hear. So, I understand that there are even potential scholarship monies associated with the program. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Donajah Bragg:

Sure, so for anyone who participated in the Louis Stokes Internship program, and plans on furthering their education post high school, they can receive scholarship dollars, and to be eligible for that, they must have first completed the program and they must have at least a 2.0 GPA. 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

Okay. So that's fair enough.

Donajah Bragg:

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

So over the course of the three-year experience, did you receive mentoring? And if so, what effect did it have?

Donajah Bragg:

Absolutely. So my mentor brought me out of my shell, and then she helped me become more comfortable with seeking opportunities, and taking on different projects and tasks. From there, I learned the importance of networking, because those connections will be very instrumental in my career.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

Yeah, I think, you know, you lose sight of the fact that, you know, you get started in one place and you end up at another. 

Donajah Bragg:

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

And that usually is through networking. And, I think within the Education Institute where this program is born, that is probably one of its founding principles.

Donajah Bragg:

Absolutely. 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

So as you look at this in terms of CYCE student internship program, what do you see on the horizon? 

Donajah Bragg:

I think continuing to establish strong partnerships with educational institutions, as well as the community, to help grow awareness for, as well as the capacity within our programs. 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

I know that one of the reasons that the clinic involves itself in any of its endeavors is to grow community interest in us, and for us to be interested in the community. Do you think it serves that goal well?

Donajah Bragg:

It definitely does. Just getting out into the community, speaking with everyone. You know, giving them information on these different programs to offer. Because all it takes is that one person. For me, I had no idea about this internship experience but when I had a guidance counselor come speak to me about it, it grew my interest, and then from there I did my research. So it's all about just educating the community to spread the word about these programs.

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

So you were both proactive ... Once you heard the information you, you chased it down.

Donajah Bragg:

Absolutely. 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

So Donajah, is there anything I didn't ask that you feel is important for our listeners to consider?

Donajah Bragg:

Sure. So something that I feel is important for our listeners, especially our young audience to hear is that they should seize every chance to pursue whatever goals that they set for themselves, because the sky is truly the limit. 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

Now those are words of wisdom, for sure.

Donajah Bragg:

(laughs) 

Dr. Tony Tizzano:

Well, thank you so much, Donajah. This has been a wonderfully insightful podcast. To our listeners, thank you very much for joining, and we look forward to your presence on our next Med Ed Thread podcast. Have a wonderful day.

Donajah Bragg:

Thank you for having me.

Dr. James K. Stoller:

This concludes this episode of Med Ed Thread, a Cleveland Clinic Education Institute podcast. Be sure to subscribe to hear new episodes via iTunes, Google Play, SoundCloud, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Until next time, thanks for listening to Med Ed Thread, and please join us again soon.